Most of the seeds or starts I buy are organic and heirloom. While nowhere near a complete directory, these are some of the best heirloom and organic seed sources. I’ve concentrated mainly on vegetable seeds, but many of the seeds companies offer a wonderful and dizzying array of flower seeds. Hopefully some of these links will help you in your quest for diversity. – Joanne

Native Seeds/SEARCH
The NS/S Seedbank houses (for future generations) the seeds of crops and wild plants traditionally used as food, fiber and dyes by prehistoric and more recent cultures inhabiting the arid southwestern U.S. and northwestern Mexico. More than 2,000 different seeds are offered, representing traditional crops grown by Apache, Chemehuevi, Cocopah, Gila River Pima, Guarijio, Havasupai, Hopi, Maricopa, Mayo, Mojave, Mountain Pima, Navajo, Paiute, Puebloan, Tarahumara, Tohono O'odham and Yaqui farmers.

More than a half of the offerings are corn, bean, and squash (aka the three sisters). They also have some seed assortments and they offer products other than seeds (on their website), such as dried beans, posole, salsas, chiles, etc. They have some interesting links to other sites, as well. I’m excited that they are offering devil’s claw seeds, of which the dried plant pods are spectacular.

Turtle Tree Biodynamic Seeds
The first Demeter-certified biodynamic seed source I've found. Most of their seeds are also organic. They have some interesting and unusual Heirloom varieties for 2009 like: Feuer Kugel Beet, Dottenfelder Cabbage, Rose Potpourri Corn, Ping Tung Long Eggplant, Lanro Kohlrabi, Clemson Spineless Okra, Young's Beauty Pumpkin, Fireworks Tomato, Horehound, Perodovik Oil Seed Sunflower and Phacelia tanacetifolia(Bee Plant) . Seeds are offered in quantities from small (200 seeds) to up to 1oz. Turtle Tree offers seeds for Farm, Grain and Cover Crops as well as flowers and herbs.

Territorial Seed Company
I'm a fan of theirs. They offer a wide range of organic (and non-organic) seeds and gardening supplies as well as live plants. 2009 brings 225 new introductions they are continuing to offer a very small selection of biodynamic seeds including: Rodelika Carrots, Miner’s Lettuce, Erste Ernte Spinach, and Nantese Carrot. Our local organic nursery carries their seeds. I like that they tell you who bred the seeds. 2009 Vegetable Introductions include: Marte Asparagus , Flat of Egypt Beet, Soleil Bean, Goosebumps Pumpkin, Amethyst Radish, Bordeaux Spinach, Applegate Tomato, Gremlins Gourd, Lambkin Melon and Talon Onion.

High Mowing Seeds (100% Organic)
I think that their selection is interesting and I love that their seeds are organic. They offer 350 varieties of organic seeds and have favorites of mine like Cinnamon Basil. 2008 Introductions include: Bilko Cabbage, Crimson Sprinter tomato, Red Wing onion, Waldmann’s Lettuce, Zefa Fino and Katahdin Potato. Also check out there interesting specialty greens like Golden Purslane, Catalogna Emerald Endive and Astro Arugula. They also offer cover crop seed. (Thanks, Farmgirl Fare.)


Kitazawa Seed Company
They offer a tremendous selection of Asian Vegetable seeds and are the oldest seed company in America. If you are looking for something new for your garden this is the site to visit. Their selections of radish and beans alone are worth a look. 2008 offerings include Chef Specialty Gardens seed combinations, and Akatade. Don’t miss some of their more unusual offerings like Poha Berry. They are based in Oakland, CA and have been in the seed business almost 90 years. They have more than 250 varieties of traditional and heirloom seeds of Japan.


John Scheepers' Kitchen Garden Seeds
New additions for 2008 include: Redventure Celery, Marzatica Broccoli Raab, Beira Tronchuda Cabbage, Saltwort Okahijiki, Torino Italian Misticanza, Pasilla Bajio Hot Chile Pepper, Orange Chiffon Swiss Chard, Bordeaux Red-Stemmed Spinach, Galeux d’Eysines Squash, Jaune Gros de Paris Pumpkin, Helios Yellow Radishes, and Pony Red Watermelon.

Botanical Interests Seeds
I have probably bought more of their seeds than any other, as they seem to be well distributed. They offer a smaller but interesting organic line of seeds (the ones I usually choose). 2008 Organic Vegetable offerings include: Melon Old Orginal, Corn Sweet Painted Mountain, Pepper Chile Pepperoncini Greek, Tomato Pole Speckled Roman, and Mediterranean and Wild Arugla. They also offer a selection of gourd seeds suitable for birdhouses and carving, as well as Loofah seeds. Also don’t miss their selection of Heirloom and Organic flowers which includes, Amish Broomcorn, Sweet Annie and Sweet Pea Moroccan Spice.

Amishland Heirloom Seeds
Amishland have heirloom, heritage, exotic and foreign organically raised seeds, including many heirloom vegetable seeds. 2008 offerings include some rare tomato seeds, some of for which they are the only US source: Voyage Tomato (super rare), Riesentomate Aus Siebenburgen Tomato (exclusive), Eva's Schoeneck (Beautiful Corner) Pink Tomato (exclusive), Yellow Trifele Tomato (exclusive), and Fantome Du Laos~"Ghost Of Laos" Tomato (extremely rare and only source).

Victory Seed Company
Open-pollinated and heirloom seeds. 2008 introductions include: Black Nightfall Bean, Acme De Giorgi Bros Tomato, Livingston’s Ideal tomato, Super Sioux Tomato, Lenticchie Verdi Lentils, Red Russian Tobacco, Cosmic Purple Carrots, and Arikara Watermelon. They also offer flower and herb seeds. Most of the seeds they carry are organic but are not necessarily certified. They are based in Oregon. Their Victory Horticultural Library is also an interesting resource.

Roguelands Seeds/Anioleka Seed Company
UK-based with an Oregon branch. Roguelands has an interesting selection of heirloom (and non) seeds including Cucuzzi, Salisfy and Israeli Melon. 2008 vegetable seed offerings include: Rocky Ford Honeydew Melon, Westerfield Cucumber, Maule’s Golden Jubilee Tomato, Armenian Yard Long Cucumber, Ananas Melon, Caribbean Red Chile and Greek White Beefsteak Tomato.

Sustainable Mountain Agricultural Center
They save heirloom beans (over 300 varieties). 2008 update: 29 varieties of heirloom bean seeds for sale and 5 heirloom tomato varieties. Offerings include: Big John Bean, Nickell Bean, Barnes Mountain Cornfield Bean, Tobacco Worm Bean, North Carolina Speckled Long Greasy Cut-Short, Vinson Watts Tomato, Margaret Best Yellow Tommy Toe Tomato and John Allen Yellow German.

Marianna's Heirloom Seeds
Based in TN, Marianna’s offers a great selection of heirloom tomato seeds with Italian culinary tomatoes a specialty. They also offer tomato starts and seeds for peppers and eggplants. 2008 introductions include Winsall Tomato, Chianti Rose Tomato, Tess's Land Race Currant Tomato, Rento Paste Tomato, Japanese Trifele Yellow Tomato, Big Zebra Tomato, Becker's Blaue Dolgener Tomato , Grandma Oliver’s Chocolate Tomato, Efiop Tomato, Turk Nuts Tomato, and Tomesol White Tomato. 2008 Pepper Introductions Include: Dulce Rojo Paprika Pepper, Purple Marconi Pepper and Grenidad Seasoning Pepper.

Le Jardin du Gourmet - Artistic Gardens
I love the sampler packs that this company offers and I've had great results with them. They often carry some unusual varieties and I've ordered from them off and on for years and years. They seem reliable. When I first found them, they only offered seeds. Now they are a garden and flower shop as well. 2008 Seed Offerings include: Garden Huckleberry, Jaune Gros du Poitou, Aiguille Verte, Salsify Geant de Russie and Triomphe de Farcy.

The Cook's Garden
The Cook's Garden, in PA, have a great selection of vegetable, flowers and herb seeds and offer a small selection of Certified Organic Seeds. Introductions for 2008 include: Crystal Lettuce, Rainbow Cauliflower Mix, Yugoslavian Red Lettuce, Red Leprechaun Lettuce, Verte de Cambrai Corn Salad, Herkules Dill and Red Marble Cippolini Onion. Interesting organic oeeds include: Endive Grado Panclieri (direct from Italy) and Selvatica Arugula.

Superseeds / Pine Tree
Garden Seeds
A source for interesting seeds. This year they have added a selection of vegetable seeds suitable for container growing. They have a wide selection of seeds available (14 types of basil including cinnamon) and offer some unusual varieties of vegetables and herbs. Spring plant offerings include: Red Pearl Ligonberry, Sambuscus Canadensis, Pink Lily of the Valley, Kiwigold Raspberry and a number of varieties of sweet potatoes.

Irish Eyes – Garden City Seeds
A Washington-based seed company that has a good basic selection with some unusual varieties and many organic offerings. The online catalog lists asparagus roots, seed potatoes and seed collections. 2008 new introductions include Sasha’s Pride Heirloom Tomato, Silvery Fir Tree Tomato (Organic), Alaska Fancy Tomato (Organic), and Lime Green Salad Tomato (Organic).

Johnny's Selected Seeds
Deep selection of seeds. Some offered in large quantities. Some unusual and new varieties of flower, herb and vegetable seeds. Maine-based. 2008 organic introductions include: Pandora Leek, Persian Cress, Flashy Trout Back Lettuce, Yaya Carrot and Indigo Cabbage.

Penya Seeds
A large selection of unusual and exotic seeds, including a good number of heirloom tomato seeds. They also sell seeds for fruit plants and trees as well as other trees and landscape plants. 2008 offerings include: Brazilian Oval Orange Eggplant, Precoce D'Argenteuil Italian Asparagus, Grappoli Corbarino Tomato, Hegari Heirloom Sorghum, German Heirloom Melon, Pepino Tree and Cuor Di Bue Tomato (Heirloom).

Harvest Moon Farms & Seed
Based in Indiana, they offer a lovely selection of Heirloom and Rare Seed Selections. 2008 introductions include: Michelet Rames Fageolet Bean, Sarriete Winter Savory, Wallone Frisee Endive, Madrilene Lettuce, Val d'Orges Lettuce, Prover Wild Cabbage Greens, Juane du Doubs Carrot, Muscade Carrot, Parisienne Market Carrot, Ciboule Rouge French Scallions, Blanc de Vaugirard Onion, Blanc de Pompei Cippolini Onion, Juane de Vauriac Beet, and Crapaudine Black Beet. They also offer bulk seeds for culinary professionals.

Abundant Life Seed Company
Based in Oregon, they offer 100% organic seeds. In business since 1975, their goal is to offer true-to-type open pollinated varieties grown using only certified organic or biodynamic farming methods. They are a sister company to Territorial Seed. 2008 introductions include: Champion Collard Greens, Brocade Bi-Color Corn, Cracoviense Heirloom Lettuce, Tennessee Cheese (Spanish Heirloom) Pepper, White Currant Cherry Tomato, Orangetti Winter Squash, Waltham Butternut Squash, and Cesar Celeriac.

Wood Prairie Farm
An Organic Family Farm in Maine. They specialize in heirloom and gourmet organic seed potatoes (including fingerling seed potatoes) but also offer some organic vegetable seeds. In 2008 they also offer cheese from Neighborly Farms, Baking Mixes, Grains and Flours, Dried Fruits, Nuts & Beans and Fresh Seasonal Organic Vegetables: like Chantenay carrots & Red Ace beets.

Nichols Garden Nursery
An Oregon based herb and rare seed company, they have some interesting heirloom and rare seeds. Some of their seeds are organic. 2008 Offerings include: Stonehead Cabbage, Envy Carrot, Costmary, Trenague Chamomile, Hori Hori, Golden Sweet Melon and Elephant Head Amaranth (Organic). They also offer seeds for Crane Cantaloupe*, Jimmy Nardello's Sweet Frying Pepper* - Organic,  and Inchelium Red Garlic Organic* - these three are included in the Slow Food Ark of Taste, but that is not necessarily noted in the seed listing.

Peaceful Valley Farm Supply
They offer a nice selection of organic seeds from Peaceful Valley Farm Supply (their own label), Seeds of Change Organic Seeds, Horizon Medicinal Herb Seeds, Turtle Tree Biodynamic Seeds and Tomato Fest. They also offer many organic gardening supplies as well as Certified Organic Vegetable & Herb Starts, Bulk organic seeds and bareroot stock.

Seeds of Change
They sell organic seeds, including many heirloom varieties. They are probably the most visible organic seed company in nurseries and grocery stores. 2008 introductions include: Uchiki Kuri Winter Squash, Tavera Bean, Hopi Blue Flour Corn, Tadorna Leek, Touchstone Gold Beet, Integrata de Wild Lettuce, Brightest Brillant Quinoa, Numix Sandia Pepper, Riccia Pancaleri Endive and Leonardo Raddichio. They are also offering in 2008, some interesting heirloom apple trees (live plants) and well as some seedling collections.

My experience ordering from them a few years ago was not positive. The tomato plants we received looked half dead when we got them but they did survive. I’ve also had poor customer service from them regarding back orders. I like buying organic seeds - so I continue to support them but I do take my poor service experience into account and I wouldn’t order plants from them again – or supplies. Please note that they are now owned by the Mars Inc. (the candy company).

The Heirloom Garden
Their Farm Annual features several hundred varieties of heirloom annuals, perennials, biennials, herbs, vegetables and roses. They are located in Maine. The seeds they offer come from the Seed Saver's Exchange. They have a nice selection of starts. As of January, 2008 there is no seed listing for this year.

---

Biodynamic Seed Resources

The Biodynamic Agricultural Association
This site has a small list of Biodynamic Seed sources for Europe.

McKean County Biodynamics
The site of a Master Gardener, it offers just one Biodynamic Cherry Tomato Seed - Highlands Star. Lots of information and links on Biodynamic Gardening.

Biodynamic Association of Quebec
Offers a seed catalogue for Canada only, called Aux couleurs des saisons.

   Our How-To Guide:
   •  Soil amendments
   •  Composting 101
   •  Gardening tips


   •  40+ seed companies
   •  Heritage vegetable
        and fruit seeds




   •  Our own gardens
   •  Gardening Forums

Search our 400+ pages: Enter your search terms

Web Fork & Bottle Submit search form