About Us

We are on a mission to help the community learn about traditional Haudenosaunee agricultural methods of planting, growing, harvesting, seed keeping, food preparation, food storage, tool making, and crafting.

Ukwakhwa is a nonprofit organization growing traditional, heirloom foods with an emphasis on Haudenosaunee varieties of corn, beans, and squash. We host a variety of events where the community comes to learn about planting, growing, harvesting, seed keeping, food preparation, food storage, and making traditional tools and crafts.

With our ongoing goals in mind, an Oneida faithkeeper named our property

Ukwakhwa: Tsinu Niyukwayayʌthoslu (Our foods: Where we plant things).

Our Story

Ukwakhwa began with a simple but powerful desire: to grow heirloom Haudenosaunee corn. Steve and Becky Webster didn’t have all the answers, but they knew the only way to learn was to start—or as Steve would say, “send it!” What began as a backyard garden turned into a journey of cultural reclamation, fueled by persistence and a deep respect for our ancestors.

Becky and Steve's first garden in 2015

In 2017, they purchased 10 acres on the Oneida Reservation and, with help from friends and family, built their home the next year. To commit fully, they sold their house, Steve cashed out his 401(k), and they shifted their lives to farming, homeschooling, and learning traditional skills like seed keeping, basket making, and Indigenous cooking.

Ukwakhwa has grown from a family project into a nonprofit community hub offering workshops in Haudenosaunee agriculture, crafts, and food sovereignty. In 2025, we expanded to 15 acres and are now planning a new facility with classroom and indoor gathering spaces, a larger kitchen, and an expanded trading post. This will allow us to host programming year-round without worrying about bad weather disrupting events.

At the heart of our work is a simple truth: every time an Indigenous person plants a seed, it is an act of resistance, an assertion of sovereignty, and a reclamation of identity.