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Seed Production Resources
Saving Our Seed Project
February 2004
Compiled by Lee Barnes (workshop facilitator) and Ellen Gray (Former
SOS Coordinator)
Plant Pollination Classes: (extracted from Allard;
Ashworth, etc.)
Mostly Self Pollinated: Barley, flax, oats, wheat, common
beans, fava, lima bean, pea, runner bean, sweet peas, chicory,
eggplant, endive, lettuce, okra, pepper, tomato. (Note: some of
these plants outcross at 1-5% or more depending upon presence
of pollinators, temperature, humidity, plant stress, etc.- including
fava, runner bean, eggplant, pepper, tomato - for absolute genetic
control, treat these plants as out-crossers and either hand-pollinate,
observe minimum isolation distances, or plant only one variety
at a time.)
Mostly Cross-Pollinated: Amaranth, corn, rye, cilantro,
fennel, mustard, parsley, alfalfa, red & white clover, asparagus,
beet, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, Chinese
cabbage, cucumber, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, melon, onion,
parsnip, pumpkin, radish, rutabaga, spinach, squash, sunflower,
swiss chard, turnip, watermelon (Note: these plants require isolation,
hand-pollination, caging, etc. for effective genetic control -
plants of the same species and rarely same genius esp. cabbage,
squash, and melon families will intercross readily requiring careful
pollination control to maintain true-to-type seed production.
Biennial crops will require winter storage or over-winter protection
in severe weather areas and may require replanting for seed production
- esp. cabbage family, onions, radishes, carrots, etc. (see Jeff
McCormack's Minimum Recommended Isolation Distances Chart for
suggested isolation distances and techniques)
Common Biennials: (require over-wintering
prior to seed production 2nd season.) Garden and sugar beets,
mangels, broccoli, broccoli raab, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrot,
cauliflower, celeriac, celery, chinese cabbage, chicory, collards,
cornsalad, endive, escarole, kale. Kohlrabi, leek, mustard greens,
onions, parsley, parsnip, rutabaga, salsify, swiss chard, and
turnip.
Seed Saving Books (* indicates those available at
the CFSA SOS project library)
Allard, R.W. 1999. Principles
of Plant Breeding. 2nd Ed. John Wiley, Inc. 485 pgs. Classic
technical text on plant breeding, full of specific details and
strategies.
Ashworth, Suzanne. 1991. Seed
to Seed: Seed Saving Techniques for the Vegetable Gardener.
Seed Savers Publ. 222 pgs. General techniques for saving non-hybrid
seeds, with details on over 250 vegetables. *
Bubel, Nancy. 1988. The
New Seed-Starters Handbook. Rodale Press. 385 pgs. General
text for seed-starting techniques for a wide variety of vegetables,
fruits, trees, grains, herbs, etc. Includes 65-page section on
seed saving techniques. *
Deppe, Carol. 1993. Breed
You Own Vegetable Varieties: The Gardener's and Farmer's Guide
to Plant Breeding and Seed Saving. Chelsea Green Publishing.
367 pgs. Laymen's guide to breeding techniques and strategies.
Fairly technical compared to other books. *
Dirr, Michael and Charles Heuser. 1987. The
Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation: From Seed to
Tissue Culture. Varsity Press, Athens, GA. 239 pgs. THE guide
to seed and cutting propagation of over 1100 perennial species,
including seed treatment techniques for temperate plants, etc.
Miller, Douglas. 1977. Vegetable
and Herb Seed Growing for the Gardener and Small Farmer. Seeds
Blum. Reprint 1984. 46 pgs. Easy to follow guide to seed saving.
Rogers, Marc. 1990. Saving Seeds: The
Gardener's Guide to Growing and Storing Vegetable and Flower Seeds.
Storey Publishing. 185 pgs. Concise, basic guide to saving vegetable
and flower seeds, mainly for the home grower. 30 pages devoted
to flowers. *
Seeds of Texas. 20--. Vegetable Seed-Saving Handbook. Seeds
of Texas. Hardcopy version available by mail. *
Strickland, Sue. 2001. Back
Garden Seed Saving: Keeping our Vegetable Heritage Alive.
eco-logic books. 200 pgs. British text detailing crop by crop
instructions for small scale vegetable seed production. *
Turner, Carole B. 1998. Seed
Sowing and Saving: Step-by-Step Techniques for Collecting and
Growing More Than 100 Vegetables, Flowers, and Herbs. Storey
Books. 217 pgs. Easy to read text with quick guide "seed
fact" sections on each crop, as well as many black and white
drawings illustrating basic seed saving techniques. *
Weaver, William Woys. 1997. Heirloom
Vegetable Gardening: A Master Gardener's Guide to Planting,
Seed Saving, and Cultural History. Henry Holt and Company. 439
pgs. Large volume describing the growing and culinary history
of a wide variety of heirloom vegetables. *
Whealy, Kent and Arllys Adelmann. 2004. Seed Savers 2004 Yearbook.
Seed Savers Exchange.
408 pgs. Largest seed saving organization in the world, with annual
listings of variety sources and descriptions for over 18,000 unique
plants. *
Seed Sources
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.
2278 Baker Creek Rd. Mansfield, MO 65704. (417) 924-8917. www.RareSeeds.com.
Heirloom seed supplier and producer of The Heirloom Gardener Magazine.
Bountiful Gardens.
18001 Shafer Ranch Road, Willits, CA 95490-9626. (707) 459-6410.
www.bountifulgardens.org/. California-based seed company specializing
in open-pollinated, heirloom, and biointensive seed.
Fedco. PO Box 520, Waterville,
ME 04903-0520. (207)-873-7333. www.fedcoseeds.com/. (Jan.-April)
- no phone-in orders. A cooperative specializing in open-pollinated
seeds and Moose Tubers (seed potatoes).
High Mowing Seeds.
813 Brook Rd., Wolcott, VT 05680. (802) 888-1800. www.highmowingseeds.com.
Seller of certified organic seed, specializing in northern varieties.
A good source of information on seed saving guidelines and seed
equipment.
Johnny's Selected Seeds.
955 Benton Ave, Winslow, ME 04901. (207) 861-3900. www.johnnyseeds.com.
Wide selection of vegetable, herb, and flower seeds, with organic
and heirloom offerings; catalogs for both home and commercial
growers.
Peaceful Valley. PO
Box 2209, Grass Valley, CA 95945. (530) 272-4769. (888) 784-1722.
www.groworganic.com/. Seeds and supplies for organic growers.
Seeds of Change. PO
Box 15700, Santa Fe, NM 87506-5700. (888) 762-7333. www.seedsofchange.com.
Source for certified organic and open-pollinated seed.
Southern Exposure Seed
Exchange. PO Box 460, Mineral, VA 23117. (540) 894-9480. www.southernexposure.com.
Virginia-based organization dedicated to preserving and sharing
heirloom seeds, especially those suited to southern conditions.
Territorial Seed Company.
PO Box 158, Cottage Grove, OR 97424-0061. (800) 626-0866. www.territorial-seed.com/.
Oregon-based seed company focusing on northern varieties; organic
seeds available.
Abundant Life.
PO Box 157, Saginaw, OR 97472, (541) 767-9606. Specializing in
organic heirloom seeds of the west coast.
Websites
Organic Seed Alliance
A non-profit dedicated to the ethical development and stewardship
of seed.
Seed
Savers Exchange Manages collection and volunteer distribution
of over 18,000 unique vegetable and fruit varieties; many organically
and biodynamically produced.) Also sister organization, Flower
and Herb Exchange, 3076 North Winn Rd., Decorah, IA 52101 listing
+/-3000 varieties.
Public Seed Initiative.
A breeding and seed production training program for northeast
growers, organized through Cornell University; excellent site
for seed resources, small-scale equipment, production info - highly
recommended.
Northeast
Organic Farms Association - NOFA's list of untreated, certified
seed; 184 seed sources in 2004.
Southern Exposure Seed
Exchange - extensive info from Jeff McCormack on isolation
distances, Seed Growing Guides. Excellent source for southern
season adapted vegetables, herbs, flowers, seed-saving supplies,
etc.
RAFI
info on seed company consolidation, 2000.
The Vermont 'Restoring Our
Seed' program (similar to our SOS program; SARE funded). Seed
production/breeding readings by John Navazio and Frank Morton
available online.
Primal Seeds. Info on
biodiversity and 'why save seeds,' specific seed saving tips,
many European sources, etc.
Clearinghouse
list for many organic/heirloom/seed resources, suppliers, books,
etc. Many links, however, are outdated.
A good listing from the USDA
on heirloom/organic seed sources. Online four volume set with
hundreds of websites.
Association of
Seed Certifying Agencies. Guide to state certifying organizations,
operational standards, etc. Has a little bit on organic.
Clemson's
list of organic seed sources; suppliers of seed/fertilizers/feed/web
resources.
Good
seed company list from Debbie Roos, NC Extension (Growing
Small Farms listserve).
Southern
Seed Legacy, organization dedicated to saving seeds and the
family histories behind them; many resources and reference photos
of 433 seeds.
Detailed info
on bee pollinated plants. Especially good section on buckwheat.
National Sustainable Agriculture
Information Service, listing many organic alternatives including
organic crop production, organic seed sources, etc.
Jack
Rowes's excellent free on-line seed saving handbook. Highly
recommended!
Saving Our Seed is a USDA Sustainable Agricultural Research and
Education (SARE) funded project, organized by the Carolina Farm
Stewardship Association and nine partnering organizations, working
to increase the availability of regionally adapted, open pollinated,
certified organic seed and develop a southern seed network. For
more information, contact:
The Pemaculture
Activist also has a great list of seed saving resources.
Carolina
Farm Stewardship Association
PO Box 448
Pittsboro, NC 27312
ph: (919) 542-2402, fax: (919) 542-7401
http://www.carolinafarmstewards.org
Saving Our Seed partnering organizations include:
Anson Mills
Inc.
1922-C Gervais St., Columbia, SC 29201
ph: (803) 467-4122
http://www.ansonmills.com/
Clemson University
Fertilizer and Seed Certification Services
511 Westinghouse Rd., Pendleton, SC 29670
ph: (864) 646-2140
http://fscs.clemson.edu/
Georgia
Crop Improvement Association
2425 South Milledge Ave., Athens, GA 30605
ph: (706) 542-2351
http://www.certifiedseed.org/
Georgia
Organics
2103 North Decatur Rd. #348, Decatur, GA 30033-
ph: (770) 993-5534
http://www.georgiaorganics.org/
NCSU
Cooperative Extension Service
Research and Extension Center
455 Research Dr., Fletcher, NC 28732
ph: (828) 684-3562
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/fletcher/
North Carolina
Crop Improvement Association
3709 Hillsborough St., Raleigh, NC 27607-5464
ph: (919) 515-2851
http://www.nccia.ncsu.edu/
North Carolina Foundation Seed Producers
8220 Riley Hill Rd., Zebulon, NC 27597
ph: (919) 269-5592
Southern
Exposure Seed Exchange
PO Box 460, Mineral, VA 23117
Ph: (540) 894-9480
http://www.southernexposure.com/
Southern
Seed Legacy
c/o Agrarian Connections
10 Legacy Rd., Crawford, GA 30630
ph: (706) 542-1430
http://www.uga.edu/~ebl/southernheirloom/
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