Winter Seed Reads

Dear Farm,

Each winter we get a huge stack of seed catalogs in the mail. With all the talk about GMOs and seed company take-overs, how do we know what kind of company we're supporting? What is the best source for organic seed, and what does it mean when it says open-pollinated?

Concerned in PA

Dear Concerned,

There are an amazing number of seed catalogs out there, and it can be a chore to sort out who owns what company and where they stand on GMO seeds. Start by reading the fine print inside the cover. If you can't find answers in the catalog, don't hesitate to call and ask them. If you find that you are buried in catalogs that you do not want to support, please consider calling them to get off the mailing list. The Direct Marketing Association has a great website to help get off unwanted mail, telephone, and email lists. No sense in wasting resources for junk mail! Here is a list with some of our favorite catalogs:

J. L. Hudson, Seedsman
Box 337
La Honda, CA
94020-0337 USA
http://www.jlhudsonseeds.net

A public access seed bank dedicated to the preservation of botanical diversity. They have an incredible selection of seeds of every kind from around the world.

Seed Savers Exchange
3094 North Winn Road
Decorah, Iowa 52101
Ph: (563) 382-5990
Fax: (563) 382-5872
http://www.seedsavers.org/

Seed Savers Exchange is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of heirloom seeds. They are a great resource for learning how to save your own seeds.

Fedco Seeds
PO Box 520
Waterville, ME 04903
(207) 873-7333
http://fedcoseeds.com/

Fedco is a great seed co-op out of Maine. Their catalog contains a section filled with resources on saving seeds, alternative organic certifications, and various organizations. Their detailed descriptions and fun artwork brighten up a dark winter day!

Seeds of Change
1-888-762-7333

http://www.seedsofchange.com

Seeds of Change has over 600 varieties of certified organic seed including seed collections. They also have a nice selection of fun garden gadgets.

Johnny's Selected Seeds
955 Benton Avenue
Winslow, Maine 04901
877-564-6697
https://www.johnnyseeds.com

Johnny’s is a very popular seed company and a favorite of many folks we know. Their photo-filled catalog makes a great resource for any gardener.

Richtor’s Herb Specialists
Goodwood, ON L0C 1A0 Canada
Tel. +1.905.640.6677
Fax. +1.905.640.6641
http://www.richters.com/

As the name implies, Richtor’s is the best source for everything herbal. Their selection of herb seeds and starter plugs is quite impressive.

Now on to your next question. Plants that are open pollinated are simply plants doing what they naturally do, with little interference from man. Varieties are planted far enough away from plants in the same family so there is no cross-contamination, but left to pollinate themselves. Hybrids are the opposite, where man takes deliberate steps to make sure two different varieties will pollinate. It is a very scientific process. Here is a nice article explaining the difference between the two. Then there are the genetically modified seeds, which are an entirely different being, quite literally. Genes from other plants or even complete other species like bacterias and even fish (!) are injected into a plant, forming a whole new plant capable of such feats as withstanding liberally sprayed herbicides or killing certain caterpillars. All this would make for a fascinating discussion over dinner, but not something I would not like in my dinner.