Guest Article: Collected Seed Farm – A Source for GMO Free Open Pollinated Organic Heirloom Vegetable Seeds

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Collected Seed: GMO Free, Open Pollinated Organic Heirloom Vegetable Seeds

So apparently these folks have disappeared. The link in the original post goes to a Chinese Website. But the pictures are beautiful so I’m keeping the post up.

And luckily I’ve put together a comprehensive list of organic, heirloom, non-gmo, seed sources, so check it out at: https://www.beginningfarmers.org/organic-seed-sources/

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THESE GREAT POSTS TOO:

https://beginningfarmers.org/state-of-organic-seed-report-and-seed-saving-guide/

https://beginningfarmers.org/seeds-finding-choosing-ordering-saving-planting-heirloom-organic-open-pollinated-non-gmo-varieties/

Over the past century, the majority of the population has completely lost touch with the origin of their food. If the saying you are what you eat is true, what does that say about our sense of self? Our sense of each other? As a lifelong gardener, I have found that growing your own food will not only lead you towards a healthier body, but a healthier spirit. I learn many new and profound lessons in my garden daily.

My friends and I came up with the idea to open this farm somewhere along the way between a memory and a dream. We knew that over 80% of farmers in this country were over the age of 55 and asked the question, who will feed us over the next decade? I have been saving and collecting seeds as a hobby with my grandfather in Bulgaria since I was 10 years old. I’m 24 now and a handful of those crops are growing on our farm in upstate New York today.

Last year, the volatile stock market boosted garden seed sales 400% — when I watched my parents’ investments in those big companies falter the way they did, I felt good about having stock in something that has an inherent and indisputable value: heirloom seeds. I also felt great about contributing to the “small economy” in such a way where I was offering my customers an affordable (but indispensably valuable) product. And what I’ve learned from experience, you don’t need that many seeds to feed yourself, your family or your entire CSA… if you buy the right kind of seed, of course.

Many of the varieties sold through larger seed distributors are GMO and not open-pollinated. This means that they will produce a sterile fruit and you will need to repurchase those seeds again next year rather than save your own year after year. Many of those varieties are also under the litigious guise of Monsanto – the seed industry’s token “Eye of Soron” – which could pose trouble for your neighbors’ seed saving efforts as well.

We have collected the best, most resilient open pollinated organic vegetable seeds on the market (many of which I  have grown myself), all of which are available through our website. We were very careful with our choice of the highest quality seed inventory because we know that gardeners and beginning farmers all across the country deserve the peace of mind that their labor will be fruitful for them.