We seek to nurture our relationships with plants so that we may cultivate a more peaceful, equitable, and regenerative planet. We honor ancestral knowledge alongside contemporary botany to strengthen culturally relevant foodways and local biodiversity. The Plant Lab is a botanical maker space, community seed hub, and regional seed bank in North County San Diego. We serve farmers, seed stewards, educators, youth, restoration practitioners, and community scientists by providing shared tools and systems for seed processing, drying, climate-appropriate seed banking and storage, small-batch post-harvest handling, herb drying, materials/equipment checkout, and hands-on education. Primary crop production occurs with our partner farms and community growers; the Plant Lab anchors the post-harvest, conservation, learning, and resource side of the work, supporting seeds and broader land-based projects (edible and medicinal plants, restoration, and community science). With our community, we are cultivating our local seed sovereignty, one season at a time. In addition, we operate a plant nursery where we grow edible and native plants. We also work extensively with gardens and farms throughout our region.
Crops/products: Beans Dry Edible, Corn Grain, Native Seeds, Squash, White Yellow and Blue Corn, White Yellow Blue and Red Popcorn
Conservation Practices: Organic, Non-Certified, Pollinator Habitat, Regenerative Farming Practices, Soil Sampling, Traditional Ecological Knowledge, Vermicompost
WILLING TO BE CONTACTED ABOUT: Successes and challenges, Research opportunities, Funding opportunities, Other: Seed saving, seed hub, seed bank, gear library, land access, farming, food systems
