Welcome To Hawai'i Seed Growers Network
Locally Grown and Adapted Non-GMO Seeds.
Our Seeds Are Grown In Hawai'i By Local Farmers.
HSGN will be at
THE VARIETY SHOWCASE ON HAWAII ISLAND
Mark your calendars for the first big Culinary Breeding Network event of 2025! The Variety Showcase, the premier event of the Culinary Breeding Network, will be held on May 21, 2025 from 4-7 p.m. at the Outrigger Keauhou Hotel in Kona, Hawai’i.
This local event brings together breeders and chefs and will feature: avocado, breadfruit, mango, banana, sweet potato, sweet corn, kabocha squash, roselle and more…
This public event is designed to build community among plant breeders, seed growers, farmers, chefs, bakers, distillers, retailers, distributors and consumers interested in the local food system.
Attendees have the experience to taste new and in-development vegetable, fruit, and grain cultivars - alongside older varieties with connections to Hawai’i. Attendees are encouraged to engage in conversation, share opinions, and take part in breaking down the walls between eaters and breeders. Come learn, taste, and engage!
“At this event, the curtain is pulled back.” says Culinary Breeding Network Director, Lane Selman, “Attendees are introduced to the wizards making critical decisions before our farmers plant their seeds. It’s a unique chance to network, build community and meet the plant breeders creating flavorful varieties for organic farmers.”
This is a unique opportunity to mingle with locally based breeders and seed growers, as well as research scientists attending the National Association of Plant Breeders conference.
Please join us for an engaging evening of conversation, learning, and tasting brought to you by the Culinary Breeding Network and University of Hawai’i’s @gofarmhawaii
This event is partially funded by the HDOA-SCBPG project “Expanding Markets of Specialty Crops for Input Substitution in Hawai’i”.
Tickets are available here:
Hope to see you there!
Our Mission
To produce locally grown, resilient seeds that are adapted to Hawai`i's diverse microclimates with the goal of improving the success of farmers and gardeners.
Our NON-GMO, open pollinated, Landrace seeds are grown in earth friendly, agroecological, low-input, sustainable farming and gardening systems.
A Landrace variety is a regional ecotype, locally adapted and corresponds to a domesticated species that has developed over time, through adaptation to its cultural environment of agriculture .
Our Vision
To support farmers and gardeners throughout Hawaiʻi by offering high-quality seeds that are grown and selected to thrive in our unique soils and climatic conditions. By maintaining a network of seed growers throughout the state, we offer a diverse selection of locally adapted seeds that enhance our ability to grow an abundance of nourishing food.
Hawaiʻi's many microclimates create a diversity of unique requirements for our farmers and gardeners. Seeds sourced from temperate areas are adapted to and selected for environmental conditions and requirements which are very different than what growers experience in subtropical regions. Our network of seed growers has been working together since 2010 to identify resilient varieties, grow and adapt them to our environments and the earth-friendly, agroecological, low-input, sustainable farming and gardening systems that we use.
Our network developed as a result of the work initiated in 2011 by the Hawaiʻi Public Seed Initiative (a Program of The Kohala Center). Over the past years, we have identified crop varieties that have performed well in our specific regions. By saving the best seed from these varieties and sharing within our network to re-grow, we are able to evaluate varietal performance in our diverse microclimates. Local adaptation is an ongoing process that takes several generations of growing and selecting for desired agricultural and culinary characteristics. As we continue this work, we will offer additional select varieties to improve the success of your growing endeavors.
Why is Locally Grown & Adapted Seed Important to Your Growing Success?
Safe Seed Pledge
"Agriculture and seeds provide the basis upon which our lives depend. We must protect this foundation as a safe and genetically stable source for future generations. For the benefit of all farmers, gardeners and consumers who want an alternative, we pledge that we do not knowingly buy or sell genetically engineered seeds or plants.
The mechanical transfer of genetic material outside of natural reproductive methods and between genera, families or kingdoms poses great biological risks, as well as economic, political and cultural threats. We feel that genetically engineered varieties have been insufficiently tested prior to release. More research and testing is necessary to further assess the potential risks of genetically engineered seeds. Further, we wish to support agricultural progress that leads to healthier soils, genetically diverse agricultural ecosystems and ultimately healthy people and communities."