January is one of my favorite times of
the year, because I get to review the past year and plan for the year
ahead. One of the greatest perks is the many hours I spend pouring
over seed catalogs. There is no one ultimate seed catalog, so I
literally spend hours searching through catalogs. I compare seed
types, find favorites, consider new varieties and read tidbits to
better improve my farming. Things like color, date until harvest,
seed stock and height are only some of the things I have to consider
for each type of vegetable and flower that would best suit my farm
and growing conditions.
My favorite seed catalogs are based
on being locally grown, stories, good photographs and growing
tidbits. Being a lover of books- I thrive on the physical seed books.
That being said, all of these companies have amazing online ordering
systems and well informed catalogs available online.
Here are some of the ones I make sure
to check out every year:
P.S. Just copy and paste the web address. I had to de-link them.
P.S. Just copy and paste the web address. I had to de-link them.
Local:
It is best to start locally with
locally grown and tested varieties that make it easier for your own
gardening. A few of the closest are:
Annapolis Seeds- They have no paper catalog but online.
http://www.annapolisseeds.com/
Hope Seeds- A Certified Organic outfit
based outside of Granville Ferry. http://www.hopeseed.com/home
Halifax Seed- Catered to mainly home
growers, they have many tried and true varieties for the Nova Scotian
climate. The store is worth a visit too! https://www.halifaxseed.ca/
Vesey's is another local wonder (PEI)
that has beautiful pictures, a large variety and tidbits.
http://www.veseys.com/ca/en/
Stories:
I am always fond of a good story,
especially when it is about a heirloom or heritage variety. I want to
hear the history about where the seed originated, or why it was
grown.
The Cottage Gardener- Based in Ontario,
This one has been a long time favorite, where I can find many of the
most special varieties on the market today. No pictures, but it
doesn't bother me because of their lovely descriptions. Interesting flower
selection too. http://www.cottagegardener.com/
A newer (to me) find is Manitoba's
Heritage Harvest Seed- It has the largest heritage tomato seed
collection I have every come across, with plenty of other veggies.
http://www.heritageharvestseed.com/
(P.S. If it can grow in Manitoba- it
can grow here easily!)
Seed Savers- From the US, and you can
sometimes find the same varieties on the Canadian Side, but I lavish
in their stories and heritage collection. This is where seed saving
truly began and is worth your visit! http://www.seedsavers.org/
Tidbits:
A good grower should keep some seed catalogs to have as a quick reference for seed starting and for
growing those new-to-you veggies. The Winners include:
West Coast Seeds- An Organic outfit
from BC, this seed company has a great catalog, although the
titbits are for mainly warmer climate, including the planting out
dates.
http://www.westcoastseeds.com/#sthash.aekh23F3.dpbs
Johnny's Selected Seeds- From Maine,
this business is directed for larger market growers and are the ones
who are breeding heirloom plants into more productive and disease
resistant varieties (etc). They have tons of useful information
included http://www.johnnyseeds.com/
High Mowing Organic Seeds- Another US
grower (Vermont) that is newer to me, but I continue to be impressed
by their catalog and stories. http://www.highmowingseeds.com/
Etc:
Willam Dam is based out of Ontario,
with a great veggie selection but are renown for their flower seed
selection. When it comes to flowers, this is one of my go-to's!
http://www.damseeds.ca/
Richters Herbs- This Ontario outfit has
every herb available and specializes in plants with herbal and
medicinal elements. It is a very interesting read! You can also buy
the plants instead, as some can be difficult to start from seed.
http://www.richters.com/
Your probably wondering why I have
listed so many seed companies. I am seed obsessed (comes with the
territory) and can also tell you that I have not listed all of the
seed businesses that I buy from. I am able to support different
companies and let them continue their amazing work. Without their
dedication and hard work, my farm is not what it could be today. So
Thank You seed producers and savers!
A love of seeds is also a love of
history- That is why I had to throw in some pictures of vintage seed catalog covers. Find these at:
http://www.sil.si.edu/digitalcollections/seednurserycatalogs/index.htm
