ninnymary
Garden Master
Just got my Baker Creek. I feel guilty getting it since I never order online or via mail. If I want something, I just go to the Petaluma store and get it when I'm getting my feed.
Mary
Mary
Seed catalog
- Thread starter Gardening with Rabbits
- Start date
baymule
Garden Master
I would love to go to their store! Mary, take pictures!
ninnymary
Garden Master
Bay, it's in a beautiful historical building. The first floor has racks of seeds against one wall. They are filed by categories like a library. Against the other wall are things like books, gardening kits, bulbs, handmade soaps, beeswax, all sorts of pretty things. Downstairs it's not as large but has gardening tools, kitchen, and other stuff. Definitely worth going. I only buy a few packets of seeds and they always give me couple of seeds free.
Mary
Mary
Chickie'sMomaInNH
Garden Master
if you order online w/Baker Creek they also give some free packet of seeds. i got mine this week too.
i also got the FedCo email, along with Bountiful Gardens, Sustainable Seeds & strangely Seed Savers Exchange (never signed up for their emails that i can remember).
i also got the FedCo email, along with Bountiful Gardens, Sustainable Seeds & strangely Seed Savers Exchange (never signed up for their emails that i can remember).
Pulsegleaner
Garden Master
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Got TWO copies of Baker Creek day before yesterday (my parents sometimes pay for seed for me as gifts, so both our names are in their files) Riffled through it, but doesn't seem to be anything in there I want I haven't already ordered (besides I order most from the Explorer series which isn't in the paper catalog)
Actually I don't pay all that much attention to the paper ones from anyway. It's just easier to use the online ones (plus, a lot of my faves don't actually HAVE paper ones)
I have sort of the same issue with R. Shumway seeds. While the 19th century engravings are certainly quaint it makes it VERY hard to work out what the actual product looks like (particularly important for things like tomatoes, where the same tomato can go under many names, and you often have to go by appearance)
On the non-seed side, I have similar issues with the Zingerman's catalog (gourmet food) Their decision to use their quirky hand drawings can make it hard to tell what is being offered, and if it is available for anyone else (who us almost guaranteed to have it for less)
Actually I don't pay all that much attention to the paper ones from anyway. It's just easier to use the online ones (plus, a lot of my faves don't actually HAVE paper ones)
I have sort of the same issue with R. Shumway seeds. While the 19th century engravings are certainly quaint it makes it VERY hard to work out what the actual product looks like (particularly important for things like tomatoes, where the same tomato can go under many names, and you often have to go by appearance)
On the non-seed side, I have similar issues with the Zingerman's catalog (gourmet food) Their decision to use their quirky hand drawings can make it hard to tell what is being offered, and if it is available for anyone else (who us almost guaranteed to have it for less)
Chickie'sMomaInNH
Garden Master
seems FedCo spent the money on their website rather than putting that into their paper catalogs. i rarely find they don't have a pic of the stuff they're selling online for seeds.
digitS'
Garden Master
A website that is a little clunky is okay but I like pictures.
R. H. Shumway might be the first seed catalog I looked at. I'd like to claim that it was a Burpee other something else from the 19th century but Shumway is the first I can remember. Back in the '60's when a friend's mom learned that I had a garden, she gave me a seed catalog.
She was from Chicago and I guess that's why she became a Shumway customer. They were in Rockford, Illinois then.
I thought that the catalog looked real old fashioned back then! You know, lots of things have changed in that catalog. It doesn't have all the same things as 50 years ago. But, something new comes along and they must make a real effort to make it seem as though they have been selling it since Moses was in the Whale. It's okay. Leaving things the same forever isn't what I'd ask for. And, people probably say I look dated if they miss noticing my fancy Hush Puppies.
Steve
R. H. Shumway might be the first seed catalog I looked at. I'd like to claim that it was a Burpee other something else from the 19th century but Shumway is the first I can remember. Back in the '60's when a friend's mom learned that I had a garden, she gave me a seed catalog.
She was from Chicago and I guess that's why she became a Shumway customer. They were in Rockford, Illinois then.
I thought that the catalog looked real old fashioned back then! You know, lots of things have changed in that catalog. It doesn't have all the same things as 50 years ago. But, something new comes along and they must make a real effort to make it seem as though they have been selling it since Moses was in the Whale. It's okay. Leaving things the same forever isn't what I'd ask for. And, people probably say I look dated if they miss noticing my fancy Hush Puppies.
Steve
buckabucka
Garden Addicted
I actually like Fedco's 19th century catalog, especially the long descriptions and mixed opinions on a variety. And I'm a sucker for the poems, - I often end up buying the vegetables with the poems.
Occasionally, I'll look up a photo of a variety if the description seems outlandish.
I do appreciate being able to order online now. I remember when Fedco had this impossibly complicated order form and you were only allowed to order using a RED pen.
Occasionally, I'll look up a photo of a variety if the description seems outlandish.
I do appreciate being able to order online now. I remember when Fedco had this impossibly complicated order form and you were only allowed to order using a RED pen.
digitS'
Garden Master
Fedco has a lot! It also gives a lot ... at a decent price. A non-glossy catalog - that's okay.
Clunky websites might be the standard for some of the commercial grower websites. Don't be put off by that if there is any way you can benefit from larger amounts of seed. Now, lots of the companies I deal with have large packets and I do appreciate that they sell in larger & smaller ones. But, if you have a "garden standard" variety and can save the seed for several years, you might want to check around with some of the companies that aren't really into marketing to the hobbyist.
Jordan Seeds is like that. I shared my experiences with a friend and we order together each year. Her daughter handles the online ordering. At least, I think she does it online. Dang, it used to be clunky! She may just print out their order form and mail it. It was simpler that way. Pictures and such - you had to go somewhere else. Oh, and their catalog - which I now have to borrow from the friend - it's nothing much more than a printed list in a cover
.
Steve
Clunky websites might be the standard for some of the commercial grower websites. Don't be put off by that if there is any way you can benefit from larger amounts of seed. Now, lots of the companies I deal with have large packets and I do appreciate that they sell in larger & smaller ones. But, if you have a "garden standard" variety and can save the seed for several years, you might want to check around with some of the companies that aren't really into marketing to the hobbyist.
Jordan Seeds is like that. I shared my experiences with a friend and we order together each year. Her daughter handles the online ordering. At least, I think she does it online. Dang, it used to be clunky! She may just print out their order form and mail it. It was simpler that way. Pictures and such - you had to go somewhere else. Oh, and their catalog - which I now have to borrow from the friend - it's nothing much more than a printed list in a cover
.Steve
ninnymary
Garden Master
Not a seed catalog but I got my David Austen catalog. Going to order 2 roses this year. I ordered a couple a few years ago and I didn't like the colors. They were a little too pale for me so I'm replacing them.
Mary
Mary
