3 Sisters: Corn, beans, squash. ©? If I stole this picture from your site and you don't like seeing it here, please let me know.Seedsaving and Seedsavers' Resourcesunder construction

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  • newEUI have recently found out that it is possible to find heirloom seeds and unusual varieties on Ebay, the internet auction house. Click on the link to see what some sellers I have bought from have on offer. They might just have what you are looking for.

  • newEUTerre de Semences in association with Association Kokopelli offer a whopping 1400 varieties of certified organic seed. Their astonishing catalogue describes all of these varities, contains colour pictures of many varieties and a lot of background information. It is worth every penny. Also please see their Manifesto for Survival for background information on the company. In 2001/2 all seed packets cost £1.50 Sterling.

    Web Site Contents:

    Click hereHeirloom and OP varieties: Saving Plant Genetic Resources
    Click hereBotany, Genetics and Horticulture for Seedsavers
    Click hereTrading seeds: Seed Exchanges on and off the Web
    Click hereBuying heirloom and OP seeds: Non-profit organisations
    Click hereBuying heirloom and OP seeds: Commercial sources
    Click hereBuying organic seeds
    Click hereNGOs and GOs concerned with Plant Genetic Diversity
    Click hereBooks for Seedsavers
    Click hereSupplies for Seedsavers
    Click hereMiscellaneous



    Saving Plant Genetic Resources - Why?

    "Seeds are critical to our success as gardeners and farmers. They are compact packages of genetic information and stored food reserves, just waiting for the conditions found in warm, moist soil in order to germinate and create tomatoes, carrots, beans and thousands of other delights out of sunshine, air, water and soil. For most of the last ten thousand years of human history, seed-saving was something nearly everyone practiced, because in order to eat and therefore to survive, it was necessary. The grains and beans which formed the basis of most diets were both seed and food. Grown in large quantities, the best were saved for planting and the rest were eaten. Our ancestors did this each year, generation after generation through the centuries. Variations in climate, soil and techniques from garden to garden and community to community, accumulated through the years, creating the incredible diversity which existed over much of our planet well into this century. These local seeds were integral to life and culture everywhere. Unfortunately, the vast majority of these varieties has disappeared."
    From Bill Duesing - Living on the Earth ©1999

    "Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (PGRFA) are the biological basis of world food security and, directly or indirectly, support the livelihoods of every person on Earth."
    FAO ©1999

    Read about 'Recent policy trends and developments related to the conservation, use and development of genetic resources' and on 'Intellectual Property Rights and Plant Genetic Resources' as published by the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute.

  • For a discussion of current issues in the seed trade, see http://www.gardeners.com/actionupdates.html

    EUJeremy Cherfas of Future Foods publishes the magazine LeafLET on-line. 'Everything not permitted is forbidden' outlines how EU legislation has led to tremendous losses of agricultural/horticultural biodiversity.

    Read Amy Knutson's excellent article "Why Grow Open-Pollinated or Heirloom Plants?"

    For the DEGerman speaker here's a similar article "Verbotene Früchte", based on a visit to an heirloom garden in northern Germany, an article on organic seed "Das Brot von morgen" and an interesting article on the legendary Vavilov Institute in Russia where a number of scientists starved to death while guarding samples of grain varieties in the institute's seed bank during the German siege of Leningrad in WWII.

    Maize

    • The Genetic Resources Action International (GRAIN) is an international non-governmental organisation, established in 1990, to help further a global movement of popular action against one of the world's most pervasive threats to world food and livelihood security: genetic erosion. The loss of biological diversity, particularly in the "gene rich" countries of the Third World, undermines the very sense of sustainable agriculture as it destroys choices for the future and robs people of a key resource base for survival. Genetic erosion is more than just the loss of genes. It is the loss of of options for development. GRAIN is registered in Spain as an international, non-profit foundation. It has offices in Barcelona and in Los Baños, the Philippines. A wholly autonomous organisation, GRAIN is financed by grants from NGOs, governments and intergovernmental organisations. GRAIN's programme of work is currently implemented by a team of eight people, representing different nationalities and experiences. The organisation is governed by a Board composed of dedicated individuals - scientists, grassroots field workers, development NGOs and policy makers - acting in their personal capacity. The GRAIN website also comes in a Versión en español and a Version française. GRAIN's newsletter "Seedling" can be accessed through the website. GRAIN also publishes the irregular e-mail newsletter BIO-IPR. Its purpose is to circulate information about recent developments in the field of intellectual property rights related to biodiversity & associated knowledge. BIO-IPR is a strictly non-commercial and educational service for nonprofit organisations and individuals active in the struggle against IPRs on life.

    • Information on and insights into the world seed industry can be found at World Seed info. The site covers international laws, conferences, issues relating to IPR (Intellectual Property Rights), seed trade and certification, biodiversity, biotechnology, statistics, publications and Internet links.
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    Botany, Genetics and Horticulture for Seedsavers

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    Trading seeds: Seed Exchanges on and off the Web

    Mailing lists

    • Dave M. Ford's Seed Exchange Mailing List: "The purpose of the Seed Exchange Network is to allow those of us who garden as a hobby to find and exchange seeds that we either want or have excess of." To subscribe send a blank email with the word SUBSCRIBE in the subject line to seeds@bigfoot.com.

    • Links and Usegroups

    Bulletin Boards on the Web

    Private individuals offering exchanges on their own websites

    Exchanges off the WWW

    • US (MI) Home Grown Exchange, 16428 Woodstock, Macomb, MI 48044 -- Membership $12/year --monthly issues of a newsletter which includes articles and letters from seed savers as well as a seed exchange listing; send $2 for a sample copy or a send a listing of seeds you will offer for exchange and get a free copy.

    • IRLThe Irish Seed Savers Association is a voluntary organisation dedicated to the location and preservation of traditional varieties of fruit and vegetables. The ISSA maintains a seed bank which distributes seeds of non-commercially available vegetables, including heritage potatoes. They have put together an incredible collection of more than 120 old Irish apple varieties which were first offered for sale (grafted to order) in 1999, and they are running a Heritage Grain Project (24 varieties) in Co. Wexford.

    • USThe Flower & Herb Exchange, 3076 North Winn Road, Decorah IA 52101; Phone 319-382-5990; Fax 319-382-5872 Membership is $10 in the US, $12 in Canada and Mexico, $15 other international.
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    Buying heirloom and open-pollinated seeds: Non-profit organisations

    • UKThe Henry Doubleday Research Association HDRA, Britain's Premier organic gardening organisation, maintains the Heritage Seed Library of endangered vegetables containing over 700 varieties of interesting and traditional vegetables that can't legally be traded in Europe. These seeds cannot be purchased but Members of the Library can receive free seed packets each year.

    • AUProjekt LAV, A-8385 Mühlgraben 46. They had an impressive list of heirloom varieties and unusual edibles and other useful plants in 1998. Don't seem to be online at present. The seeds cannot be legally traded in Europe. LAV is asking for modesty, reimbursement of postage and, if possible, a small donation to the project.

    • CHPro Specie Rara is a Swiss NGO, founded in 1982, which aims at preserving as many agricultural/horticultural plant varieties and domestic animal breeds as possible. They have five part-time employees who co-ordinate projects with the bulk of the actual preservation work carried out by more than 1000 private volunteers. Finance is practically raised entirely from private donations. Pro Specie Rara is constanty looking for custodians of plant varieties. Contact them at Pro Specie Rara-Sekretariat, Engelgasse 12a, CH-9000 St.Gallen, Switzerland, Fax +41-71-223 74 01. Their website contains a 'Variety finder' searchable database "Sortenfinder" for vegetables, grains, fruit (with pictures of apple varieties).

    • CanadaSeeds of Diversity Canada - Canada's Heritage Seed-Saving Network, a non-profit group of gardeners from coast to coast who save seeds from rare and unusual garden plants for the purpose of preserving the varieties - a living gene bank.

    • US (OR) Abundant Life Seed Foundation is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the preservation of genetic diversity. They acquire, preserve and distribute open-pollinated seeds, with an emphasis on heirloom vegetables, medicinal herbs, and Pacific NW natives. They also provide education on cultivation and seedsaving and run the World Seed Fund which uses donations to send out seeds to struggling farmers in South America, to urban garden projects, schools and rehabilitation projects. The project will purchase a 101 acre site in California, the Horse Creek Farm, in November 1999 in order to create a working, sustainable seed farm. For contributions and detailed information, please contact the Horse Creek Seed Sanctuary.

    • US (NJ) Garden State Heirloom Seed Society (GSHSS): see the entry below

    • US (IA) Seed Saver's Exchange 3076 N. Winn Rd. Decorah, IA 52101 (319)382-5990 fax (319)382-5872 free; publishes a Garden Seed Inventory periodically which contains information on substantially all heirloom/OP varieties of vegetables offered in North America over the past 15 years or so, including all known seed houses still offering them. They also have a Fruit, Nut and Berry inventory that covers those classes of edibles. The Garden Seed Inventory is invaluable for determining if a variety is OP or not and if so, where to find it. The latest edition consists of 803+ pages of the names and describtions of open-pollinated plants. It also lists commercial sources in both the US and Canada. The softcover edition is $26 plus $3 shipping to US addresses. Shipping overseas is c. $9. A hardcover edition is available too for $32.

    • High Altitude Gardens with the ISSI - International Seed Saving Institute

    • The Eastern Native Seed Conservancy concerned with saving especially the varieties native to this country. They have a participant growers program where you can grow a certain variety and send them the seeds to help in their efforts.
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    Buying heirloom and OP seeds: Commercial sources

    • Heirloom Seed Sources

    • Brown University's Heirloom Seed Directory

    • TheSeedGuild - Seed businesses

    • Another list of seed sources.

    • Seed Company Listing compiled by The Heirloom Gardening Page

    • UKuk.rec.gardening Suppliers and References Faq

    • UKChase Organics (Great Britain) Ltd

    • UKThomas Etty Esq Heritage Seedsman and Bulb Merchant

    • UKSandemanSeeds

    • UKThe Seed Search Third Editon + Seeds + Horticulture + Plants + Gardening + Gardens + Directory

    • UKBreckland Service 2

    • UKFYI, Chase Organics, Suffolk Herbs, Kings Seeds & Tamar (& no doubt others) are all in fact supplied by Kings Of Kelvedon, seems the only difference is in packaging, marketing strategies & prices!!! (eg, Suffolk Herbs have a nice high production value, colour catalogue with tasteful water colours of the plants, etc- Tamar are far more basic & so are their prices). Suffolk Herbs are now owned by Kings - Kings are a major supplier to the UK seed market, however there are others, Thomas Etty, for instance also gets seeds from French and Italian suppliers.

    • UKDT Brown in the UK: An old established company enjoying an impressive revival with an excellent choice of modern and traditional varieties. Their Heritage range includes many heirloom varieties incluing striped zinnias, striped French marigolds, dark-leaved nasturtiums and other varieties usually unavailable elsewhere. Their vegetable range is also one of the best in the UK, with some modern F1 hybrid vegetables as well as heirlooms like the pink and white flowered 'Painted Lady' climbing bean. The catalogue includes plants and seedlings which cannot be sent overseas. DT Brown also publish an excellent trade catalogue, specifically aimed at smaller commercial growers.

    • UK --> US Ordering British Seed from the USA: A number of British seed companies will supply seed to gardeners in the USA. American gardeners will find varieties of seed raised plants in British mail order seed catalogues which are not available in the USA; some will be heirloom varieties which have been kept going in Europe or recently reintroduced, others will be new varieties which have not yet been listed in American catalogues.

    • UKMr Fothergill's Seeds: One of Britain's newer seed companies but one which lists many unusual varieties in its two seed catalogues, the general catalogue and the enthusiasts' catalogue. Both catalogues include a number of excellent nineteenth century heirlooms, as well as modern varieties in single colours where most companies offer only mixtures. Webpage?

    • UKChiltern Seeds specialises in annuals and bedding plants in separate colours along with many unusual botanical items ranging from cacti and palms to trees and vines. E-mail only.

    • UKSeeds-by-Size sells vegetables, herbs and flowers, including many unusual annuals and many single colours reputedly available to home gardeners from no other company - anywhere in the world.

    • UKUS Thompson & Morgan offer a comprehensive list of seeds, including thousands of varieties of flowers and vegetables. Their site includes catalogues for USA and Worldwide Sales, both wholesale and retail. They also have a catalogue specialising in young plants for sale only to the United Kingdom. Their seed catalogues (available from 1st August 1999) include thousands of varieties and are fully indexed and searchable.

    • UKHerbiseed (Weeds of the world), The Nurseries, Billingbear Park, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG40 5RY, UK. Tel : UK-01344 425586. Good source for hard to find weed and wild plant seeds.

    • UKNicky's Mail Order Flower Seeds Worldwide. On-line seed store for the amateur and professional gardener. Seeds for bedding plants, hanging baskets, house plants, containers, patio and rockeries. Some F1 varieties but also lots of open-pollinated varieties.

    • EUUSB_and_T_World_Seeds

    • USCanadaSuppliers of Organic, Non-GE, or Heirloom (O-P) Vegetable Seed - Horticulture Resource List, large listing arranged by US region plus listing for Canada

    • Canada Check out the ICanGarden suppliers listing for Canada or their
      global international listing.

    • Canada Farm Gate Seed Potatoes from Prince Edward Island

    • CanadaRichters Herbs - Medicinal, Culinary, Aromatic - Plants & Seeds

    • Canada (BC) The Virtual Gardener Inc. Heirloom Seed Collection.

    • Canada (ON) Aimers Seeds Botanical Seed Catalogue

    • USThe Oregon State Univeristy keeps a list of vegetable seed suppliers in the US and a link to Seed Quest, an information service for seed professionals which contains listings of seed companies by crop.

    • USAnother list of seed suppliers in the US can be found here.

    • USSouthern Exposure Seed Exchange Home Page Although they emphasize varieties adapted to the Mid-Atlantic region, they serve gardeners throughout the United States and Canada. A large percentage of the seed and bulb varieties they offer are grown by themselves or their growers. They are family-owned and operated. Much of their seed is organically grown. All their seed is free of chemical treatment and they do not offer genetically engineered varieties. They grow at least 40% of their own seed and offer over 550 varieties of open-pollinated, heirloom, and traditional varieties of vegetables, flowers, and herbs; large selection of garlic cultivars and rare perennial onions. Also included are books, gardening supplies, and seed-saving supplies and information.

    • US (CA) Bountiful Gardens: Vegetables, herbs, grains and green manure seeds, all open-pollinated and untreated.

    • US (ID) High Altitude Gardens, a bio-regional seed company selling varieties adapted to cold, short seasons. All are tested in their gardens at 6,000 ft. 180 varieties of open-pollinated, untreated vegetable seeds. Some organic seed. Also wildflowers, herbs, grasses.

    • US (ID) Seeds Blüm, HC33, Idaho City Stage Boise, ID 83706. Catalogue $3. Specialise in heirloom, open-pollinated seeds.

    • US (OH) Down on the Farm Seed, PO Box 184, Hiram, OH 44234

    • USJust Sunflowers

    • USSeeds for US Gardens

    • USOld House Gardens - Heirloom Flower Bulbs. Scott Kunst of OHG also provides a "Source List for Historic Ornamentals" in the US (send SASE and $1 to OHG, 536 Third St., Ann Arbor, MI 48103-4957, USA).

    • US (OR) Victory Seeds. Over 140 open-pollinated or heirloom vegetable and herb seed varieties.

    • US"http://www.olympus.net/insidepassage/">Inside Passage - specialty seed service, featuring native and naturalized flora of the coastal Cascadian Bioregion (Northwestern North America) and also offering relevant publications and consulting services.

    • US (VT) The Cook's Garden (Vermont)

    • US (SC) Park Seed Company (South Carolina)

    • US (AZ) Simpson's Heritage Seed (Arizona)

    • US (CA) Grandview Tomatoe Farms (heirloom and open pollinated varieties) 12942 Dupont Rd. Sebastopol, CA 95472 free list, may also send Irish Eyes with a Hint of Garlic potatoes@irish-eyes.com POB 307 Ellensburg WA 98926 (509)925-6025 fax (509)925-9238 free; garlic, potatoes, onions and other tubers with lots of planting info sample seeds

    • US (CA) J.L. Hudson, Seedsman Ethnobotanical Catalogue of Seeds Star Route 2, Box 337 La Honda CA 94020 $1.00 Quirky, but dedicated and knowedgeable to a fault. Incredibly detailed listing.

    • US (CA) Santa Barbara Heirloom Seedling Nursery

    • US (ME) Fedco POB 520 Waterville, ME 04903 (207) 873-7333 fax (203)872-8317 free, Best prices, generous packets, volume discounts, free shipping. Besides, they quote Walt Whitman throughout, what better endorsement do you need?

    • US (AZ) Native Seeds/SEARCH nss@azstarnet.com 526 N 4th Ave Tuscon AZ 85705 $1.00 Fascinating reading, tribal info., rare seeds, Desert Foods for Diabetes Control, tepary beans, sorghums. or http://www.desert.net/seeds/home.htm preserves southwestern Native American seeds.

    • US (OR) Oregon Exotics 1065 Messinger Rd. Grants Pass OR 97527 (541)846-7578 $4.00 Wapato, chinese yam, water chestnuts...

    • US (IA) Sand Hill Preservation Center 1878 230th St Calamus IA 52729-9659 319-246-2299 (business hours) - specializing in heirloom open-pollinated seeds, sweet potato slips and rare poultry breeds. This is an excellent source of op corn, squash and tomatoes. They personally grow out over 2,000 varieties of heirlooms; family run.

    • US (MO) Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds sell only open-pollinated varieties with an emphasis on heirlooms (seeds and plants, the latter only within the US). Their small but informative catalogue includes a book list and other useful info. Contact Jeremiath C. Gettle for a catalogue or check their website.

    • US (ME) Johnny's Selected Seeds, Foss Hill Rd. Albion, ME 04910-9731; Free catalog.

    • US (FL) Tomato Growers Supply, P.O. Box 2237, Ft. Myers, FL 33902.

    • US (GA) Flowery Branch Seed Company PO Box 1330 Flowery Branch, GA 30542 Phone: (770) 536-8380 - Flowery Branch Seed Company in Flowery Branch, Georgia is a superb source of seed for those of us who are addicted to growing old-fashioned and uncommon flowering garden plants. don't concentrate exclusively in heirlooms they list almost no F1 hybrid bedding plants.

    • US (CA) Redwood City Seed Company. P.O. Box 361 Redwood City, CA 94064

    • US (ME) Pinetree Seeds Box 300, New Gloucester, ME 04260; Free catalog.

    • USBurpee Seeds and Plants Special section on heirloom vegetables and flowers. Cannot ship any orders outside the continental U.S.

    • US (ME) Wood Prairie Farm: Seed potatoes; Tel. US (800) 829-9765 Albion, ME 04910-9731. Free catalogue.

    • US (HI) Fruit Lovers Nursery offers rare tropcal fruit seed. Oscar Jaitt, PO Box 1597, Pahoa, HI 96778. Telephone and Fax (808)965-9785 in Hawaii

    • US (VA) Burford Brothers (Antique Apples & Other Fruit), Route 1, Monroe, VA 24574; $2 for catalog.

    • US (TX) Antique Rose Emporium, 9300 Lueckenmeyer Rd., Brenham, TX 77833-6453, (800) 441-0002; Catalogue is $5, which is deductable from first order.

    • US (OR) Heirloom Old Garden Roses, 24062 N.E. Riverside Dr., St. Paul, OR 97137, Catalogue is $5.

    • US (CA) World Seed (flower seeds, vegetables seeds, herbs seeds, gardening)

    • US (OR) Virtual Seeds: extensive on-line seed catalog, including heirloom varieties and a search engine that lets you look for plant varieties on the Web by plant name! Postal catalogue available as well.

    • US (WA) The Rock Garden, small listing of mostly vegetables and herbs (all open-pollinated).

    • US (MA) GardenMakers - The Seed Source, specializes in unusual and hard-to-find flower seed. Their selection features alpines, woodland plants, ornamental grasses and primulas.

    • US (PA) The Bethlehem Seed Company specializes in colorful varieties that can be used to accent an edible landscaping design (vegetables, flowers and herbs).

    • US (MN) Matthew's Old Time Seed List: Pre-20th Century & Traditional Vegetables.

    • US (MS) Seedman.com - Exotic Plant and Garden Seed Catalog. Retail and wholesale. Special section on Heirloom/Open Pollinated Garden Vegetable Seeds. Free Seed Swap Club. Click on "click here to see list of members" to access the listings.

    • USMillenium Seeds: Non-hybrid vegetables, fruit and herbs.

    • US (NM) Seeds Unique 1125 Barboa Ct., Belen, New Mexico 87002, USA. Flowers, vegetables, trees, decorative plants, cacti.

    • US (PA) Heirloom Seeds: old-time vegetable, flower and herb seeds (all seeds are non-hybrid). P. O. Box 245 W. Elizabeth PA 15088-0245. Catalogue $1.

    • AUS-NZBliss Partnership: 28 O'Connell Street, Tamworth, 2340, Australia.

    • AUS-NZPhoenix Seeds: Mail order; they have a catalogue of about 500 varities; while some are hybrid they are clearly identified as such. Phone: 61362679663 P.O. Box 207, SNUG 7054, Tasmania, Australia. E-mail only - no webpage

    • The Global Plants and Seeds Emporium

    • Heirloom varieties from Garden.com

    • Backyard Biodiversity (links don't work at present (30 August 1999)
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    Buying organic seeds

    • IRLEUUSThe Irish Organic Trust has compiled an inventory of suppliers of certified organic seed (Europe & USA).

    • UKChase Organics (Great Britain) Ltd. Despite the name only a small (but growing) section of the seed Chase is selling is actually certified organic. All of the organic varieties I have tried (lettuces, radishes, onions) have grown exceptionally well here in the West of IRLIreland, where Chase's seeds are sold by Deelish Garden Centre, Skibberreen, Co. Cork.

    • newEUTerre de Semences in association with Association Kokopelli offer a whopping 1400 varieties of certified organic seed. Their astonishing catalogue describes all of these varities, contains colour pictures of many varieties and a lot of background information. It is worth every penny. Also please see their Manifesto for Survival for background information on the company. In 2001/2 all seed packets cost £1.50 Sterling.

    • UKThe Henry Doubleday Research Association HDRA, Britain's Premier organic gardening organisation, maintains the Heritage Seed Library of endangered vegetables containing over 700 varieties of interesting and traditional vegetables that can't legally be traded in Europe. These seeds cannot be purchased but Members of the Library can receive free seed packets each year.

    • UKDT Brown in the UK sell an expanding range of organic vegetable seed (Soil Association Organic Standard).

    • UKFuture Foods: Weird and wonderful things for the edible garden. Future Foods is a small, independent supplier of edible plants in Wedmore / Summerset. They are dedicated to back-garden biodiversity, seeking out old and forgotten varieties while at the same time looking for new things for the edible garden.
      Future Foods is not certified organic. Only some of their seeds are certified, but most are grown in accordance with organic principles.

    • FRGraines Baumaux offer a small seletion of certified organic vegetables seed for the first time in 1999.

    • DEBio-Saatgut

    • DEBiologisches Saatgut Check Marketplace, Seed. The link contains 2 Excel files for downloading, one for vegetable/herbs and one for grain, potatoes etc. Sources are given for each crop.

    • DEAllerleirauh GmbH, Saatguthandel, Kronstraße 24, D-61209 Echzell, Tel 06035-81216, Fax 81275. Germany

    • DEDreschflegel, Föckinghauser Weg 9, D-49324 Melle, Tel 05422-8994, Fax 8764. Germany

    • DEAUFerme de Sainte Marthe, c/o Ulla Grall, Bäreneck 4 / Efeuhaus, D- 55288 Armsheim, Tel 06734-960379, Fax 960014. Germany. Beautiful catalogue with lots of rare and forgotten vegetable varities with a particularly large assortment of tomatoes and cucurbits (pumkins, squash etc). Some herbs and flowers. All certified organic. newWebsite online since late January 2000.

    • FRFerme de Sainte Marthe, BP 10, 41700 Cour-cheverny, France. Certifié Agriculture Biologique.

    • UKFerme de Sainte Marthe, St Marthe PO Box 358 Walton, Surrey KT12 4YX. (Tel: 01932 266630.) A seed catalogue which supplies organic seeds of rare and forgotten vegetable varieties.

    • CanadaTerry Klokleid of Amblewood Organic Farm in British Columbia sells organic vegetable and herb seeds and seedlings.

    • Canada (BC) Aurora Biodynamic Farm 3492 Phillips Road, Creston, BC V0B 1G2, 250-428-4404. A family run business located on 31 acres in the heart of the Kootenay River Valley in southeastern British Columbia. All seeds are open-pollinated (non-hybrid), untreated and grown in accordance with biodynamic farming principles.

    • USThe Natural Gardening Company is a certified organic nursery in the US selling vegetable, herb and flower seeds as well as beneficial insects, drip irrigation, composting equipment, tools and wildflower seeds.

    • US (OR) Sow Organic Seed Co. sell a good range of vegetable, herb and flower seeds, including many heirloom varieties - all grown on their own farm. Certified by the "Oregon Tilth Certified" programme and recognized by the States of Oregon and California.

    • US (PA) Pepper Joe's 100% organic hot peppers

    • US (NM) Seeds of Change P.O. Box 15700, Santa Fe, NM 001-888-762-7333 toll-free; Free catalog. More than 1500 varieties plus bulbs and perennials. Currently ship only w/i US and Canada. Certified by the "Oregon Tilth Certified" programme. Great website!

    • Pure Seed Company (organic seed potatoes)

    • US (OR) Horizon Herbs Strictly Medicinal POB 69 Williams OR 97544 Tel. US (541)846-6704, Fax (541)846-6233 Catalogue $2.00. A family run business, and more delightful folks than most! A bible of herb information. Herb seeds and live roots, certified organically grown or wild-harvested.

    • US (OR) Nichols Garden Nursery, 1190 N. Pacific Hwy., Albany, OR 97321-4598.

    • US (OR) Territorial Seed Company (Oregon) Another good source for organic, open-pollinated seeds, including heirloom and/or traditional varieties. There is an on-line catalog that includes tools and supplies, and somewhat of a focus on varieties adapted to the general Pacific Nortwest (USA/Canada) climate.

    • US (OH) Companion Plants complants@frognet.net; 7247 N. Coolville Ridge Rd. Athens OH 45701 (740)592-4643 fax (740)593-3092; $3.00 or free list chinese artichokes, ashwaganda, tobaccos, amaranths, sweet grass, golden seal, jerusalem artichoke,comfrey...

    • US CA Peaceful Valley Farm & Garden Supply POB 2209 Grass Valley, CA 95945 (530)272-4769 free

    • USThyme Garden Web-Site

    • US (WA) Ronniger's Seed Potaotes, a small and family run business, offers an incredible selection of potatoes as well as some other tubers/bulbs like sunchokes, onions, and garlic along with some books and tools. They are known for excellent service. Organic, disease free, etc. They also encourage growers to save their own seed potatoes from year to year if you grow in disease-free soil. Their address is now Ronniger's Seed Potatoes PO Box 1838 18705 188th Street East Orting, WA 98360, 360-893-8782 , 360-893-3492 Fax.

    • US (MI) Southmeadow Fruit Gardens, Box SM, Lakeside, MI 49116 (616) 469-2865 Offering scores of historic fruit varieties, particularly apples.

    • AUS-NZGreenpatch Organic Seeds: P.O. Box 1285, Taree, NSW 2430, Australia.

    • AUS-NZEden Seeds: Mail order and catalogue from, "Eden Seeds, M.S. 316, 21a Sandy Creek Road Gympie, Queensland, 4570, Australia. They only sell organic, non hybrid traditional, open pollinated seeds. Free call in Australia Phone and fax, 1800 188 199.
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    NGOs and GOs concerned with Plant Genetic Diversity

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    Books for Seedsavers

    • Ashworth, Suzanne. Seed to Seed (ISBN 0-9613977-7-2) published in 1991. Seed Saver Publications, RR 3 Box 239, Decorah, Iowa 52101, 1991 (my own No. 1 reference book). Also available from the Abundant Life Foundation. The German Language edition is called Saatgutgewinnung im Hausgarten.

    • The Seed Savers Handbook, Grover Books, available from Ecologic Books, 19 maple grove, Bath, BA2 3AF or from the Seedsavers Network. A complete reference for growing, preparing and conserving traditional varieties of food plants. It was written especially for Australian and New Zealand conditions in 1993 by Michel and Jude Fanton, founders of The Seed Savers' Network.

    • Seeds of Texas' Vegetable Seed-Savers Handbook offers a concise, complete introduction to safely and reliably growing, saving, harvesting and storing your own vegetable seeds. Some of the content is available on-line.

    • Seeds of Diversity Canada, formerly "Heritage Seed Program" produced an illustrated booklet (33 pages) that describes how to save your own vegetable seeds. It starts out with the general principles of seed saving, and then gives specific instructions on how to save seeds from each different type of vegetable. An insert with the text translated into French is available.

    • A New Book from Seeds of Change GARDENING FOR THE FUTURE OF THE EARTH - Changing the World from Your Backyard available from Bantam, New Year 2000.

    • Turner, Carole B.: Seed Sowing and Saving, published at $28.95, is available for $7.24 from Gardener's Book Club at www.booksonline.com/gbc

    • Deppe, Carol (1993): Breed Your Own Vegetable Varieties: Popbeans, purple peas, and other innovations from the backyard garden. Little, Brown and Co. Publishers, 303 pp. $18.95 -- layman's guide to breeding techniques and strategies.

    • Bubel, Nancy (1988): The New Seed-Starters Handbook. Rodale Press, 385 pp, $15.95 (more in Canada). -- general text for seed-starting techniques for starting a variety of vegetables, fruits, trees, grains, herbs, etc. Includes 65-page section on seed-saving.

    • Weaver, William Woys: Heirloom Vegetable Gardening - A Master Gardener's Guide to Planting, Seed Saving and Cultural History . Henry Holt & Co. $45

    • Gardner, Jo Ann: The Heirloom Garden. Storey Books, Tel. US 800-441-5700. $16.95

    • Starting from Seed by Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Tel. US 718-622-4433, ext. 274. $9.95

    • Male, Carolyn (1999): 100 Heirloom Tomatoes for the American Garden. "Over the past 10 years, Male has grown and evaluated more than 1,200 heirloom varieties and offered seeds through the Seed Savers Exchange. She says the best of the heirlooms far exceed hybrids when it comes to taste. In her book, just published by Workman, Male writes short histories and descriptions of 100 of her favorites. The accompanying color photographs, by Frank Ionanotti, are positively voluptuous." (Diane White, Boston Globe, August 30, 1999)

    • Dirr, Michael & Heuser, Charles (1987): The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation: From Seed to Tissue Culture- A practical working guide to the propagation of over 1100 species, varieties and cultivars. Varsity Press, Athens, GA. 239 pgs.-- guide to woody ornamental propagation, including seed handling, treatments, etc.

    • Cutler, Karan Davis (1998): Starting from Seed: The Natural Gardener's Guide to Propagating Plants, Handbook #157, Brooklyn Botanic Garden., 111 pp - according to one reviewer excellent intro to seed saving, more on the Why's than the Hows and great photos!

    • Ausubel, Kenny: Seeds of Change: The living treasure

    • Nabhan, Gary Paul (1989): Enduring Seeds: Native American Agriculture and Wild Plant Conservation, North Point Press, San Francisco.

    • Raeburn, Paul: The last harvest: The genetic gamble that threatens to destroy American Agriculture

    • CAB International, a not-for-profit organization providing services worldwide to agriculture, forestry, human health and the management of natural resources publish a range of interesting scientific books, including

    • Any book or article by Jeremy Rifkin.

    • Shiva, Vandana (1991): Biodiversity, Biotechnology and Profits - in Vandana Shiva et al. Biodiversity: Social and Ecological Perspectives. London. Zed Books Ltd., pp. 43-58.

    • Shiva, Vandana (1994): The Seed and the Earth: Biotechnology and the Colonization of Regeneration - in Vandana Shiva, ed. Close to Home: Women Reconnect Ecology, Health and Development Worldwide. Gabriola Island, BC: New Society Publishers

    • Bountiful Gardens: Ecology Action Books and Publications

    • Fertile Ground Books - Farming, Agriculture, Plant Book Specialists (new and used) have a special section for books on seed production etc. which lists some of the titles above.

    • The Redwood City Seed Company contains a gardening books & brochures section with some items of interest to seedsavers.
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    Supplies for Seedsavers


    Miscellaneous

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    The following websites have linked to this site:

  • Plants for a Future - The excellent resource and information centre for edible and other useful plants

  • Cathy Czapla's Saving Seeds for Home Gardeners in the US and her Basic Guide to Saving Seeds for Home Gardeners FAQ

  • Larry London's InterGarden, a huge site with everything you ever wanted to know about sustainable farming, organic gardening, permaculture, bioregionalism, homesteading. Highly recommended!

  • UK Agricultural Biodiversity Coalition: Agricultural Biodiversity - Sustainable Use for Food Security

  • Graham Leatherbarrow's Gardening Site in the UK

  • John Schinnerer's Food Resources: (food production systems, permaculture, soil, seeds, processing, information resources)

  • Seedsavers.org - Saving Crop Plant Diversity

  • The Nursery - (UK gardening site + plant database)

  • The Purdue University New Crop Resource Online Program

  • The Heritage Seed Curators Australia

  • The Cucurbit Network Links

  • Gary Cowan's Urban Gardening Site

  • The Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database On-line Bibliographical Resources



    Seeds on Ebay

    The items listed in the table below are from sellers located in the UK.

    Find seeds in other countries


    For questions, comments, suggestions for additions, notification of 'dead' links etc. please contact Ute Bohnsack, creator and 'webmistress' of this page, via e-mail.

    Seedsaving & Seedsavers' Resources
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