Sourcing Seeds for an Abundant Harvest
When it comes to planning a garden, sourcing seeds is one of my favorite parts. Early January, as seed catalogs start arriving in our mailbox, it’s just the boost of excitement I need to get through the grey months of late winter; colorful varieties on every page paint a picture of what’s to come and the best part is, there’s no weeding to be done for a few more months! That being said, along with excitement it can also feel completely overwhelming, especially if you’re new to gardening. Over the years, we’ve honed our list of sources to fill each niche in our homestead gardens - from perennial fruit trees, to flowers and herbs, and hope our favorite sources can help you plant your dream garden.
Sourcing Seeds
Seed Exchanges & Libraries
Our first recommendation for sourcing seeds is to look local! We’re extremely fortunate to have a seed library built right into our public library catalog, called the Common Soil Seed Library, where we can check out up to 15 seed packets per month! It’s an incredible resource and a fun way to try new things without having to buy anything. And while it’s not required, at the end of the season you can “return” seeds from the plants you grow to continue supporting the longevity of the library.
This time of year, we’re also fortunate to have seed swaps hosted city-wide by several organizations in Omaha. If there aren’t any seed swaps where you live yet, it’s a pretty simple and fun thing to organize - just invite your fellow gardening friends, bring the abundance of seeds you have from seasons past (here’s a helpful guide about how to store seeds and how long they’ll last) and share! Old envelopes and a pen are about all the materials you’ll need in case you want to divide up seed packets. Here’s a great guide for hosting your own swap!
If you’re looking to buy seeds or plant starts, let the following list be a starting point based on our 10+ years of farming and gardening. Of course, there are many more seed companies out there and we encourage you to do your own research when choosing a company to invest in.
The primary factors we consider when choosing a seed company include:
Does the mission and growing practices align with my values?
What does the company stand for and how transparent are they?
How do they support and honor Indigenous seed keepers and public seed saving initiatives?
Are they growing these seeds in a way that protects the environment or are they simply seeking profit?
If they don’t align with my values, is there somewhere else I can source these seeds from?
Price is obviously an important factor, but often, low priced seeds are cutting costs somewhere else; perhaps quality, or ethically - remember that your money is an investment! We choose to reduce our seed costs from year to year by saving seeds when we can.
Our Favorite Seed Companies
(in alphabetical order)
Dixondale Farms is our go-to for onion and shallot starts! Be sure to order the correct “day length” for your growing zone for the best harvest. Don’t have room for a full bundle? Go in on an order with your fellow gardening friends! You can also start onions and alliums from seed, but we’ve found the best success over the years from starting with plant starts.
Fedco Seeds is a cooperatively run seed company, sourcing from a variety of seed producers. We source a lot of our seeds from Fedco and appreciate their transparency of sourcing, competitive pricing and large selection of open-pollinated and heirloom varieties! We have also source many affordable bare root fruit trees and perennial crops from Fedco over the years.
Grand Prismatic provides high quality, open pollinated seeds organically grown at the confluence of the Great Basin and Rocky Mountains in Utah. They have a fun selection of natural dye plants too!
High Mowing Organic Seeds are 100% organic, non-gmo seeds grown in Vermont. Super high quality seeds! With a low minimum for free shipping, this is our go-to for last minute orders!
Hudson Valley Seed Co has a pretty wide selection of seeds and plants, and works with artists to design beautiful seed packets. This would be a fun place to source seeds that you’re giving as a gift!
Johnny’s Seed Company based in Maine is a go-to source for market gardeners and farmers, with great bulk pricing available and tons of varieties available. We source a majority of our seeds from Johnny’s! Plus, they have a great selection of high-quality garden tools and materials. They also have really valuable growing guides for how to grow your crops.
Kitazawa Seed Company specializes in non-gmo Asian seed varieties and has a lot of unique offerings not found elsewhere. We love to grow different radish varieties and the Hinona Kabu turnips are a favorite of ours.
MIgardener is a seed coop (reader submitted!) Non-gmo seeds, broad selection and good prices!
Native Seeds is a nonprofit seed conservation organization based in Tucson, Arizona, who’s mission is to conserve and promote the arid-adapted crop diversity of the Southwest in support of sustainable farming and food security, focusing on Indigenous varieties.
Row 7 Seeds was started in partnership with chef Dan Barber as an effort to develop a collection of vegetables and herbs specifically for restaurants. What you get is super flavorful, unique varieties like the Lodi squash which is a perfect “single serving” and super flavorful squash. Best part? They offer cooking instructions to make the most of your harvests!
Seed Savers Exchange is a non-profit heirloom seed company based in Decorah, Iowa. I’ve had the joy of visiting their main farm campus and have been a proud supporter of their efforts each season! Since 1975, they have grown, saved, and shared heirloom seeds and led a movement to protect biodiversity and preserve heirloom varieties. Plus, they have a lot of unique seed varieties and helpful guidance on saving seeds from your crops.
Sprout Mountain Farms is our go to for seed potatoes and sweet potato starts - great quality, prices and availability!
Strictly Medicinals offers a huge selection of medicinal herbs, dye plants, and more - a great resource if you’re looking for something very specific! Plus, they have a great selection of tools for processing herbs, etc.
Stock Seed Farm is based in Nebraska and specializes in prairie seeds and cover crop seeds.
We’d love to hear what other seed companies you love to support and why. There are so many amazing seed companies and we’d love to add a running list of your favorites!
*Please note: we have intentionally omitted Bakers Creek Heirloom Seeds because of various company-level decisions they’ve made, including the taking of and marketing of indigenous seed varieties without permission and racist comments in the past.
Saving seeds from season to season
This is one of our favorite ways to source seeds - and one that, while at first may seem overwhelming, is incredibly fruitful and empowering! You will be amazed at how many seeds are often produced by the fruits of our harvest. My best advice is to start with one crop to save seeds, non-hybrid tomatoes are a great starting place, and learn each season by practicing. The best part about saving seeds from tomatoes is that you can harvest them and eat the fruits - no waste!
There are tons of resources available at the library, talking with other gardeners, online and beyond. Be sure to dry your seeds completely before storing, label and date your seeds, and before starting them in the spring you can check their germination rate by sprouting ten seeds on damp paper towel - if they’re not viable, then return to your seed companies and try again next year!
