seed catalogs

[grow_my_own]

I *love* Baker Creek. When I place my next seed order, I will be ordering from them.

This year, however, I got the majority of my seeds from an ebayer called "mozybeaufarms." He is a retired Marine and sells only non-GMO, non-hybrid, open-pollinated seed. Lots of heirloom melons and such. I am extremely happy with the quality of the seeds, the way they were packed, etc. I will let ya know how much I like the quality of the fruits and vegetables we get from them, but so far my test germinations have been close to 100%.

 

[April Manier]

Man, I haven't looked a a seed catalog in about 10 years and I did for the first time the other day and I am still trying to put my eyes back in my head, I did manage to finally get my mouth closed! Since when do seeds NEED to cost so much! So, having said that, what is a RESONABLE priced seed company that offers seeds that you can let your plants go to seed if you like and replant in subsequent years?

I would like to address this issue. It takes a TON of work to germinate, fertilize and weed a crop to fruition. You then have to harvest and process the seeds. IT IS MONUMENTALLY EXPENSIVE!

To grow organic seeds is 10x more expensive, and yet the price of seeds to the customer with these seed companies does NOT reflect that cost. IN FACT, the truth is that we seed growers really make pennies for what we do. It is ridiculous what they pay me in relationship to what they charge. Seeds should actually be MORE expensive! Worse, the integrity of the seed they push is often farcical and irresponsible.

It makes me SICK. No, really.

 

[flyboy718]

Man, I haven't looked a a seed catalog in about 10 years and I did for the first time the other day and I am still trying to put my eyes back in my head, I did manage to finally get my mouth closed! Since when do seeds NEED to cost so much! So, having said that, what is a RESONABLE priced seed company that offers seeds that you can let your plants go to seed if you like and replant in subsequent years?

I would like to address this issue. It takes a TON of work to germinate, fertilize and weed a crop to fruition. You then have to harvest and process the seeds. IT IS MONUMENTALLY EXPENSIVE!

To grow organic seeds is 10x more expensive, and yet the price of seeds to the customer with these seed companies does NOT reflect that cost. IN FACT, the truth is that we seed growers really make pennies for what we do. It is ridiculous what they pay me in relationship to what they charge. Seeds should actually be MORE expensive! Worse, the integrity of the seed they push is often farcical and irresponsible.

It makes me SICK. No, really.

Wow. Ok, I'll bite. It takes the same amount of work as it always has...why does it cost more? Because someone is willing to pay the price. For what it's worth, they don't pay me enough to operate an airport either.

 

[April Manier]

Wages have gone up! Fertilizer is more AND I pay raised prices for starter seeds. Some folks purchase water and that is more. Property taxes go up....

Why would the cost of living increase on not effect crop production?

I can tell you that those seed companies are passing their overhead on to you. They pay workers' higher wages, higher utilities, insurance is higher, overhead is just plain high! I PERSONALLY HAVE SEEN LITTLE INCREASE IN PAY ON MY END.

I see little reason that commercial seed is that much higher, however with national organic standards in place it makes the production of organic seeds stringent. We have to pay for certification, use organic everything (which is spendy), and maintain processing standards as well.

I have to pay others to weed-I don't use glysophate. I pay a fair wage to my farm workers, not slave labor by illegals like so many. I have to have workman's comp, generate books on these people, etc.

We don't just grow a little seed from 5 plants. We strictly maintain genetic diversity by having large crops and we are selecting for superior genetics meaning that not every plant that gets sprouted, transplanted and watered in the greenhouse, and goes out to the field becomes viable seed for you!

There is soooooo much that it takes! We maintain tractors and buy diesel at inflated prices.

The list goes on. Meanwhile we have to eat! We have to have our end pan out so that we can pay the mortgage and put kids through school! Farming an acre takes a lot of money and man power. It all costs and at the end of the day I need to do more than pay someone to bring seeds to others. I NEED TO GET PAID.

Believe me it is a noble profession because we hardly get JACK out of it. If my husband didn't spend his life pushing for open pollinated varieties to be preserved giving folks access to food, which is power, I would give it up because frankly, it just doesn't pencil out.

We are not getting rich!

 

[flyboy718]

Wages have gone up! Fertilizer is more AND I pay raised prices for starter seeds. Some folks purchase water and that is more. Property taxes go up....

Why would the cost of living increase on not effect crop production?

I can tell you that those seed companies are passing their overhead on to you. They pay workers' higher wages, higher utilities, insurance is higher, overhead is just plain high! I PERSONALLY HAVE SEEN LITTLE INCREASE IN PAY ON MY END.

I see little reason that commercial seed is that much higher, however with national organic standards in place it makes the production of organic seeds stringent. We have to pay for certification, use organic everything (which is spendy), and maintain processing standards as well.

I have to pay others to weed-I don't use glysophate. I pay a fair wage to my farm workers, not slave labor by illegals like so many. I have to have workman's comp, generate books on these people, etc.

We don't just grow a little seed from 5 plants. We strictly maintain genetic diversity by having large crops and we are selecting for superior genetics meaning that not every plant that gets sprouted, transplanted and watered in the greenhouse, and goes out to the field becomes viable seed for you!

There is soooooo much that it takes! We maintain tractors and buy diesel at inflated prices.

The list goes on. Meanwhile we have to eat! We have to have our end pan out so that we can pay the mortgage and put kids through school! Farming an acre takes a lot of money and man power. It all costs and at the end of the day I need to do more than pay someone to bring seeds to others. I NEED TO GET PAID.

Believe me it is a noble profession because we hardly get JACK out of it. If my husband didn't spend his life pushing for open pollinated varieties to be preserved giving folks access to food, which is power, I would give it up because frankly, it just doesn't pencil out.

We are not getting rich!

It's not about getting rich...be happy that you get to play in the dirt and sell seeds to folks that can't. Remember that it will all fade away one day. Sow seeds of love.

 

[The Mama Chicken]

Thank you for all that you do, April, especially not using nasty chemicals. You may not be rich, but you sure are appreciated. I can't imagine how hard you work!

Wages have gone up! Fertilizer is more AND I pay raised prices for starter seeds. Some folks purchase water and that is more. Property taxes go up....

Why would the cost of living increase on not effect crop production?

I can tell you that those seed companies are passing their overhead on to you. They pay workers' higher wages, higher utilities, insurance is higher, overhead is just plain high! I PERSONALLY HAVE SEEN LITTLE INCREASE IN PAY ON MY END.

I see little reason that commercial seed is that much higher, however with national organic standards in place it makes the production of organic seeds stringent. We have to pay for certification, use organic everything (which is spendy), and maintain processing standards as well.

I have to pay others to weed-I don't use glysophate. I pay a fair wage to my farm workers, not slave labor by illegals like so many. I have to have workman's comp, generate books on these people, etc.

We don't just grow a little seed from 5 plants. We strictly maintain genetic diversity by having large crops and we are selecting for superior genetics meaning that not every plant that gets sprouted, transplanted and watered in the greenhouse, and goes out to the field becomes viable seed for you!

There is soooooo much that it takes! We maintain tractors and buy diesel at inflated prices.

The list goes on. Meanwhile we have to eat! We have to have our end pan out so that we can pay the mortgage and put kids through school! Farming an acre takes a lot of money and man power. It all costs and at the end of the day I need to do more than pay someone to bring seeds to others. I NEED TO GET PAID.

Believe me it is a noble profession because we hardly get JACK out of it. If my husband didn't spend his life pushing for open pollinated varieties to be preserved giving folks access to food, which is power, I would give it up because frankly, it just doesn't pencil out.

We are not getting rich!

 

[grow_my_own]

For those interested in non-GMO, non-hybrid, open-pollinated seeds, I order mine from this guy:

http://stores.ebay.com/Mozybeau-Auctions?_trksid=p4340.l2563

While this is my first year ordering from him, I am having almost 100% success on the seeds I've test-germinated in my kitchen window.

I ordered one of his heirloom vegetable seed caches & a culinary/medicinal herb seed cache. I've also ordered tiger melon seeds and organic black beauty eggplant seeds from him. I could not be happier with the quality, and I'm pleased that the seeds are open-pollinated & that he encourages his customers to save the seeds propagated in your garden for future use.

I think I'm gonna have to contact April, though... she has a couple of things I've not seen anywhere else in open-pollinated varieties.

 

[omar818]

I noticed there are many seed vendors online, and they all offer different seeds at similar prices. Is it better to buy seeds by the pound in order to save a few bucks?

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

it really depends on how much you are planning to use in the next year or two! remember, those packets of seeds once opened may not be viable within a few short years depending on what they are and how well you store the remainder from getting moist/wet or pests eating away the rest. buying what i need now and saving the few extra i don't use this year is not a waste of money for me if i don't like the results, did much poorly than expected, or they just weren't tasty. if i went out and bought those huge tubs of 'survival' seeds i'm sure there is a lot of stuff in there that i would not be planting in this area or just plan to not grow.

if you are really pining for one of those tubs, just go out and buy a 3-5 gallon paint bucket with a secure lid and then go to your favorite greenhouse or store that carries the seeds you like and stock up! i find our dollar store carries the American Seed Co stuff for about 20 cents a packet and i used to have a lot of luck with those since i only grew the usual stuff they sold each year. i still like to get some of the neat new/heirloom varieties i've come across. i have so many seeds saved from over the years of collecting and i've had some luck keeping the extra seed i don't used stored in plastic containers like the empty coffee cans or rubbermaid shoe boxes.

 

[grow_my_own]

I didn't buy a seed bucket. That would be serious overkill for 2 people and a few chickens. I just got one of the smaller packs, and the care that goes into preserving and packaging these seeds is obvious. I was so pleased that I also purchased some seeds from him for Tigger melons and black beauty eggplant, all heirloom & all open-pollinated. So far, I've had 100% germination in everything I put in the starter pots.

What's so great is that I'll be able to save seeds for the future from the plants that grow from these seeds. Win/win. Plus I do have quite a bit of extra right now to share with family, friends, neighbors, and participate in seed swaps.