Amy's Seed Sources List
All the tomato listings include a list of numbers...and the numbers refer to these commercial and non-profit sources. Many of these catalogs are "big" and commercial, but they are still good sources for open pollinated and heirloom seeds if you know what you're looking for. Other catalogs are run by single families or school seed saving programs... do some exploring, and you'll find a LOT of resources.
1. FEDCO
P.O. Box 520 Waterville, ME 04903 1-207-873-7333 Free Catalog
FEDCO is a vibrant customer- and employee-owned cooperative that offers vegetable, herb, and flower seeds, spring-planted and fall-planted bulbs, fruit trees, tubers, perennials, tools, books, and soil amendments and green manures for organic growers. FEDCO offers low prices and encourages cooperative orders to make bulk discounts. Varieties are selected for suitability to Northeast growing conditions. There is a full range of hybrid, open-pollinated and heirloom seed, no treated seeds, and the CATALOG MAKES SUCH A GREAT READ, IT'S WORTH SENDING FOR IT FOR THAT REASON ALONE!
2. JOHNNY'S SELECTED SEEDS
1 Foss Hill Road, RR ! Box 2580 Albion, ME 04910-9731 1-207-437-4301 FAX 1-800-437-4290
www.johnnyseeds.com e-mail: homegarden@johnnyseeds.com
Free catalog.
The Johnny's catalog is beautiful, filled with color photos of the vegetables, herbs, and flowers that can be grown from their seeds. Johnny's also features a good tool selection, books, and extensive excellent cultural information. In recent years the selection of heirloom varieties has increased dramatically.
3. THE COOK'S GARDEN
P.O.Box 5010 Hodges, S.C. 29653-5010
1-800-457-9703 FAX: 1-800-457-9705 www.cooksgarden.com Free catalog.
The catalog is beautifully unique as it is illustrated by woodcut artist Mary Azarian from Vermont. Her work is also featured in the gift section of the catalog in the form of annual calendars, note cards, canning labels, and framed signed originals. Cook's Garden offers a wide selection of vegetable and flower seeds, including a large
selection of salad greens.
4. W. ATLEE BURPEE CO.
300 Park Ave. Warminster, PA 18974 1-800-888-1447 FAX: 1-800-487-5530 www.burpee.com Free catalog.
Burpee offers a large selection of flower, herb, and veggie seeds, with emphasis on the newest and most productive hybrids. Sprinkled amongst those hybrids are many older open-pollinated varieties. The catalog features many color photos and generalized cultural information.
5. SEEDS OF CHANGE
P.O. Box 15700 Sante Fe, NM 87506-5700 1-888-762-7333
FAX: 1-888-329-4762 www.seedsofchange.com Free catalog.
All the seed offered is certified organic, untreated, and open-pollinated. Heirloom varieties are a specialty. The company was recently purchased by M & M Mars, and although it remains devoted to organic seed production and sustainable agriculture, the number and variety of seeds available has dramatically changed. There is a good selection of tools, books, and gifts.
6. Turtle Tree Seeds
Camphill Village Copake, NY 12516
Turtle Tree Seeds is only one aspect of the Camphill Village, home for families, adults with special needs, gardeners, and seed savers. Turtle Tree is a bio-dynamic organization offering only open pollinated and heirloom seeds.
7. SALT SPRING SEEDS
Box 444 Ganges Salt Spring Island BC V8K 2W1
1-250-537-5269 www.saltspring.com/ssseeds Free catalog
Salt Spring Seeds offers only certified organic seed for food crops. The emphasis is on high-protein, good-tasting, and high-yielding crops. The selection of grains, particularly hull-less wheats and barleys, is extensive. All the varieties are adapted to northern areas. The Salt
Spring catalog is put together simply, and is filled with extensive cultural and seed-saving information. I've found Salt Spring to be very prompt and personal. My one regret is that Salt Spring cannot ship any of their extensive garlic collection due to customs regulations!
8. SOUTHERN EXPOSURE SEED EXCHANGE
P.O. Box 170 Earlysville, VA 22936 1-804-973-4703 FAX 1-804-973-8717
"Saving the past for the future". Southern Exposure, founded in 1982, offers a full line of vegetables including many heirlooms. SESE is devoted to independence in food production, and prefers heirlooms over hybrids, although there are some hybrids offered in their catalog. This catalog is very informative, with good cultural information.
9. Garden City Seeds
778 HWY 93 N Hamilton, MT 59840
1-406-961-4837 FAX 1-406-961-4877 e-mail: seeds@montana.com
Garden City Seeds started in the early 1980's as part of an environmental organization, and the current owners were part of the original team. The company grows many of their seed offerings and encourages organic methods. There are some hybrids mixed in, with the requirement that they do well in Montana! This is a nice selection accompanied by some great cultural information.
10. PINETREE GARDEN SEEDS
P.O. Box 300 New Gloucester, ME 04260
1-207-926-3400 FAX: 1-888-52SEEDS www.superseeds.com
e-mail: superseeds@worldnet.att.net Free catalog.
Pinetree specializes in small packets of seed for the home gardener. I have found I can try new varieties of vegetables, herbs, and flowers without the inconvenience of buying large packets and storing leftover seed. Pinetree also offers tools, bulbs, perennial plants, and an excellent selection of books.
11. THOMPSON & MORGAN
P.O. Box 1308 Jackson, NJ 08527-0308
1-800-274-7333 FAX 1-888-466-4769
In business since 1855! This is the quintessential source of "gourmet" flowers and herbs. Among the many hybrid vegetable varieties, there is a selection of heirlooms.
12. SEED SAVERS EXCHANGE
3076 North Winn Rd. Decorah, IA 52101
1-319-382-5990 FAX: 1-319-382-5872 Free catalog with membership ($25.00).
The SSE Annual offers rare and heirloom vegetable seeds from seed savers all over the U.S. and abroad. Seed savers who contribute seeds to the annual exchange may purchase seeds at a reduced rate. 8,000 members worldwide are working to rescue endangered vegetables and fruits from extinction. This is probably the single most important collection of grass-roots savers, with members all over the world. The international collections from several Eastern European countries represent some of the most important areas as yet untouched by"modern" agriculture. The membership is worth every penny.
13. HARRIS SEEDS
60 Saginaw Drive P.O. Box 22960 Rochester, NY 14692-2960
There are a few nice heirlooms tucked into this mostly hybrid seed collection. BE CAREFUL, one must read the catalog VERY carefully to avoid treated seed.
14. SHEPHERD'S GARDEN SEEDS
30 Irene St. Torrington, CT 06790
1-860-482-3638 FAX: 1-860-482-0532 www.shepherdseeds.com Free catalog.
The catalog is simply and beautifully presented with line drawings of many of the vegetables, flowers, and herbs offered. The vegetable varieties, chosen for fresh eating and disease resistance, include many European market varieties that are not available anywhere else.
15. HIGH MOWING ORGANIC SEED FARM
Tom Stearns 813 Brook Road Wolcott, VT 05680
1-802-895-4696 Catalog $.50.
The catalog offers open-pollinated and heirloom varieties, all grown at High Mowing. The farm is located in central Vermont, where the hardy seeds must perform well. Tom also offers educational programs and a personalized search service for old vegetable varieties.
16. KIDS IN BLOOM
Box 344 Zionsville, IN 46077 1-317-6996
Coordinating with GARDENS FOR GROWING PEOPLE An inner-city educational program using land reclaimed after buildings are razed. Children grow and harvest produce for their families and others in need and harvest much of their own seed! This is a wonderful selection of seeds, books, educational materials, and hands on advice.
17. J.L. HUDSON, SEEDSMAN
Catalog requests to: Star Route 2, Box 337 La Honda, CA 94020 (no phone)
This unique company presents a careful and detailed listing of the results of ethnobiological research. Each entry is presented with the Latin name of the herb, vegetable, or flower, extensive cultural information, and information about its source. Many rare and hard-to-find varieties are represented here. J.L.Hudson makes no
attempt to be "contemporary" and every order is filled personally, the old fashioned way. I've asked him some very picky cultural questions and received prompt hand-written answers.
18. TOMATO GROWERS SUPPLY
P.O. Box 2237 Fort Myers, FL 33902
1-888-478-7333 FAX: 1-888-768-3476 Customer Service: 1-941-768-1119 Free catalog
In 1998 the company offered 335 varieties of tomatoes with more than 100 heirlooms, and 135 varieties of peppers. The catalog is fulled with beautiful full-color photos, along with good descriptions and general cultural information. TGS has improved their timeliness and promptness, but one must still cull out treated seeds. The selection of heirlooms in 1999 is very good.
19. TOTALLY TOMATOES
P. O. Box 1626 Augusta, GA 30903-1626
1-803-663-0016 Fax Free 1-888-477-7333 Free Catalog
Totally Tomatoes has a comprehensive offering of both tomatoes and peppers, for home gardeners and commercial growers. Although the selection favors hybrids, many heirloom varieties are mixed in as well. They also carry a basic selection of seed-starting supplies, tomato trellises, cages, and twist ties. The catalog is partly color, with nice photos, and partly black-and-white. Although the information given is fairly general, the days to maturity are fairly accurate for New England.
20. BURPEE HEIRLOOMS
300 Park Avenue Warminster, PA 18974
1-800-888-1447 FAX: 1-800-487-5530 www.burpee.com Free catalog.
In response to the growing interest in heirloom vegetable and flower varieties, Burpee introduced a separate heirloom catalog in 1997. This beautiful full-color booklet features photos from old Burpee catalogs and offers a nice selection of old varieties that were originally introduced by Burpee but have not been offered for sale for decades. A good example is their tomato variety "Quarter Century". It was introduced to celebrate Burpee's 25th year in business!
21. I goofed...can't figure this one out! When I do I'll update!
22. NICHOL'S GARDEN NURSERY
1190 N. Pacific Hwy. NE Albany, OR 97321-4580
1-541-928-9280 FAX: 1-541-967-8406 or FAX 1-800-321-5306 Free catalog.
Nichols is a good source for more than 600 varieties of vegetable, herb, and flower seeds, as well as dried herbs, teas, and culinary herb mixes. Many of their seed offerings are old and unusual varieties. They also offer home-brew and wine-making supplies, books and tools.
23. MEDOMAK VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL HEIRLOOM SEED PROJECT
Seed-Savers Program Medomak Valley High School
Box 309, Manktown Road Waldoboro, ME 04572
Catalog free, donations appreciated! School: 1-207-832-5389 Greenhouse: 1-207-832-6321
The seed catalog is the result of seed-saving that is part of the 2nd and 3rd year program in the Practical Botany Class. The students research the history of each heirloom variety, the seeds are carefully grown out and saved. All seeds are offered through the Seed Savers Exchange.
24. ABUNDANT LIFE SEED FOUNDATION
P.O. Box 772 Port Townsend, WA 98368
1-360-385-7192 FAX 1-360-385-7455 e-mail: abundant@olypen.com
Abundant Life in a non-profit organization dedicated to sustainable farming and the preservation of genetic diversity. The group is actively seeking land to finally grow a homebase. Abundant offers a good selection of vegetable, herb, and medicinal herb seeds.
25. BOUNTIFUL GARDENS Ecology Action
18001 Shafer Ranch Road Willits, CA 95490
phone/FAX 1-707-459-6410 e-mail: bountiful@zapcom.net
Free catalog. Comprehensive selection of untreated and open-pollinated seeds, including grains. Founder John Jeavons promotes biointensive gardening, placing priority on soil improvement and composting. Ecology Action offers extensive tours and workshops.
26. THE REDWOOD CITY SEED COMPANY - Catalog of Endangered Cultivated Plants
P.O. Box 361 Redwood City, CA 94064
1-650-325-7333 www.ecoseeds.com
Specializing in seeds with special qualities of taste and sustainability for home gardeners. All the seed offerings are non-hybrid. "Turn of the Century Seed for the Next Millennium's Gardens"
27. HOMEGROWN TOMATOES & PEPPERS AND HERBS
PO Box 211241 West Palm Beach, FL 33421-1241
www.homegrown tomatoes.com
This catalog is now in its second year! It provides a nice source of open pollinated tomatoes, some peppers, and some herbs. There is good page of growing tips, and an invitation to place orders on the internet. The tomatoes are very conveniently arranged in sections by days to
maturity...makes looking 'em up quite easy.
28. VERMONT BEAN SEED CO.
Computer Operations Center Vaucluse, SC 29850-0150
1-803-663-0217 FAX: 1-888-500-7333 Free catalog.
Comprehensive catalog of vegetables and herbs featuring rare, hard-to-find, and European varieties. Vermont Bean Seed recommends Seymour's Selected Seeds catalog for a larger selection of flowers.
29. HERMOSA VALLEY GARDEN SEEDS
P.O. Box 1409 Santa Maria, CA 93456-1409
toll-free 1-877-834-7333 FAX 1-805-925-4140
1999 is the second year for Hermosa Valley, a family owned and operated company. All the seed is untreated. They offer a good selection of food crop seeds, and have free shipping if the order total is over $15.00.
30. DeGIORGI SEED COMPANY
6011 'N' STREET OMAHA, NEBRASKA 68117-1634
Orders 1-800-858-2580 Info 1-402-731-3901
Full selection of vegetables, herbs, and flowers.
31. TERRA EDIBLES Seeds of the World
Box 164 Foxboro, Ontario KOK 2BO
1-613-968-8238 FAX 1-613-968-6369 e-mail: kdwright@intranet.ca
Wonderful simple selection of vegetables with an emphasis on tomatoes, culinary herbs, and flowers. They also offer a nice selection of soaps and gifts. Organically grown seed.
32. R.H. SHUMWAY SEEDSMAN
P.O. Box 1 Graniteville, SC 29829-0001
1-803-663-9771 FAX: 1-888-437-2733
The sub-title of Shumways is "Good Seed Cheap" Apparently they've been doing the job right, as they've been in business since 1870. The catalog is oversized, and filled with "old-time" catalog illustrations...it's fun to look through. They offer a broad selection of vegetables, all non-hybrid. In addition, they have a point system for volume customers, tools, books, and gadgets.
33. FOX HOLLOW HERB & HEIRLOOM SEED CO.
P.O. Box 148 McGrann, PA 16236-0148
1-724-548-SEED FAX 1-724-543-5751 e-mail seeds@alltel.com
Catalog $1. Fox Hollow is a single family-operated business, opened in 1988. Since they only advertise by word-of-mouth, I've only recently discovered them. Fox Hollow offers only open-pollinated vegetables, herbs and flowers. They carry lots of heirloom varieties, including some unique tomato varieties. Their black-and-white catalog is filled with good cultural information.
34. UNDERWOOD GARDENS, Ltd. GRANDMA'S GARDEN
4N381 Maple Avenue Bensenville, IL 60106
FAX 1-888-382-7041 www.grandmasgarden.com
Catalog $1. Grandma's promotes "old-timers" for flavor, nutrition, fragrance and adaptability for backyard gardeners andsmall-scale commercial growers. Membership (optional) promotes research and allows access to a more extensive seed offering.
35. HIGH ALTITUDE GARDENS, SEEDS TRUST
P.O. Box 1048 Hailey, Idaho 8333-1048
1-208-788-4363 FAX 1-208-788-3452 www.seedsave.org e-mail: higarden@micron.net
High Altitude offers only open pollinated and untreated seeds for vegetables, herbs, and wildflowers. Bill McDorman has personally traveled into the former Soviet Union to collect and bring back seeds of food crops for preservation. High Altitude is responsible for many of the Russian introductions into the US, especially Sasha's Altai Tomato.
36. CHUCK WYATT Seedsaver
5421 Princess Drive Rosedale, MD 21237
1-410-687-8665 e-mail: chuckwyatt@compuserve.com
Chuck has an extensive collection of heirloom tomato varieties. He offers them through Seed Savers Exchange and by direct mail order.
ADDITIONAL COMMERCIAL SOURCES
PARK SEED CO.
1 Parkton Ave. Greenwood, SC 29647
1-800-845-3369 FAX: 1-800-275-9941 www.parkseed.com Free catalog.
Although Park is a very large operation, I've always received prompt and personal service. They offer over 1,500 varieties of flower seeds, bulbs, vines, roses and herbs. The company carried 400 varieties of vegetable seeds, some of which are old varieties, tools, and an excellent selection of seed-starting equipment. The horticultural advice is very general.
VESEY'S SEEDS
Box 9000 Calais, ME 04619 Vesey;s Ltd, York, PEI COA 1PO
1-902-368-7333/FAX: 1-207-566-1620 Free catalog.
Vesey's offers vegetable, herb, and flower seeds, chosen specifically for short growing seasons. They carry a full range of varieties, and since the focus is on cool Canadian and Northern New England growing seasons, I've had good luck with their seeds. They also offer a wide
selections of tools, gifts, and books.
PETERS SEED AND RESEARCH
P.O. Box 1472 Myrtle Creek, OR 97457
Phone, FAX 1-541-863-3693 Catalog $.50
Customers who purchase seed receive subsequent catalogs free. Peters Seed and Research has been researching and developing vegetable varieties for 25 years, but printed its first catalog just two years ago.
Tim Peters offers a diverse selection of open pollinated seeds. His main work is the careful breeding of new vegetable varieties as well as maintaining old open-pollinated varieties. I've found Tim to be very
helpful, answering questions personally, and he fills seed orders personally and fairly promptly.
THE MAINE POTATO CATALOG
Wood Prairie Farm Jim & Megan Gerritsen
49 Kinney Road Bridgewater, ME 04735
1-800-829-9765
Great selection of Certified Organic spuds for seed or the table. The Gerritsens ship "Potato-of-the-Month" gift selections, which are great for introducing people to the many unfamiliar fingerlings, red, blue, and yellow-fleshed potatoes.
LE JARDIN DU GOURMET
P.O. Box 75 St. Johnsbury Ctr., VT 05863-0075
1-800-659-1446 FAX 1-802-748-9592 www.kingcon.com/agljdg
The really nice feature of Le Jardin is the seed packet sizing. It is possible to buy a sample of seed for only 25 cents! Le Jardin also offers larger-sized packets at competitive prices. The catalog is a simple list of the varieties available, with very brief descriptions. In addition to seeds, Le Jardin offers books, perennial plants, bulbs,
teas, shitake mushroom kits, and condiments from around the world.
THE PEPPER GAL
P.O. Box 23006 Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33307-3006
1-305-537-5540
This is a very simple catalog. It is a straightforward listing of LOTS of peppers, including an extensive collection of hot peppers.
ALFREY SEEDS
P.O. Box 415 Knoxville, TN 37901
Include SASE with catalog request! Alfrey Seeds offers a few rare and certainly unique varieties, mostly hot peppers.
LADYBUG HERBS OF VERMONT
RR 1 Box 3380 Wolcott, VT 05680
Phone/FAX 1-802-888-5940
This catalog is new to me. It carries a large selection of herb seeds, both medicinal and culinary, and ships plants in the spring. The plants are raised at Tinmouth Channel Farm, which is NOFA Certified Organic. This looks like a great source for herb seed.
SEED SAVING, EDUCATIONAL, AND HISTORICAL ORGANIZATIONS
MAINE SEED SAVING NETWORK
P. O. Box 126 Penobscot, ME 04476 (no phone)
MSSN is a non-profit, publicly supported and membership supported organization serving the needs and interests of farmers and gardeners who are growing and saving seed in our region. Membership includes the newsletter, articles of interest, the catalog of seed offerings, and
notification of activities. Seeds are offered by savers from all across Maine, and may be obtained either from the catalog, or at the annual Swap held in March each year.
SCATTERSEED PROJECT
Box 1167 Farmington, ME 04938
SPECIAL MENTION goes to Will Bonsall for his extensive efforts to save vegetable, grain and fruit cultivars. He offers his seeds and grafts, usually around 1,500 varieties, exclusively through Seed Savers Exchange, for which Will is a curator. He grows 500 varieties of peas
and 300 varieties of potatoes to maintain diversity within these important food crops.
LANDIS VALLEY MUSEUM AND HEIRLOOM SEED PROJECT
Landis Valley Museum 2451 Kissel Hill Road Lancaster, PA 17601-4899
catalog requests: 1-717-569-0401 catalog $4.00
The Landis Valley Museum is the largest museum of Pennsylvania German heritage in the Lancaster area. They offer tours, and programs year round, and a good selection of books and gifts. The seed project is part of the continuing education farm project portion of the museum. Seeds are sold to help support the museum.
THOMAS ETTY, ESQ., SEEDSMAN AND BULB MERCHANT
45, Forde Avenue Bromley, Kent. BR1 3EU ENGLAND
phone 0181-466-6785 Catalog 1 Pound Sterling
Seeds from the Henry Doubleday Foundation gardens, Thomas Etty, Seedsman, are offered through their catalog and through Seed Savers Exchange.
OLD STURBRIDGE VILLAGE
Heirloom Seeds and Plants 1 Old Sturbridge Village Rd. Sturbridge, MA 01566
1-508-347-3362 FAX 1-508-347-0369 www.osv.org
Seeds are harvested from the 1830's era gardens at Old Sturbridge Village. Seeds are available by mail; plants, books, and gifts are available at the Museum Gift Shop at the Village.
TWIN LEAF
The Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants at Monticello
Box 316 Charlottesville, VA 22902
FAX 1-804-977-6140
Seeds harvested from the historic gardens of Monticello, established in 1987. The varieties available reflect the research from Thomas Jeffersons gardeners and his own preferences.
GARDEN STATE HEIRLOOM SEED SOCIETY
% Joe and Bobby Cavenaugh P.O. Box 15
Delaware, NJ 07833 1-908-475-4861
An heirloom seed saving and educational group. Membership available.
AMY LEBLANC WHITEHILL FARM P.O. BOX 273, EAST WILTON, ME 04234