Heirloom Seeds

corn, bell peppers, squash, potatoes, herbs (cooking and health), strawberries etc. You want to look at a few things, what is going to grow the best in your area, (giving you the most food usually with lest amount of work) also what is going to go the furthest. like potatoes are a filling multi use item. you also can use no land space to grow them in 55 gallon barrel. Herbs, not only good for flavoring those dull potatoes for the rest of your life, but the medicinal value. look at what can's well for storage through the winter. What items that grow at the same time you can make meals out of, also again that you can can for winter eating..... Forgive me I could really go on forever about gardening! (and don't forget winter gardening!)

 

Do a test. Plant them. If they grow, you have a source of seeds.

 

If the description of the variety includes the nomenclature "F1" in it, it is most likely a hybrid. If the description includes a named variety rather than just a generic name, then it is more likely to be a non hybrid, though some hybrid varieties bred by seed companies have a proprietary name.

Hybrid varieties can be saved and will often germinate and bear productive fruit. The advantage of hybrid varieties is the productive benefit of "hybrid vigour". A limitation of hybrids is that the value of "hybrid vigour"

may diminish to that less than the productivity of traditional heirloom non hybrid varieties over time as successive generations are planted and the effects of Mendelian genetics play out. Explanations of this phenomenon, can be found at the website thread shown below. Although the example under discussion at the website relates to tomatoes, the principles of hybrid genetics apply to other fruits, and vegetables and grains as well.

The main thing to note about non hybrid heirloom varieties is to locate your plantings far enough away from hybrid varieties or heirloom varieties of the same kind of plant but from different genetic origins so that the non hybrids don't cross pollinate and hybridise.

For a useful guide to seed saving and measures to take to avoid cross pollination of non-hybrids refer to the following linked website resource:

http://mindspinner.net/docs/SeedSaving1-0.pdf

 

I am the first to admit, I have alot to learn about seeds. I once made the error of trying to grow apple trees from store bought apples. I did not know they had been eradiated. I am currently growing oak trees for my hunting property.

 

growing oak trees? I can send you a forest full!! ... funny how depending on where we live what we have to work for. I pull oaks like weeds. I harvest the cedar trees to line my property through.

 

Interesting post some say seeds especially those of the heirloom type will be like money when the SHTF. We shall see.

 

There are several type of oak trees. I am primarily interested in white oaks. They are considered to be deer candy. the acorns from a white oak are a major draw for deer. What type of oaks are you pulling?

 

I had success using store bought "organic" apples with a little trick from a friend...
He told me to put the whole apple in the freezer for a couple weeks then thaw it and plant the seeds immediately.
Worked...I got 2 that sprouted in jiffy pots and are still growing strong after being put in the ground.
We'll see though....apparently most home grown apple trees are quite sour but I figure once they're old enough to give fruit I'll start graphing some good tasting branches onto them.

Grinder

 

Best bear bait I've ever seen is the 3 pear trees in my back yard....
They come back every year.

For deer...i'd think a salt lick, drip can or something like that would do the trick.

Grinder

 

If you live in the boonies, for deer, plant oakleaf hydranges or roses. Deer love them like candy and will come within 30 feet of your house to eat them. The Oakleaf hydranges are self replaceable, as you can grow some quite close to the house and keep the soil around them well fertilized (preferably with mulch and compost) and you can pot the volunteers that come up around the mature plant each year. After a year in a 1 gallon pot (greenhouse in winter) those volunteers will be large enough to plant 60 to 75 feet from house (excellent range for clean harvest of deer). Roses are expensive and they will eat them to death in 1 to 3 years.

 

Off Topic........ don't get me started about fruit trees and bears......(.see btpost about 2 months ago) I just hope my tree survives. The bear is dead if he ever comes back

 

Nothing wrong with that so long as you eat'em.

 

Okay, back on topic, I have shamlessly stole the following list from another source. It is being posted here so y'all can get your orders for catalogs in and drive your postman crazy.
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This is a list of some catalogs I find interesting. If you want to check out their reputation, you can Google their name plus "reviews." Then I pick out the davesgarden site if possible. People have posted their comments and complaints. This list is not an endorsement of any seed company nor is not being on the list an indication of any problem.

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
2278 Baker Creek Road
Mansfield, MO 65704
www.rareseeds.com
1-417-924-8917

Baker Creek was started more than a decade ago by a teenager who loved seeds. The glossy catalog with colorful photos featuring only open-pollinated varieties now has many varieties of mostly warm climate vegetables selected from around the world.

Burpee
300 Park Avenue
Warminster, PA 18991-0001
www.burpee.com
1-800-333-5808

The Burpee catalog is a thick glossy catalog with many flowers and vegetable seeds, both heirloom and hybrid. Burpee seeds also show up on seed racks in stores.

The Cook's Garden
P. O. Box C5030
Warminster, PA 18974
www.cooksgarden.com
1-800-457-9703

The Cook's Garden catalog offers glossy photos of both hybrid and OP varieties. It doesn't offer as many of each vegetable, but does have good choices. For example, the 9 varieties of carrots include purple, red, yellow, and orange ones. The largest section is probably the greens and lettuce one.

Fedco Seeds
P.O. Box 520
Waterville, ME 04903
www.fedcoseeds.com
1-207-426-9900

Fedco is a cooperative and maintains several catalog divisions, one of which is Moose Tubers, the potato and onions catalog. Catalogs are plain black and white with no photos. Offerings are a mix of hybrid and open-pollinated, organic and not.

High Mowing Organic Seeds
76 Quarry Road
Wolcott, VT 05680
www.highmowingseeds.com
1-802-472-6174

I became familiar with High Mowing Seeds when I bought a package of mixed lettuce at a health food store, but couldn't find it the next year. I was so pleased with the lettuce that I plan to give their entire line a look this year. They have a nice catalog of all organic seeds, both hybrid and OP.

Harris Seeds
P. O. Box 24966
Rochester, NY 14624-0966
www.harrisseeds.com
1-800-544-7938

They send a nice catalog which I enjoy, but just haven't ordered from.

Johnny's Selected Seeds
P.O. Box 299
Waterville, ME 04903
Johnnyseeds.com
1-877-564-6697

They have a very colorful catalog with many offerings for the cooler areas in both hybrid and open-pollinated varieties. The catalog gives a lot of helpful growing information.

Nichols Garden Nursery
1190 Old Salem Road NE
Albany, OR 97321-4580
www.nicholsgardennursery.com
1-800-422-3985

They carry both open-pollinated and hybrid seeds, some of which are organic. They have a large section of herb plants and seeds.

Park Seed Company
1 Parkton Ave.
Greenwood, SC 29647-0001
www.parkseed.com
1-800-845-3369

I haven't used this one in a while, mostly because of location.

Pinetree Garden Seeds
P. O. Box 300
New Gloucester, ME 04260
www.superseeds.com
1-207-926-3400

Pinetree offers smaller packages with lower prices on many things.

Sand Hill Preservation
1878 230th Street
Calamus, IA 52729-9659
www.sandhillpreservation.com
1-563-246-2299

Glen Drowns is a science teacher who is working at preserving a lot of open-pollinated vegetables (plus rare chickens) and sells seed to help support his passion. He grows most of the seeds he sells, which are mostly organic. The prices are reasonable and postage is free if you order a certain amount.

Seed Savers Exchange
3094 North Winn Road
Decorah, IA 52101
www.seedsavers.org
1-563-382-5990

They have a beautiful catalog offering some varieties they grow enough of to sell, which helps support the organization. These are open-pollinated and many are organic.

Seeds of Change
P. O. Box 4908
Rancho Dominguez, CA 90220
www.seedsofchange.com
1-888-762-7333

They have a very nice catalog with beautiful photos and offer organic open-pollinated seeds.

R.H. Shumway's
334 W. Stroud Street, Ste. 1
Randolph, WI 53956-1274
www.rhshumway.com
1-800-342-9461

A very interesting, old-timey type catalog. The catalog hasn't changed much since they were bought and moved from SC. They send out free seeds with an appropriate order.

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange
P. O. Box 460
Mineral, VA 23117
www.southernexposure.com
1-540-894-9480

I have not had any experience with this company, but I include it as a possible interesting one for those southern gardeners. They have open-pollinated varieties and some are organic.

Stokes Seeds
Box 548
Buffalo, NY 14240-0548
www.stokeseeds.com
1-800-396-9238

Stokes has a very informative, attractive catalog with a lot of offerings in quantities for the backyard gardener and commercial growers.

Territorial Seed Company
P. O. Box 158
Cottage Grove, OR 97424-0061
www.territorialseed.com
1-800-626-0866

They have a plain paper catalog with both hybrid and open-pollinated varieties (some organic) and many photos. Boxes of growing information are included with each vegetable.

Totally Tomatoes
334 West Stroud Street
Randolph, WI 53956
www.totallytomato.com
1-800-345-5977

This is definitely one for the tomato lover. The tomatoes are organized into sizes under hybrid or open-pollinated. The index of tomato and pepper (they do have something besides tomatoes) varieties is helpful to find a particular variety.

Vermont Bean Seed Company
334 W. Stroud St.
Randolph, WI 53956
www.VermontBean.com
1-800-349-1071

The catalog has a dozen or so pages of beans—dry, shell, snap—besides the other vegetable seeds.

Veseys Seeds
P. O. Box 9000
Calais, ME 04619-6102
www.veseys.com
1-800-363-7333

They carry seeds that do well way up north. The catalog is colorful and has both hybrid and open-pollinated. Some are organic.

Victory Seed Company
P. O. Box 192
Molalla, OR 97038
www.victoryseeds.com

This is a small company which looks interesting, but I haven't had any dealings with them. They don't have a paper catalog.

 

THAT is awesome, thanks for taking the time!


Sent from my Tactical Communication Device.

 

Ummm...s'pose this should be included...
Please ensure you check your local laws before ordering anything.

Home - Vancouver Seed Bank

Contact Us

The VANCOUVER SEED BANK & TOKERS LOUNGE is open every day! (11am to 7pm)

Our Storefront and Tokers Lounge is located at 872 East Hastings St, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Please send all orders and mail to us at:

VSB
88008 Chinatown RPO
Vancouver, BC, CANADA
V6A 4A4

Call us during business hours (11am to 7pm PST) at: 778-329-1930

Send us an email to: vancouverseedbank@gmail.com

The SECOND LOCATION is in Victoria on majestic Vancouver Island.
Located in historic Chinatown in downtown Victoria.
The Victoria Seed Bank is at
532 1/2 Fisgard St. Dragon Alley
Victoria, B.C.
We are OPEN from 11am to 6pm EVERYDAY!
Call us at 250 380 1385

 

Indeed....some varieties of plant are prohibited from importation to specific areas for bio security reasons. This is so in Australia and it is also likely to be so in the US in some places too.

 

Nexus RFID pass i'd suspect.