2010 will be our third summer as a homeowners and consumers of our homegrown produce.
It’s mid February and my mouth is watering at the thought of the first spring lettuces and peas. Of course that has translated to ordering catalogs, buying more seeds than I can use and finding ideas and plans for new structures on which to grow all manners of produce in my limited growing space.
As I looked at the sea of white that is my yard today, I couldn’t help but picture flowers and butterflies and vegetables… lots of vegetables.
I’ve got to admit, it has been a life changing experience to know what it feels like to grow your own food – especially when it means food tastes better than it ever has before and getting to be super creative in the kitchen.
Not that I don’t appreciate the access modern society provides to food in winter… the “vine ripened” tomatoes they’re passing off as fresh at the grocery store just aren’t cutting it for me right now. I don’t know if it’s because of the sheer satisfaction that comes from harvesting your own or if it really is that much better to eat home grown… but it’s addicting and I’m in withdrawal.
We had a new fence installed in December (I had no idea this was possible but it’s there and has withstood some pretty heavy winds). I’m literally giddy at the thought of setting it to work as a backdrop for beautiful purple pole beans and peas.
So… the important question is…
Who did I order from?
http://www.rareseeds.com
Why?
They are all open-pollinating Heirloom seeds
The superb selection
They specified regions and growing seasons which I needed considering ours is a little short
Their prices
The catalog itself
Unexpected Bonus… the seed packets are amazingly gorgeous!
I’m very happy with my decision, but I’m sure there are other great companies. I’m new to the world of buying seeds not on a rack at the drug store. In fact, please tell me what your favorites are and why.
I also want to put it out there that I believe in growing from heirloom seeds.
I personally feel that I should be able to keep seeds instead of ordering new every season. I don’t like the idea of a company essentially dictating something as fundamental as food. I very much like the idea of something bred for specific growing conditions and nutrients and not so it can be picked early to be transported across the world or to tolerate weed killers I don’t use.
I feel more strongly that everyone should try to grow something edible.. no matter where the seeds came from (or plants for that matter).. or how they go about growing it. There are pros and cons to every choice we make in life.
I did find a hookup at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore which got a huge batch of organic seeds that aren’t necessarily heirloom varieties… but 3/$1 organic seeds couldn’t be passed up. I went a little overboard and will be passing along extras after I decide what’s going where.
The take-away of all of this is – my seeds arrived yesterday and I am psyched for spring!
Coming Soon:
CSA’s
books I’m reading
pictures I never uploaded from last season
Lessons learned: the perils of Community Urban Gardening
Seed Starting
Stuff I’m going to build
Stuff I’ll be growing
My Nearly Urban Garden 