Seeds for Saving the World
Why I prioritize buying seeds from small seed companies. Plus, varieties I can't wait to grow this spring and two fun seed swaps coming up!
People often ask me why I like to garden and essentially it comes down to seeds. I am not a religious person, but I am a spiritual one. For me, sowing seeds is an act of faith and watching tiny green leaves poke up out of the soil and unfold is a small but profound joy. These most basic acts–sowing and observing–make gardening not just a practical hobby for me, but an intentional practice in being present. It’s what brings me back to my garden year after year.
As gardeners we have the opportunity to choose to grow exactly what we want to eat and who we buy our seeds from. There are many, many wonderful seed farmers across the United States who are growing organic seed and breeding new, regionally adapted varieties that are resilient to the challenges that come with growing food in the age of climate change. The vast majority of us (me included) won’t be growing all of the vegetables that we eat–but by choosing to buy and grow seeds from people doing the hard work of preserving biodiversity, even the smallest vegetable garden can have an impact.
As you plan your garden this season, consider purchasing your seeds from more than one source and choosing seed companies that prioritize organic, open-pollinated seeds. Here are some of my favorite small seed companies based in Oregon, which is where I live and garden. They all grow some of their own seed and also work with a network of other small farms to broaden their offerings. Have fun exploring their seeds and supporting people doing such good work for the world.
Adaptive Seeds
I met the founders of Adaptive Seeds years ago at a Master Gardener’s series in Portland and was so impressed by their seeds and the work they do. All of the seed grown on their farm near Sweet Home, Oregon is certified organic and all of the seed they offer is grown organically (even if it is not certified). This is a great place to search for rare and unusual varieties. Adaptive Seeds prioritizes Oregon and Northwest-bred varieties that come from diverse gene pool mixes and landraces. They have a lot of varieties that are good for winter gardening and that grow well in more Northern climates. I particularly like ‘Oak Fire’ Mustard and am excited to try ‘Madeley’ kale, ‘Brune Percherone’ butterhead lettuce and ‘Flashy Butter Gem’ lettuce this year. Adaptive Seeds is a partner seed company and participating seed breeder with the Open Source Seed Initiative (OSSI).
Wild Garden Seeds
The act of mentoring is not unlike planting seeds–but with people instead of plants–-and the owners of Wild Garden Seeds, Frank and Karen Morton, are legendary for not only breeding some truly amazing open pollinated vegetables, but for training and providing guidance to other farmers, breeders and seed preservationists. The Wild Garden Seeds website is a very fun rabbit hole to fall into! They are especially known for their farm-bred lettuces and salad greens, but my personal favorite variety bred by Wild Garden Seeds is ‘Purple Peacock’ broccoli, which combines the best worlds of purple sprouting broccoli and a Russian kale. It produces tender, gorgeous purple broccoli shoots in February–and reminds me that spring is just around the corner and that (like all things) this wet and cold season will pass. Wild Garden Seeds is a founding member, partner seed company and participating seed breeder with the Open Source Seed Initiative (OSSI).
Rhythm Seed Farm
Last summer I discovered the non-profit Rhythm Seed Farm, which raises seed in small urban plots around Portland, Oregon! I really love that they are utilizing urban spaces to grow seed and that they specialize in preserving heirloom flowers, herbs and medicinal plants and developing locally adapted seed varieties. They have a very special collection of seeds and do a lot of community building in Portland, including hosting workshops at their farm, and they donate seed to low-income gardeners. Last year I grew ‘Magentaspreen’ lambsquarters which is a cultivated variety of the common “weed” that has a lovely pink splotch at the base of each leaf and delicious mineral flavor.
Siskiyou Seeds
Based in Southern Oregon, Siskiyou Seeds develops, grows, and trials organic, open-pollinated seed on their farm. Siskiyou Seeds also mentors young people interested in farming and seed saving and breeding! Good folks and great seeds! I love their ‘Prismatic’ Swiss Chard, which is resistant to the incredibly pesky leaf miners that plague my garden. Their ‘Spicy Mesclun Mix’ is also a super delicious mix of mustards, arugula, chard and kale. It makes for the prettiest salad bowl.
I also like to buy seeds from Botanical Interests, Renee’s Garden Seeds, Kitazawa Seed, Territorial Seed and Johnny’s Selected Seeds and just purchased seed for the first time this year from two small Washington seed companies, Wild Dreams Farm and Seed and Deep Harvest Seeds.
I always love to learn about new-to-me seed companies, so be sure to share your favorite sources in the comments and what you are looking forward to growing this year!
Four Varieties I’m Growing This Spring
I mean just look at these peas!! Glorious! Very pretty and surprisingly productive. A huge hit in my garden last year—it’s now on my “I always grow this variety” list.
I am a sucker for cylindrical radishes. My favorite spring lunch involves buying a good baguette, spreading it with real French butter and crunchy salt and eating the buttery baguette along with bites of fresh radish from the garden. This meal alone is a good reason to grow radishes.
Two Fun Seed Swaps Coming Up!
Flipping and scrolling through seed catalogs is fun, but the very best way to find out about the prettiest, tastiest, most productive, interesting and unusual varieties is to talk to other gardeners about their favorite vegetable varieties. That’s why I am so excited for next week! First, I’m headed up to Mercer Island, Washington on Thursday, March 20th to join the Island Books Cookbook Club for a potluck featuring recipes from the new edition of my book Grow Cook Eat: A Food Lover’s Guide to Vegetable Gardening, which just published on February 4th!
Then on the weekend of March 22nd and 23rd I’m going to be at two seed swap/book events, one in Seattle and one in Portland! I’m bringing seeds to all of the events and will be signing copies of my book. Please comes say hi!
March 20th at Island Books on Mercer Island from 6:30 pm to 8 pm
If you want the perfect example of something that small, bricks and mortar bookshops can do that an online retailer can’t, this is it. Island Books Cookbook Club chooses a cookbook and plans a get together to taste dishes made from recipes in the featured book. Lucky me because my book is the club’s book for March! I’m excited to taste what everyone brings and chat about cooking and eating from the garden! If you want to come here are the step-by-step instructions!
Come into Island Books ahead of time to buy a copy Grow Cook Eat.
Join the Cookbook Club Facebook Group
Check out the recipes inside, test them at home, and find a favorite dish to share.
On March 20th, bring what you've made to Island Books.
Eat, drink, and be merry!
Event address:
3014 78th Ave SE
Mercer Island, WA 98040
March 22nd at The Filson Flagship Store in Seattle from 1 pm to 4 pm
To celebrate the launch of the my book’s new edition I am hosting a good old fashioned seed swap and garden book fair at the Filson Flagship Store in Seattle! It’s going to be so fun because it’s a stunning location and I will be joined by a ton of amazing gardeners, food writers, and artists!
Where: Filson Flagship Store, 1741 1st Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98134
When: Saturday, March 22nd from 1:00pm to 4:00pm
RSVP: If you like you can RSVP (the “tickets” are free and are no needed for entry…they just help us plan for how many people to expect)!
What you can expect:
Fun swag bags for the first 50 people, plus a chance to win an awesome door prize, including merchandise from Filson, signed books from our authors, a spring garden seed kit from small local seed farms, and more!
Washington State Seed Library Network is hosting the seed swap! Find and try some new-to-you varieties of vegetables and flowers! If you have seeds to share, bring them!
I am launching the new edition of my organic vegetable gardening book, Grow Cook Eat: A Food Lover’s Guide to Vegetable Gardening. Get a copy and some cute seed packets for seed collecting from me!
Artist Sarah Simon (the Mint Gardener and author of My Gardening Journal: A Weekly Tracker and Log Book) will be signing books and doing a live painting demo!
Food writer Ashley Rodriguez (whose latest book is Field Notes from a Fungi Forager) will be signing books, chatting about mushrooms, and serving up small bites of food!
Debra Prinzing, author and founder of Slow Flowers Society will be demonstrating how to put together local, seasonal flowers into a beautiful arrangement.
Gardener and artist Lorene Edwards Forkner (author of Color In and Out of the Garden) who will be signing books and chatting with folks about developing a practice of noticing the depth and variety of color in the natural world.
Tilth Alliance will be on hand to share information about their local gardening classes and summer camps, plus all the amazing work they do in the Seattle community to help build a better food future!
March 23rd at Vivienne Culinary Books in Portland from 4pm to 6pm
Drop by Portland’s cookbook store, Vivienne Culinary Books, on Sunday, March 23rd, from 4pm-6pm. I’ll be there signing books and sharing seeds! Lane Selman from Culinary Breeding Network will be there featuring info on heirloom radicchio and tomato varieties. Bria Phillips of Orange Pippins will have her seeds + microgreen kits, and Marc Boucher-Colbert, the rooftop gardener at Noble Rot, from Urban Ag Solutions, will be there to chat garden design.
Where: Vivienne Culinary Bookshop, 2724 NE Alberta Street, Portland, OR 97211
When: Sunday, March 23rd from 4 pm to 6 pm
Thanks so much for joining me for my first newsletter! It’s been fun! If you enjoyed this newsletter, please consider sharing it with friends who like to garden!
XOXO,
Willi