The 10 Best Seed Companies For Organic, Non-GMO And Heirloom Seeds

If you happen to’re seeking to purchase seeds to your vegetable backyard from socially accountable seed firms that aren’t related to GMOs, Bayer/Monsanto, or any of their subsidiaries, look no additional…

Whereas there are lots of of nice seed firms on the market that provide natural, heirloom and open-pollinated seeds, the next ten firms have been chosen not just for their dedication to heirloom and non-GMO seeds and our optimistic expertise with their seeds and repair, but in addition as a result of they every have one thing particular about their enterprise practices that fosters better sustainability for folks and planet.

For instance, some focus on uncommon seed preservation, or they’re employee-owned, or they give attention to breeding seeds which can be tailored to a selected local weather. The bigger firms on this record carry natural, heirloom and non-GMO seed varieties, in addition to onion and garlic units, seed potatoes, asparagus crowns, berry crops, fruit timber, instruments, soil amendments, and extra.

What’s an Heirloom Seed?

A seed selection is often thought of an heirloom whether it is open-pollinated, and existed greater than 50 years in the past. Heirloom seeds have been grown and saved era after era as a result of they’ve distinctive and particular traits that folks need—like a string bean with a fairly, purple-speckled pod as a substitute of plain inexperienced, or a lumpy, bumpy orange tomato that bursts with taste, for instance.

These fascinating seeds are sometimes handed down by way of households, however just a few seed firms and organizations have additionally helped protect heirloom seeds and make them extra broadly out there.

Why Select Heirloom Seeds?

Heirlooms Have Historical past

As a result of heirlooms are outdated, many of those seed varieties have fascinating histories. For instance, ‘Black Watchman’ hollyhock was grown in Thomas Jefferson’s backyard at Monticello (and it’s talked about in texts as early as 1629). By rising heirloom seeds, you might be preserving essential, historic plant genetics, and also you get to get pleasure from uncommon or distinctive meals and flowers.

Heirlooms Are Time-Examined

In that case many individuals have bothered to avoid wasting a selected plant’s seeds for posterity, you recognize it should be actually particular. Heirlooms have been saved and planted throughout time due to their distinctive taste, magnificence, or hardiness.

Heirlooms Can Be Saved

All crops must be pollinated with a purpose to produce seeds. However in contrast to hybrid seeds or GMOs, all heirloom seeds are naturally open-pollinated by wind or bugs. Which means, with care, it can save you their seeds and they’ll develop true to sort 12 months after 12 months.

Heirlooms are Assured Non-GMO

All heirloom seeds are non-GMO. GMO stands for Genetically Modified Organism, and means the seeds have been genetically altered in a lab utilizing recombinant DNA know-how, typically implanted with genes from unrelated species they might not naturally breed with. For instance, some GMO corn has been altered with genes from micro organism that assist them resist sure pests. So, by definition, licensed natural or heirloom seeds can’t be GMO.

What About Patented Seeds?

The Plant Patent Act was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1930. It was launched primarily to encourage plant breeding and improve plant genetic range. by making certain that breeders may make a return on their sizable analysis and improvement prices. Due to this Act, farmers and plant breeders nationwide have been capable of develop the massive number of apples, berries, stone fruit, citrus, roses, lilacs, and extra that we get pleasure from at the moment.

The 2 most typical sorts of plant patent are:

Plant Selection Safety (PVP) – Plant Selection Safety patents are like copyrights. Like a copyrighted piece of writing, anybody can get pleasure from it, reproduce it for themselves and their mates, use it as inspiration—however to publish it, promote it, or put it on a greeting card requires permission (and possibly cash). Equally, gardeners and farmers are free to avoid wasting and replant PVP seeds for private use, however they could not promote them.

Utility Patents – Utility patents are extra controversial. A utility patent is granted by the US Patent and Trademark Workplace based mostly on a novel and particular attribute of a person plant selection, like resistance to a selected illness. A plant selection with a utility patent can solely be used for crop manufacturing and can’t be used for seed saving to resell, give away, or replant, for 20 years from introduction. Utility patents have main ramifications for seed range and the livelihood of subsistence farmers who depend upon saved seed, however do not likely have an effect on American gardeners.

Increasingly small and midsize seed firms are growing their very own patented seed varieties which have great traits like further illness safety, distinctive rising habits, or uncommon taste or coloring. However don’t fear: Nobody is anxious about whether or not a house gardener saves 5o cents value of patented lettuce seed from one 12 months to the subsequent for private use.

Seed firms know that dwelling gardeners will not be attempting to earn money from another person’s analysis and improvement. These patents are completely to guard the holder (for 20 years solely) from farmers, plant breeders, or competing seed firms stealing and making the most of their onerous work.

The Secure Seed Pledge

The Secure Seed Pledge was conceived in 1999 when High Mowing Organic Seed Company led a coalition of 9 different seed firms in drafting a press release about their stance on recombinant DNA genetic engineering. To this point, the Pledge has been signed by over 370 seed companies worldwide.

Signing the Secure Seed Pledge is solely voluntary and completely unregulated, however it’s a really secure guess that any firm that has signed the pledge and revealed it of their catalogs and web site is dedicated to the trigger.

It reads:

“Agriculture and seeds present the idea upon which our lives rely. We should defend this basis as a secure and genetically steady supply for future generations. For the good thing about all farmers, gardeners and shoppers who need an alternate, we pledge that we don’t knowingly purchase or promote genetically engineered seeds or crops. The mechanical switch of genetic materials exterior of pure reproductive strategies and between genera, households or kingdoms, poses nice organic dangers in addition to financial, political, and cultural threats. We really feel that genetically engineered varieties have been insufficiently examined previous to public launch. Extra analysis and testing is critical to additional assess the potential dangers of genetically engineered seeds. Additional, we want to help agricultural progress that results in more healthy soils, genetically numerous agricultural ecosystems and in the end folks and communities.”

The ten Greatest Seed Corporations for Heirloom Seeds

Every of the next seed firms supplies natural, open-pollinated or heirloom seeds, and has taken the Secure Seed Pledge. All of them have glorious high quality seeds (no “PepperGate” right here!) and nice customer support, and every has one thing distinctive about their enterprise that units them aside.

If in case you have any questions on a seed firm, both listed beneath or in any other case, simply give them a name or ship them an electronic mail! Most are very comfortable to reply your questions.

I like to recommend that you simply think about your values, your gardening wants and your native local weather and bioregion when selecting your seed sources.

Seed Savers Exchange (Decorah, IA)

The Seed Savers Alternate (SSE) is a non-profit group working to avoid wasting heirloom backyard seeds from extinction. Their focus is on preserving heritage forms of seed that gardeners and farmers carry to North America when their households immigrate(d), and conventional varieties grown by Native Individuals, Mennonites and the Amish.

SSE’s 8,000+ members develop heirloom forms of greens, fruits and grains from everywhere in the world, and supply them to different members of their wonderful annual yearbook that has over 450 pages.

You will discover virtually extinct forms of seed to strive in your backyard, and all the cash you spend with the Seed Saver’s Alternate goes to serving to defend seed biodiversity.

That is, hands-down, my favourite place to search for thrilling new plant varieties for my backyard.

MIGardener (Port Huron, MI)

MIgardener is a thrilling, younger seed firm that has over 700 uncommon and distinctive vegetable, fruit, and flower seeds. All of their inventory is open pollinated, heirloom and organically grown by small household farms—and most seed packets value solely $2!

They’ve their very own natural fertilizer mix that folks rave about, and are quickly increasing into offering berries, asparagus and different crop begins. Better of all, they supply a ton of enjoyable, free gardening schooling on their web site and YouTube channel.

MIGardener is devoted to preserving genetic range in seeds, and just lately helped save the ‘Large Crimson’ heirloom tomato from extinction, making these heritage seeds out there to gardeners for the primary time in 50 years!

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (Mansfield, MO)

Baker Creek is a family-owned enterprise who’s mission is to promote and protect our agricultural and culinary heritage. They provide a breathtaking catalog with over 500 pages of fantastically photographed crops, and web site with over 1,350 forms of greens, flowers and herbs—one of many largest choices of heirloom seeds within the U.S.

Baker Creek additionally carries one of many largest choices of seeds from the nineteenth century, together with many Asian and European varieties. In addition they focus on uncommon and hard-to-find heirloom seeds from over 75 completely different international locations.

Botanical Interests (Broomfield, CO)

Botanical Pursuits is a widely known, 25-year outdated, natural seed firm that carries over 600 forms of seed, together with lots of of heirlooms greens, herbs and flowers. You possibly can typically discover a stand of Botanical Curiosity seed packets at backyard facilities and pure grocery shops within the U.S. They’re dedicated to natural gardening schooling, and their seed packets are among the most fascinating, helpful and informative on the market.

All of Botanical Pursuits’ merchandise are sustainably made within the U.S., and they’re each licensed natural and Non-GMO Project verified. They’ve each a seed donation program and a seed fundraising program for colleges, shelters, and church buildings throughout the U.S.

Peaceful Valley Farm & Garden Supply (Grass Valley, CA)

Peaceable Valley is a seed firm devoted to selling natural meals manufacturing that carries a big assortment of natural and heirloom vegetable and flower seeds, cowl crops, native grasses, pasture and garden seed, fruit timber and berries, herbs, potatoes, onions and garlic.

In addition they supply an amazing collection of gardening instruments, pest management, season-extending merchandise, composting provides, rising, propagating and irrigation tools, and books. They develop the whole lot organically, and so they need to provide help to to take action, too!

Peaceable Valley presents particular pricing packages for farmers, faculty gardens and landscaping companies.

High Mowing Organic Seeds (Walcott, VT)

Excessive Mowing Natural Seeds is the corporate that initiated the creation of the Secure Seed Pledge—and so they stay as dedicated to natural gardening and heirloom seed preservation as ever! Along with drafting and signing the Secure Seed Pledge in 1999, Excessive Mowing took the additional step of turning into Non-GMO Project verified in 2014.

Excessive Mowing has over 700 natural seed varieties, together with many heirlooms, most of that are grown on their 40-acre, licensed natural farm in Vermont. They focus on seeds for rising in chilly climates. They’ve their very own lab, and preserve rigorous testing and sorting requirements, making certain that you simply at all times get the seed selection you ordered, and that it has good germination.

Via their seed donation program, Excessive Mowing additionally helps neighborhood gardens, faculty gardens, church gardens, meals financial institution gardens, summer time camps, and catastrophe aid teams.

Johnny’s Selected Seeds (Winslow, ME)

Johnny’s Chosen Seeds is a big, well-known employee-owned seed firm that was one of many 9 unique drafters of the Secure Seed Pledge, and so they stay dedicated to secure, sustainable plant breeding at the moment. Johnny’s has greater than 1,200 forms of hybrid, open pollinated and heirloom greens, medicinal, culinary herbs and flowers, together with just a few fascinating varieties they’ve developed and patented themselves.

If you’re homesteading, farming or market gardening, Johnny’s supply bulk portions of seed, in addition to a wide range of cowl crops to maintain your soil in good condition. In addition they have prime quality gardening instruments, tools and equipment, soil amendments and natural pest management merchandise.

Whereas Johnny’s Chosen Seeds is a bigger, one-stop-shop for natural gardening and farming, their in depth website and catalog is stuffed with free, detailed rising directions and useful ideas, even if you happen to don’t purchase seeds from them.

Clear Creek Seeds (Hulbert, OK)

Clear Creek is a small, family-owned enterprise specializing completely in heirloom seed varieties, together with flowers, herbs and greens. As a small firm, they’re able to present heat, extremely private customer support, nice costs and subsequent day delivery.

Probably the greatest issues about Clear Creek is that each one their seeds are available in BPA-free, see-through, waterproof, resealable packages! You possibly can immediately see what number of seeds you have got left, and so they at all times keep dry (even once you by accident go away them within the backyard. Simply saying…).

Territorial Seed Company (Cottage Grove, OR)

Territorial Seed is a big, family-owned firm whose mission is to “enhance folks’s self-sufficiency and independence by enabling gardeners to provide an abundance of fine tasting, fresh-from-the-garden meals.”

They trial and consider all their seeds at their farms, and the reside crops that they provide are raised of their farm greenhouses. They provide hybrid, open-pollinated and heirloom seed varieties which can be significantly suited to the Pacific Northwest local weather, or locations with related climate and rainfall.

Territorial’s germination requirements are increased than prescribed by the Federal Seed Act and their farm is licensed USDA Natural, Biodynamic® by Demeter USA, and Salmon-Secure by Salmon-Secure Inc. They’ve a 100% satisfaction assure.

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange (Mineral, VA)

Southern Publicity Seed Alternate presents over 800 forms of vegetable, flower, herb, grain and canopy crop seed. They emphasize varieties that develop effectively within the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast U.S., and focus on uncommon Southern heirlooms, together with peanuts, southern peas, naturally coloured cotton, collards, okra, roselle, turnip greens, corn for roasting and meal, and butterbeans. Over 60% of their seed varieties are licensed natural and grown by small, native farmers.

Southern Publicity Seed Alternate is a worker-run cooperative the place each employee has a voice within the selections of the corporate and receives equal compensation. They’ve been very lively within the combat towards GMO contamination of our seed provide, and in 2011, joined 9 different members of the Natural Seed Growers and Commerce Affiliation in suing Bayer/Monsanto to guard natural seed.

Runner-Up: Seeds of Change (Rancho Dominguez, CA)

Seeds of Change is the oldest licensed natural seed firm within the U.S., however it was acquired in 2007 by the Mars firm, which sadly makes use of GMO corn, soy and sugarbeet in a few of their processed meals merchandise.

Sadly, because the demand for wholesome, natural merchandise is so excessive, many natural manufacturers (like Annie’s, Erewhon, Horizon, Plum Organics, and more) have been purchased out by giant industrial meals companies (like Mars, Basic Mills, Coca-Cola, and many others.) who need a piece of the market.

Solely you may determine if you wish to proceed to buy these manufacturers after they’ve been purchased by giant companies.

Nevertheless, you must know that the Seeds of Change analysis farm nonetheless operates similar to it did earlier than it was purchased by Mars. For over 30 years, they’ve unwaveringly provided 100% licensed natural, open-pollinated, hybrid (non-GMO) and heirloom seeds, and so they develop all their seeds on their farm or inside their community of different licensed natural farmers. They’ve additionally signed the Secure-Seed Pledge.

Seeds of Change wins “runner-up” as a result of they’ve the advertising and marketing energy of a big company behind them, which has each upsides and drawbacks for the atmosphere and society. On the upside, Mars’ possession of Seeds of Change means you may get licensed natural seeds at House Depot, Lowe’s, Walmart, Complete Meals, and many different frequent retail chains nationwide.

This makes natural, open-pollinated and heirloom seeds accessible to anybody—together with the bulk of people that may not have thought of the worth of natural, open-pollinated seeds earlier than. So if you happen to don’t store on-line, otherwise you’re new to gardening and don’t know the place to start out, you may simply decide up Seeds of Change natural seeds to your backyard while you’re out shopping for groceries or gentle bulbs.

You will discover extra seed firms which have signed the Secure Seed Pledge here.

Up to date: January 3, 2024