Seed catalog season is upon us and the results of our top five seed catalogs are in!
Seeds are a HUGE investment for the farm and we do our best to make sure we find the best quality seed for the best price. Things that we continuously look for are heirloom, organic, non hybrid and non-GMO.
Our number one pick for our top five seed catalogs is… (I know the suspense is killing you)
True Leaf Market is our TOP of the TOP, Cream of the Crop (ha ha pun intended). The company is based out of Salt Lake City, which makes them a fairly local company to the farm. There location is approximately 5 hours away, we could absolutely make a drive up and visit their facilities. True Leaf Market offers a scholarship program, a rewards program and an affiliate program (we will be looking into this further for sure). They carry the largest majority of seeds that we look for for the farm and their state local – bonus!
Many of our varieties of seeds are recommended by the Utah State University Cooperative Extension Service. We are intent on building strong relationships with suppliers and customers alike to ensure that we are providing the best seed possible. Since our inception, True Leaf Market has been dedicated to helping anyone begin gardening or sprouting, so we try to provide as much customer support and online growing information as we can because we believe that when we all grow together, we grow together. ~ from the True Leaf Market website
Our number two of our top five seed catalogs is…
MIgardener What we really like about MIgardner is that started off rather differently. They started with a YouTube channel and them they turned into a supplier. MIgardner is based out of Michigan which isn’t very local to our farm, but I feel like we kind of get to know them through their videos and what not. Luke and Sindy’s goal is to provide high quality seeds and a very low price – .99 per package. They are the go to seed supplier if you just wanted to try out a crop. Not a huge investment if it didn’t grow for you or in your climate. MIgardner also has a rewards program available.
We began on YouTube and came up with the slogan “Grow Big or Go Home” to help drive home my mission. We believe that when you put 100% effort into something, you will get 110% back. Today MIgardener can be found on Twitter, Google+, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram, Tumblr, and Facebook. My ultimate goal is to be on every social media stream, and be the go to place for free gardening information whether it be video, picture, or just in community involvement. MIgardener has grown from where it began in 2011, and will continue to grow. ~ from the MIgardner website
Our third pick for our top five seed catalogs is… (seed hoarders won’t believe this)
Johnny’s Selected Seeds Fantastic company, employee owned and always creating or building new tools and plant varieties. Most likely the first of it’s kind in seed farming and harvesting. They have an extensive library and so many resources for small gardeners to commercial farmers. Johnny’s is located in Maine (also not very close to our little farmstead). Each year Johnny’s contributes to educational, agricultural, and horticultural programs and events, as well as local community efforts.
Like anything grown from seed, the company known as Johnny’s Selected Seeds had the smallest of beginnings. It put down its first roots in relative obscurity in spring 1973, when founder Rob Johnston, Jr, at age 22, and with $500 in savings, started the fledgling seed company in a New Hampshire farmhouse attic, moving in the fall to his parents’ home in Acton, Massachusetts. ~ from the Johnny’s Selected Seeds website
Our fourth choice in our top five seed catalogs is…
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds I truly love the Baker Creek family. They are just the perfect little family and it always just warms my heart when I see their pictures. Super high quality seeds – everything we have ever ordered from them has come up and been glorious. They source heirloom seeds from all over the place and give seeds away to communities and countries that are in need. Baker Creek also has an extensive growing library and phenomenal stories of where the seeds come from. The Baker Creek crew can be located in Mansfield, Missouri.
Baker Creek started hosting festivals in 2000 as a way to bring gardeners, homesteaders and natural food enthusiasts together to exchange ideas and seeds, to listen to speakers and to enjoy vendors, old-time music and much more. These festivals gave birth to the idea for our pioneer village, Bakersville. Other projects include our trial gardens that we grow each year, seed collecting expeditions, and educational produce exhibits. ~ from the Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds website
Our final pick in our top five seed catalogs is… I know you’ve been patiently awaiting the finale
Pinetree Garden Seeds Proud signers of the safe seed pledge – what does that mean?
Proud to support sustainable agriculture, Pinetree has never sold any genetically modified seeds and has signed the Safe Seed Pledge, promising never to sell any GMO seeds. We have pledged our support to local efforts to label GMO foods and strive to offer an extensive selection of heirloom seeds in an effort to support the ideals of responsible and organic gardening practices. ~ from the Pinetree Garden Seeds website
The Pinetree family has been operating since 1979 with the simple mission statement of offering low prices on quality seeds to the home gardner. One of the things that I REALLY like about Pintree is that they offer a wide range of things. I can order soap supplies from them along with essential oils, knitting and crocheting supplies. They truly hit a home run with things that a real farm needs.
I hope you can all see why these are our top five seed catalogs. Each of these companies have just a special place in our hearts, we’re connected to each of them in that we all have the same mission – feed the people.
