Seeds

Lovingly tended by our Seed Protector partners, these Palestinian heirlooms have mostly been grown in the Northeast United States over the past few growing seasons. No doubt they are beginning to adapt to this new climate, but we have found them surprisingly well-adapted not only to the East Coast but to most other regions across the continent. Over time, they may yet change in noticeable ways, but for now they still retain the various particular forms, colors, and flavors developed over untold generations in their homeland, marking them as uniquely Palestinian.

The purchase of seeds means you, as a grower, are released from the “library” model and not requested to send back collected seeds. Each seed packet contains around 20 seeds – plenty for a backyard gardener. If you are a seed farmer looking to grow bulk seed for us via our Seed Protector Project, please reach out at arts.and.seeds@gmail.com. 

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Essential Oils

Our essential oils, handcrafted by Palestinian herbalists at Florastina Essential Oils, are made with wildcrafted or sustainably grown heirloom Palestinian plants.

Qastina Designs

Qastina is an ode to a people and a place that has not been forgotten. Adjacent to the coast of Gaza, Qastina is the name of a village that was destroyed in 1948 during the Nakba when thousands of Palestinians were made refugees. But Qastina and its people, from whom the artist behind the project comes, are still alive and they still remember. Ayed Arafah, artist and founder of Qastina, was inspired by his mother’s recipes which she taught him over the phone while he was traveling abroad and missing the taste of home. He founded the company in hopes to keep the legacy of his people and their culture alive with a focus on the notion of resilience that is demonstrated through these old recipes that are being passed down through generations. With every dish there is a story and with every story is an opportunity to resurrect its history and affirm the future of its people. We hope that you will enjoy being part of keeping Qastina alive.

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