Ok. I know that we're in the dead of winter, so why do I have an entry about gardening right now? I am so glad you asked! Winter is the perfect time to start planning your garden. A favorite pastime of many gardeners is browsing through the seed catalogs through the winter. It gets one's mind prepped and hyped about the up and coming growing season, in terms of picturing the ideal flowers, fruits, and vegetables that will be added to your growing space. I will once again apologize for getting this out so late--as many seed catalogs start arriving to your home in the late fall (i.e. November). However, you still have plenty of time. I will share with you my favorite seed catalogs in this entry--the catalogs that I have, and the website for those I do not have (and are still waiting for). If you don't have these catalogs...no worries. You can order the seeds on each company's respective website. All of these catalogs offer heirloom, open-pollinated, non-GMO seeds. Each of these companies have signed the Safe Seed Pledge--in that the companies DO NOT KNOWINGLY sell GMO seeds. This is extremely important if you plan on growing organic vegetables and, more importantly, if you're planning to save the seed. So without further ado, may I present to you my favorite seed sources!
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Baker Creek was the VERY FIRST company in which I brought my seeds. They sell one-of-a-kind rare seeds--like a 1,000 year old melon, tropical plants (i.e. live miniature banana trees), and squash that are as long as a small child. As a fan of tomatoes, they have a HUGE array of tomatoes...in many colors--from black and green to yellow, pink, and multicolored. The catalog is also aesthetically beautiful. This one is the free catalog that they send, but they also have one that costs (approximately $10), and it contains articles in terms of farming, featured farmers, and GMO prevention advocacy (to name a few)--as well as more seeds that are otherwise, not shown in the free catalog. I've seen them at Whole Foods, or you can also order the catalog AND the seeds via their website--http://www.rareseeds.com
Sow True Seed is another favorite source of mine. This company sells just about every seed normally needed in a vegetable garden--as well as crops that are otherwise associated with the South--like sweet potatoes, sorghum, rice, and peanuts. The catalog also provides vital information in terms of companion planting (the process of growing certain crops together to improve growth and flavor) and antagonists (crops that will not grow well together). Check out their website at http://www.sowtrueseed.com
Seed Savers Exchange
Seed Savers Exchange is also another wonderful source. As the name of the company implies, these is definitely a seed exchange. This catalog will include seeds that are family heirlooms of the members. Speaking of members, they do have memberships available ($40/year). With that, you will have access to seeds not otherwise featured in the catalog--as well as the ability to share any special seeds that you may have, amongst other things. This company is dedicated to keeping heirloom vegetable seeds alive through the exchange--as well as education at their headquarters in Decorah, Iowa. One of my favorite seed purchases is the German Pink Tomato--which I must say, is very tasty. It is a family heirloom of co-owner Diane Ott-Whealy, and I am always down to get seeds that come from the actual original source. Check them out at http://www.seedsavers.org.
Pinetree Garden Seeds
In my initial research prior to planting my first garden, I have never heard of Pinetree Garden Seeds. One year, the catalog was out of the blue mailed to me, and I'm so glad that it was! Pinetree has an array of seeds (both hybrid and heirloom--although I would HIGHLY recommend getting the heirloom seeds) at very affordable prices! Whereas the catalogs above will sell many seed packets for $2-5, the majority of the seeds in this catalog are under $3. One year, I purchased collard green seeds from them for about $1.25, and they turned out AMAZING! I also bought a tomato seed called Coustralee, and I am EVER SO EXCITED about growing this one! The Coustralee tomato is a French heirloom that gets up to 3 lbs average PER TOMATO! I don't know about y'all, but I would LOVE to see that! In addition to vegetable, herb and flower seeds (which are also in the above catalogs), Pinetree also sells plants for natural dyes--like Woad and Indigo. Another thing that sets this catalog apart from the others is that they also sell supplies/products for homesteading/self-sufficiency like knitting/crocheting, soapmaking, and preserving. Check them out at http://www.superseeds.com
Other Seed Catalogs
The catalogs noted above are the only ones that I've received so far. The following ones are also favorites--for which I am still waiting:
Southern Exposure Seed Exchange--this catalog is very similar to Sow True Seed. What I've seen that sets them apart is that they sell a number of heirloom seeds from original sources (i.e. Radiator Charlie's Mortgage Lifter Tomato and Lettie Cantrell's Granny Cantrell Tomato), and they sell an array of cotton seeds. Yes, I said COTTON. Now, I know that it's weird that I mentioned cotton seeds, but I grew green cotton and white cotton last year as an experiment, and it was indeed interesting. If you think about it, it wasn't the cotton that did our ancestors wrong, but the people that made our ancestors pick it--which made cotton a bit of a pariah to the descendants of the Diaspora. My thought was, I was growing it for me...not massa, AND, if you think about it, you wear cotton every day (i.e. T-Shirts, underwear, jeans), so I found it kind of cool in growing something that is a fiber that is worn every day. Check them out at http://www.southernexposure.com
NOTE: I was going to lastly recommend Bountiful Gardens at http://www.bountifulgardens.org--as they had the largest selection of grains (I grew wheat and triticale last year, and plan to grow spelt this year), but based on their website, they are not operating in 2018. However, check out their website anyway--as they've provided a list of other reputable seed companies. Some of these seed companies I have heard of, but have yet to order from them. Because of this, I may have to check these other sources out! I will report on them when possible.
I hope that you've enjoyed the list of my favorite seed company. Mind you, none of these seed companies are a part of huge conglomerates, and their aim is to sell the best seeds possible. In the age of GMO's, these seed companies are geared towards turning the tides in terms of getting people to grow their own food, grow heirloom vegetables, and in turn, change one's eating habits in terms of eating food...as it is meant to be. I hope and pray that this entry will inspire you in starting your garden. You don't need to have acreage of land in order to grow food. If you have a porch, balcony, deck, or flat surface--for which you can place plastic storage bins or five-gallon buckets, you can hold food. I mention plastic storage bins and five-gallon buckets is because these are receptacles in which I've been growing my vegetables for the last two years (until I get the okay to build raised beds. Hubby wants me to wait for a little while before doing so). As long as a receptacle can hold soil, you can grow food in it. And you don't have to grow everything, but grow SOMETHING--even if it's a tomato plant in a pot or lettuce or herbs in a window box. This is very important--especially if you have children. What better way to teach them about where food comes from than growing something edible in or around your home. And get them to help with the planting as well! If they grow it, they're more than likely going to eat it! I look forward to hearing from you in your gardening endeavors. In the next several weeks, I will begin to start seeds for certain crops, and will provide entries on the progress and how I do it. Stay tuned!
Thank you so much for stopping by Teacher Of Good Things. So until then...shalom shalom!
Bathshua
