Rooted in Place Ecological Symposium: A Day of Stories, Seeds and Stewardship, Exploring the Deep Connections Between Culture and Biodiversity

Sunday, Nov. 9, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Berkshire Waldorf High School, in Stockbridge, Mass.

This fall, take a step into the heart of cultural ecology with BBG’s annual Rooted in Place Ecological Symposium, an immersive day-long gathering located at Berkshire Botanical Garden. Set for Sunday, Nov. 9, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., this dynamic symposium invites nature lovers, gardeners, farmers, educators, and environmental stewards to explore the intersection of culture and biodiversity — and how stories, seeds and land connect us all. Lunch is included.

Keynote Speaker: Abra Lee — Cultivating the Untold Stories of Black Gardeners and Growers
Horticulturalist, author, and storyteller Abra Lee will headline the symposium with a keynote address that brings to life the often-overlooked history of Black Americans in horticulture. Drawing on her forthcoming book, “Conquer the Soil: Black America and the Untold Stories of Our Country’s Gardeners, Farmers, and Growers” (Timber Press), Lee will share riveting narratives — from one of the first Black plant shop owners of the Roaring Twenties to a true tale of espionage with roots in the Harlem Renaissance. Lee, a Georgia native with a degree in ornamental horticulture from Auburn University, has made it her mission to unearth and amplify these hidden histories, connecting cultural heritage to ecological legacy.

Featured Speakers and Presenters

K Greene — Hudson Valley Seed Company
Seed stewards and co-founders of the beloved Hudson Valley Seed Company, Greene and Muller will discuss their mission to protect heirloom and open-pollinated seeds while celebrating the art and ethics of seed stewardship.

Kevin West — Author, Gardener, Cook
With roots in East Tennessee and a passion for preserving food culture, West will explore how growing and preserving food connects us to place, memory, and sustainability. His latest book, “The Cook’s Garden” (Knopf), celebrates the edible joys of homegrown abundance.

Film: Farming While Black — Film, Panel Discussion featuring characters in the film

Farming While Black is a feature-length documentary film which examines the historical plight of Black farmers in the United States and the rising generation reclaiming their rightful ownership to land and reconnecting with their ancestral roots.

As the co-founder of Soul Fire Farm in upstate New York, Leah Penniman finds strength in the deep historical knowledge of African agrarianism – agricultural practices that can heal people and the planet. Influenced and inspired by Karen Washington, a pioneer in urban community gardens in New York City, and fellow farmer and organizer Blain Snipstal, Leah galvanizes around farming as the basis of revolutionary justice.

In 1910, Black farmers owned 14 percent of all American farmland. Over the intervening decades, that number fell below 2 percent, the result of racism, discrimination, and dispossession. The film chronicles Penniman and two other Black farmers’ efforts to reclaim their agricultural heritage. Collectively, their work has a major impact, as each is a leader in sustainable agriculture and food justice movements.

Cherishing Place, a guided meditation to close the symposium with community facilitator, Sandrine Harris of Emergent Nature. 

Nature. Reimagine Culture. Grow Community.

Rooted in Place is more than a symposium — it’s a call to action for how we engage with the land and each other. Through storytelling, seed knowledge, and the wisdom of those rooted in the work of ecological restoration, this event offers an opportunity to learn, connect and grow.

Reserve your spot today. Space is limited.