The Seed Keeper: A Novel
A haunting novel spanning several generations, The Seed Keeper follows a Dakhóta family’s struggle to preserve their way of life, and their sacrifices to protect what matters most.
Rosalie Iron Wing has grown up in the woods with her father, Ray, a former science teacher who tells her stories of plants, of the stars, of the origins of the Dakhóta people. Until, one morning, Ray doesn’t return from checking his traps. Told she has no family, Rosalie is sent to live with a foster family in nearby Mankato—where the reserved, bookish teenager meets rebellious Gaby Makespeace, in a friendship that transcends the damaged legacies they’ve inherited.
On a winter’s day many years later, Rosalie returns to her childhood home. A widow and mother, she has spent the previous two decades on her white husband’s farm, finding solace in her garden even as the farm is threatened first by drought and then by a predatory chemical company. Now, grieving, Rosalie begins to confront the past, on a search for family, identity, and a community where she can finally belong. In the process, she learns what it means to be descended from women with souls of iron—women who have protected their families, their traditions, and a precious cache of seeds through generations of hardship and loss, through war and the insidious trauma of boarding schools.
Weaving together the voices of four indelible women, The Seed Keeper is a beautifully told story of reawakening, of remembering our original relationship to the seeds and, through them, to our ancestors.
We are committed to lowering our impact on the planet by using eco-friendly, plastic-free packaging materials. We also embrace the power of recycling and often give old packaging a second life; as a result, your items may arrive in a reused package.
This purchase builds habitat.
Proceeds from every purchase in the TPF store support our nonprofit programs such as Adult Education, California Native Plant Landscaper Certification, Native Plant Garden Tour, Seed Conservation and much more. Your support makes the work we do possible!
Shipping & Returns
We do not ship plants.
All orders are processed within 1 to 5 business days (excluding weekends and holidays) after receiving your order confirmation email. You will receive an email notification once your order has shipped.
Orders placed over the weekend will be reviewed on Tuesday of the following week. Please note we do not have staff onsite Sundays and Mondays.
In-store pickup
Your order will be prepared and ready for pick up usually within 3 business days. You will receive a "Ready for Pickup" email when your order is ready.
Our in-store pickup hours are 8:30am-4:00pm on Tuesday-Saturday. Please have your order confirmation email when you arrive. Orders not picked up within 7 days will be refunded minus a 25% restocking fee on plants.
How do I check the status of my order once it has shipped?
When your order has shipped, you will receive an email notification with a USPS tracking number. Please allow 48 hours for the tracking information to become available.
If you haven’t received your order within 7 days after receiving your shipping confirmation email, please contact us at store@theodorepayne.org with your name and order number, and we will look into it for you.
Local delivery We do not offer local delivery.
International Shipping We do not offer international shipping.
Shipping to P.O. boxes USPS orders can be shipped to P.O. boxes.
Returns & Exchanges
We accept returns and exchanges within 14 days after receipt for eligible items which are like-new and in their original condition, unused, unwashed, and undamaged. Original shipping fees are non-refundable. We are not responsible for any lost or stolen packages.
If your order is damaged or defective upon arrival, please email store@theodorepayne.org as soon as possible to organize a replacement. We address these on a case-by-case basis but will try our best to work towards a satisfactory solution.
Exclusions: All sales are final and no returns or exchanges will be accepted on plants, seeds, bulbs, gift cards, sale items, food, etc. If you're unsure, please check the product page to verify if the item is returnable.
