OUR STATE | Daniel Walton, Mar 2026

Our State explores the Appalachian Growers Seed Collective and its mission to develop a seed system rooted in North Carolina and the Southern Appalachians. The story traces the collective's origins within Utopian Seed Project’s interest in finding, breeding, and sharing seeds that thrive in the region.

THE SEED FARMER PODCAST | Dan Brisebois, Jul 2025

Seed farmer and author Dan Brisebois talks with Chris Smith about his path from growing okra to founding Utopian Seed Project and the Appalachian Seed Growers Collective. The conversation explores regional seed sovereignty, farmer-led seed systems, climate-resilient crops, meaningful relationships with seed, and growing okra for seed.

THE LOCAL PLATE | Kay West, Feb 2025

A feature on Utopian Seed Project's approach to connecting agricultural biodiversity with delicious food. The story traces the project from Chris Smith's early okra experiments through the development of Trial to Table, where chefs transform crops from USP's field trials into dishes that introduce eaters to the possibilities of a more diverse regional food system.

THE KEY INGREDIENT, PBS NORTH CAROLINA | Sheri Castle, Oct 2024

Sheri Castle visits Utopian Seed Project to explore the extraordinary diversity of collards and the role seed saving, plant breeding, and crop trials can play in building resilient food systems. The feature highlights USP's work developing crop options for a changing climate while celebrating the cultural and culinary importance of collards.

ORGANIC GROWERS SCHOOL | Rene Foster, Sep 2024

Organic Growers School interviews Chris Smith about Utopian Seed Project, the Appalachian Seed Growers Collective, Trial to Table, regionally adapted seed and the future of a Southern seed economy. The conversation also explores USP's vision for a community seed-processing facility and, ultimately, a network of regional seed initiatives across the Southeast.

THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION | Emma Castleberry, July 2024

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution visits Utopian Seed Project's experimental farm in Leicester to explore how crop diversity can strengthen the food system in a changing climate. From dozens of okra varieties to taro, sorghum, sweet potatoes and other crops, the story follows Chris Smith's journey from an obsession with okra to building an organization devoted to agricultural biodiversity.

STATE OF CHANGE, PBS NORTH CAROLINA | Michelle Lotker, Apr 2024

PBS North Carolina visits Utopian Seed Project's Western North Carolina farm sites to explore how crop diversity can help agriculture adapt to an increasingly unpredictable climate. The film follows USP's work with genetically diverse Ultracross Collards and tropical staple crops such as taro, showing how regional crop adaptation can strengthen North Carolina's food system.

GARDEN & GUN | Steve Russell, Mar 2024

Garden & Gun profiles the launch of Utopian Seed Project's Appalachian Seed Growers Collective and its mission to put locally adapted seeds into the hands of Southern farmers and gardeners. The story explores varieties including Blue Ridge Butternut, Blue Goose Southern Pea, and Ultracross Collards while examining the potential for a farmer-led regional seed economy.

SOUTHERN SARE | DaraMonifah® Cooper, Mar 2024

Southern SARE profiles Utopian Seed Project's Southeast Seed initiative, which traveled across 12 states interviewing farmers, gardeners, seed savers, and seed advocates. The resulting video series combines practical seed-growing education with conversations about seed heritage, ethics, regional adaptation, and the need for a stronger Southeastern seed economy.

AVL TODAY | Molly Wilson, Mar 2024

AVLtoday introduces the Appalachian Seed Growers Collective, launched by Utopian Seed Project to build a community of Southern seed growers and make regionally adapted seed more widely available. The article explores why so little commercial seed is grown in the South and how USP is working to change that.

GROWING FOR MARKET | Jane Tanner, Nov 2023

Growing for Market takes an in-depth look at Utopian Seed Project's strategies for strengthening local food systems in the face of climate change—from adapting tropical crops such as taro, chayote and yacón to creating genetically diverse "Ultracross" populations capable of responding to environmental pressures.

GARDEN & GUN | Caroline Sanders Clements, Sep 2023

Garden & Gun profiles Utopian Seed Project founder Chris Smith and the organization's work preparing crops and communities for an uncertain agricultural future. The story visits USP's experimental plots outside Asheville, where okra, collards, taro, yacón, chayote and crops from around the world are being explored for their potential in a changing Southern climate.

AVL TODAY | Molly Wilson, Aug 2023

A broad introduction to Utopian Seed Project's mission and programs, from crop trials and seed selection to Trial to Table. The story traces the organization's beginnings in okra and examines its work developing greater crop diversity and climate resilience for Western North Carolina farms.

CIVIL EATS | Daniel Walton, Apr 2023

Civil Eats takes an in-depth look at Utopian Seed Project's unconventional approach to plant breeding and climate adaptation. Centered on USP's "Ultracross" okra work, the story explores what happens when dozens of genetically distinct varieties are deliberately allowed to cross, creating highly diverse populations from which farmers can select plants adapted to changing Southern growing conditions. The article expands into USP's work with collards and other crops and its larger vision for a more diverse and resilient regional food system.

SOW TRUE SEED | Jul 2021

A field visit to Utopian Seed Project's experimental farm in Leicester explores an extraordinary collection of Southern heirlooms and tropical crops, including ube, white yam, achira, southern peas, corn, eggplant, and dozens of varieties of okra. The story captures USP's early approach to crop exploration, adaptation, and hands-on agricultural research.

WNC MAGAZINE | Jen Nathan Orris, Apr 2021

An early feature on Utopian Seed Project examines how agricultural biodiversity can help farmers respond to climate change. Beginning with Chris Smith's trial of more than 70 varieties of okra, the story explores USP's efforts to expand the crops and genetics available to Western North Carolina growers.

THE LAUREL OF ASHEVILLE | Belle Crawford, Mar 2020

One of the earliest profiles of the newly formed Utopian Seed Project looks back on its first official year of crop trials—including 50 varieties of okra, 43 American groundnut cultivars, 40 cowpeas, 30 heritage beans, ten sweet potatoes, nine ancient corns, and experimental tropical crops.