Expanding your Seed Horizons

—by Emma Onawa

Tired of Alberta Clippers, wind chills, and shoveling? Take heart! It’s not too early to start planning for the spring planting season. Checking out seed catalogs can bring a bit of color and anticipation to drab winter days and variety to our spring gardens. But is there life beyond Burpee and Jungs? Happily, yes.

It is possible to grow broccoli other than “Premium Crop” and tomatoes other than “Early Girl.” A relatively small variety of seeds have come to dominate the world seed market, particularly with the development of hybrids in the last 50 or so years. For example, in the early 1900s there were approximately 7000 varieties of apples in the United States; now there are fewer than 1000. A handful of large agricultural and chemical companies have taken control of the world’s seed supplies, to everyone’s detriment.

Preserving our Seed Heritage

More and more growers and seed companies, however, are becoming interested in preserving the rich diversity that nature provides. Heirlooms and other lesser known species are increasingly preserved and available, providing variety in taste, nutrition, and beauty not found in traditional garden markets and the largest agricultural companies.

What exactly is an heirloom and how does it differ from a hybrid? An heirloom is an openly pollinated plant that will reproduce year after year true to type, meaning it will look, act, taste, and grow the same every year.

A hybrid is a plant that is bred by crossing two distinct plants to create a genetically different third plant. Hybrids are sterile, since they cannot reproduce true-to-type. They cannot reproduce the crossed variety, but will revert to one of the parent plants. Hybrids are bred to take advantage of certain characteristics each parent may have. Although some hybrids are freed of weaknesses that are problems in one or both parent plants, e.g., susceptibility to a certain environmental condition, their use and development are primarily for economic reasons. The use of hybrids has resulted in a drastic reduction in plant diversity and increased monoculture farming. The Irish potato famine was primarily the result of planting a monoculture crop.

Finding Heirloom Seeds

Gardening is one area where the individual can make a difference in the impact of the agribusiness monolith. By growing our own food, particularly from seed, with sustainable organic practices and by preserving diversity, we take back power from a food industry that has profit as its primary motive. In the last couple years a handful of heirloom transplants have appeared in traditional garden centers. Although encouraging, the options are still very limited in these centers.

Fortunately, many seed companies provide other options. And, it’s critical that we support these companies. In addition to providing valuable visual and written descriptions of their plants, seed company web sites and their catalogs may offer seed mixes, recipes, growing tips, newsletters, and other gardening-related products and information. Most seed companies will send a catalog on request, either free or for a nominal charge that is refunded with a purchase.

When shopping seed catalogs, keep two things in mind: 1) Unless a company is organic, be sure to ask for untreated seeds; 2) Some heirlooms perform poorly in certain environments and climates. If you have a particular environmental or climatic condition, e.g., soil issues or pests, it’s advisable to inquire about the performance of a particular variety in that condition before planting it.

Here’s a selected list of seed companies that provide heirloom and other lesser known varieties, along with their phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and Web sites (click on the company name):

Seed Savers Exchange

A premier organization dedicated to the preservation of heirlooms. Located just a few hours away in Decorah, Iowa, SSE is a non profit organization of organic gardeners and plant collectors who save and share heirloom plants. They maintain 25,000 heirloom vegetables and 1700 herbs and flower varieties. SSE offers tours, classes, and events during the growing season. Their catalog and web site offerings include recipes, a forum, planting guides and other gardening information. 563-382-5990

Jordan Seeds

Jordan hails from Woodbury, Minnesota, and offers a wide selection of hybrid and open-pollinated varieties of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and herbs, as well as growing supplies. Most seeds are untreated, but be sure to indicate you’d like untreated seed. Quantities are available for both the larger grower and the home gardener. Prices are lower than at many other companies. Shop locally! 651-731-7690 or 739-9578, or email seeds@jordanseeds.com.

Baker Creek Seeds

Baker Creek is located in Mansfield, Ohio, and offers rare untreated heirloom seeds from 66 countries around the world. BC publishes the magazine The Heirloom Gardener and an online newsletter. Its other online offerings include sample magazine articles, planting guides, a photo galley and YouTube videos, and other gardening related information. 417-924-8917 or email seeds@rareseeds.com

Turtle Tree Seeds

Turtle Tree, located in Copake, New York, is a rare source of heirloom vegetable seeds grown with the biodynamic gardening practices of Rudolph Steiner. Varieties certified by the Demeter Certified Biodynamic Certification are available; the company has a safe seed pledge. Turtle Tree has a vegetable trial program for biodynamic growers. Its catalog can be downloaded. 888-516-7797 (orders only) 518-329-3038 (questions) or email turtle@turtletreeseeds.org.

Abundant Life Seeds

Abundant Life, located in Saginaw, Oregon, offers only organically certified or biodynamic seed. It specializes in seeds that have been discontinued by large seed producers. Abundant Life works closely with the World Seed Fund and Organic Seed Alliance, and offers seeds for both home gardeners and small commercial growers. A committed organization to support with our gardening dollars. 541-767-9606 or email als@abundantlifeseeds.com.

Horizon Herbs

Horizon is located in Williams, Oregon. The company grows over 700 organically certified medicinal and aromatic herb seeds and plants, including rare and indigenous herbs from Native American, Ayurvedic, and Chinese traditions. Horizon Herbs also offers herbal extracts, herbal processing supplies, herbal collections, and a growing guide. 541-486-6704 or email hhcustserv@HorizonHerbs.com.

Prairie Moon Nursery

Prairie Moon, located in Winona, Minnesota, is a complete source of native prairie seeds and seed mixes, wildflowers, trees, shrubs, vines, ferns, cactuses, sedges, grasses, and rushes. Prairie Moon had its birth in the Wiscoy Valley Community Land Cooperative. Shop locally! 866-417-8156 or 507-452-1362 or email info@prairiemoon.com.

Glacial Ridge Growers

Glacial Ridge is located in Glenwood, Minnesota. It offers a wide variety of heirloom tomatoes, native perennials, grasses, sedges, rushes, hardy perennials for the northern gardeners, as well as annuals, herbs, vegetables, strawberries, and mums. Shop locally! 866-518-1671 or 320-634-0136 or email glacridgegrowers@aol.com.

Select Seeds

Select Seeds, located in Union, Connecticut, offers seeds and plants for heirloom and antique annual and perennial flowers, vines, foliage plants, container plants, and bulbs. The company’s Web site provides gardening how-to information. 800-684-0395 or email info@selectseeds.com> <www.selectseeds.com>

Fedco Seeds

Fedco, located in Waterville, Maine, is a cooperative seed company that is 100% worker- and customer-owned. It offers seeds, trees, and plants especially adapted to cold climates. Fedco has organic certification and offers heirloom varieties and organic gardening supplies. Learn about seed saving on its Web site. 207-873-7333

Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply

Peaceful Valley is a large organically certified supplier located in Grass Valley, California. it offers a wide variety of seeds, plants, pet and animal feed, and organic gardening supplies. You can find the Peaceful Valley catalog online, as well as a forum, reference library, and news articles. 888-784-1722 or 530-272-4769 or email helpdesk@groworganic.com.

For additional alternative seed and plant sources, try this page of the Idaho Community Garden.