LaShauna Austria

Kindred Seedlings started as an act of anti-racism. Given that there are not many Black, woman farmers in Alamance County, I was inspired to do something about it. I began as a seedling business in the dining room of my home. This led to a partnership with the Elon University Love Business School, which helped me to really think about how Kindred could be beneficial to Alamance and surrounding areas. Eventually, culinary herbs were added to the list of products sold. All of this was done with a quarter-acre piece of property in a suburban back yard. It doesn't take a lot of land to be able to grow something!

In 2020, Kindred Seedlings Farm was officially established after the acquisition of a 20-acre piece of property in Southern Alamance County, NC. We began selling seedlings and fresh culinary herbs through Black farmers markets as well as offering a line of herbal tea blends. We have a large network of community support that is essential to our operation as a working farm. We are continuing to grow seedlings and plants with the goal of building a local place where farmers can purchase their veggie starts for each growing season. We are also a space for all people, especially BIPOC folks, to come find peace and see others who look like them stewarding the land. Ultimately, Kindred aspires to be a teaching farm for new farmers learning to grow food.