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Stewardship Stories

Stewardship stories have always been an important part of SSE’s preservation work. Seeds are not just a food source but a record of human history. Seeds are intrinsically connected to culture, health, technology, and the human experience. Many of the heirloom seeds in our collection have been grown and preserved by generations of families, each with their own stories of why they saved the seeds.

A man wearing a Cubs baseball shirt stands in a flower bush.

Hope and Practice: Charles Hoehnle

“I just enjoy growing things. I never get tired of watching things grow and develop.” – Charles L. Hoehnle
Charles has been saving and sharing seeds through the Exchange since 1991—and gardening even longer. From his roots in Iowa’s Amana Colonies to his blue ribbons at the Iowa State Fair, Charles’s life is a testament to the quiet power of stewardship, tradition, and seed saving.

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A man smiles and holds several large green tomatoes

Hope and Practice: Craig LeHoullier

Hope and Practice with Craig LeHoullier: ‘Participating in Seed Savers Exchange Changed My Life.’ It is hard for me to believe, but my discovery, joining, and total immersion into Seed Savers Exchange happened in 1986. SSE was a mere child of 11, and I was a young husband, father, and relatively inexperienced gardener of 30. Though I am still a husband and father—and soon-to-be grandfather—my gardening experience has grown significantly, with much of the credit going to the life I’ve lived as an SSE member.

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A woman smiles and holds up a large tomato, with two more tomatoes on a table in front of her

Peg Davis: The Tomato Lady

Peg Davis of Snow Spring Farm in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley finds happiness and purpose in growing and stewarding heirloom tomatoes, including ‘Peg O’ My Heart, which she recently donated to Seed Savers Exchange. 

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