Northern Heirloom Seed Collection: Review

It seems I have a recurring illness that always strikes in the winter time.

It's an acute pain, that strikes at odd moments, and can sometimes be so overwhelming that I fairly buckle. Did I mention that it's also highly contagious?

This illness is known as "Spring Fever". Certain people are affected by this problem, and I happen to be one of the numbered. Life will be going by just fine when we're suddenly overtaken by an urge to work in the dirt, and roll seeds around in the palm of our hand. We need to grow something. Plant something. Do something! I sometimes get a little claustrophobic during this time. The house starts feeling smaller and smaller... I need to be outside! Quick! Somebody call 911! I'm having a massive attack of Spring Fever! It doesn't help either, that this always happens in December/January; right when the ground is frozen solid, and everything is cold, cold, cold. 

All that we can do is order seeds... And that right there is a dangerous task. It's when I'm stuck inside with catalogs that my plans go out the window and my garden suddenly becomes the size of New Jersey. Do I really need five different kinds of onions?? Of course I do! And let's not forget the fourteen varieties of tomatoes, the eight varieties of pumpkins, and all those cabbages! I'm hopeless. Thank heavens I have an online bank account, so I can repeatedly show myself that I DO have a strict budget to contend with. And then once faced with a budget, I deflate and suddenly have no idea what to buy. Am I the only one with this problem? (please say 'no'!)

But I had a eureka moment this month. Or you could call it a "duh" moment. The former makes me feel smarter though, so let's go with that one. To continue though, I had the opportunity to check out someone's seed collection, and everything fell into place: Seed collections may not be for everyone, but I'm convinced that they're the most logical purchase for this impulsive dreamer. You already know my problem of wanting to buy everything in the seed catalogs; I need a bit of curbing...

Now, I'm not so dim that I've never heard of a seed collection before (Really. Cross my heart). I've seen these time and time again, but I have to confess something... They scared me. Buying a seed collection seemed like letting go of all choice. I didn't know what I wanted while flipping through a catalog, but the thought of not getting what I didn't know I wanted was terrifying. If you understand that sentence then you get brownie points. 

With this silly fear floating around in my head, I never bought a seed collection. So for quite a few years I've been buying just some random seed packets; never a lot. Maybe ten or fifteen packets in a year; in my feelings of "not knowing what I want", I never bought much.

And then I saw this seed collection from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds... It was staggering.

This particular collection is known as the Large Northern Heirloom Package, and has 50 different packets of seeds nestled inside the smooth surfaced, metal can that makes the package. The size of a 1-gallon paint can (or very close to that size, anyway), my mind can't wrap around the fact that this lightweight container held enough seeds to grow who-knows-how-many pounds of food... I'd wager it'll grow over a ton. 

 Fifty packets of seeds sounds like a lot. But fifty packets of seeds LOOKS like even more. This is where the "staggering" part came in. I started pulling the vibrant packs out, but the just kept on coming... And coming... And coming... And coming... The number fifty suddenly seemed very large. 

When I had all the seed packets laid out, I couldn't help but grin. This is what I've needed all these years!! I was always afraid of missing out on something by buying a seed collection, but in that little can was everything I've ever grown, and then varieties I hadn't grown because of my own overwhelmed feelings while faced with a catalog. Take a close looks at those pictures; you'll see all the usual stuff. Corn, beans, tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, peas, radishes, cabbage, pumpkins, and carrots. Everything a traditional garden would have. And then things get even better when you find the fun packets of watermelon, rainbow chard, cantaloupe, leeks, basil, asparagus, and lettuce mixes. Suddenly, "choice" doesn't seem as much fun as "Surprise me!". 

It also makes a lot of economical sense for me to stick with a seed collection. Remember the budget I mentioned? The seed packets are much cheaper when bought in a collection (it's like buying in bulk!). There's also the added plus that these seeds will be viable for 4-10 years (length of time depends on the veggie). I might decide to have a small garden one year and only use maybe ten things from the can; if I do that, then I won't feel guilty about all the other seeds since I know that they'll be just as good next year! And things get even better when you realize that you can save seeds from the varieties each year, so you'll never run out! Three cheers for heirlooms!!

If nothing else, I think these collections are a great idea for emergency preparedness. Last summer was hard for a lot of folks as we faced drought. What if we see that drought again this summer of 2013? How long do we wait before we kick into action and start REALLY trying to grow our own food? A seed collection makes me think of having a whole grocery store sitting on my closet shelf. It's there when I need it. Sitting quietly, safely. 

Looking through the seed packets, I was really pleased and excited by what I saw. As I was preparing to write this review, I tried to think of any cons I found with it, but couldn't think of any... There are fun, unusual stuff in the collection, yes, but there's nothing so far out that an average person wouldn't feel intimidated with growing it. 

Large Northern Heirloom Package.
From Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

Rating: 10+
Impact: 10+
Recommend it? Yes, yes, yes!!
Buy it? Yes! I am SO buying one soon!

I have rated the seed collection as a 10+, and I feel that it is well deserved. Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds does an amazing job with their seed quality, packaging, customer service, and the final result which you find in the container is simply stunning. I haven't bought seeds from anywhere else, save Baker Creek, in 4 years now. I've never needed to. The "impact" of the seed collection is also being put at a 10+. WHY did I never get one sooner??? Seeing it in person definitely made me a fan of seed collections from here on out. Baker Creek also has a smaller seed collection if you want something a bit different, and there is also the option of the Southern Heirloom package which has seeds more suited to hotter weather. What with me living in the Pacific Northwest, the Northern package is more up my alley.

So there you have it! This gardener has finally seen the light, and is now numbering herself as a fan of seed collection. Who needs choice... Surprise me!

Torture... Pure Torture...

It came today... Baker Creek's 2012 seed catalog!

And not only did ONE catalog come in the mail, but by some sort of blip I received TWO catalogs! ;)

Alas, I have firmly told myself that I will under no circumstances open either of those catalogs until I am on the airplane on January 17th. Bound for Virginia. 

And it's torture... Pure torture... This year's beautiful catalog is 196 pages of gardening bliss. And let's not forget the 120 "new" varieties that they've added to their stock... My goodness, that catalog has enough heft to feel like a book! 

I so badly want to look through it... Just a peek. 

But no, I must stick to my goal and keep it for the 10 hour flight that looms in just 36 days. I can't even think about the plane trip without feeling a knot in my stomach.. I like traveling as much as people enjoy getting the flu. It ain't fun in my book. 

Does anyone else here look forward to receiving their yearly seed catalogs?

And The Winner Is....

Today's the day! We will find out who the winner of my 'Heirloom Seed Collection' is!

A flower pot seemed ideal for putting the names into...

Said pot was then shaken, stirred and mixed...

and the winner is....!

Congratulations 'Sue'!! (you posted as "anonymous", but you told me who you were. ;D) I will get your seeds sent off you you as soon as possible!

I would also like to thank the others who entered my little giveaway. These seeds are not your ordinary "Dollar-Tree" seeds; they have a history to them. By growing them and saving the seed, you are helping to keep that history from disappearing forever, as well as preserving some rare gene pools and protecting food safety. Each variety has been grown for generations by different families, to have the traits that they do; they have not been genetically modified, nor tampered with, in any way. Sue, I hope you enjoy your seeds, and I hope you have fun experiencing the rich heritage that each variety has! :)

Happy gardening!

A Mennagerie Farm Giveaway!

Now! Onto happier subjects other than head bonking and CNG people! (referring to the post below)

Mennagerie Farm is hosting a giveaway!!

And the prize is....?

A lovely collection of Heirloom seeds, just in time for planting season!

This collection will have a generous variety of seeds that would be sufficient for a medium sized garden and will range from extremely rare seeds, to not-so-rare, to just-plain-beautiful varieties! (pictures do not show exact varieties that will be in the collection)

To enter, just leave a comment below, and just for fun, tell what your favorite veggie is!

The final drawing will take place on March 12th, so save the date!

The List, Part #2

Here I be once more, attempting to finish up my list o' seeds. ;)

BEETS:

Cylindra: Ummm, let's just say that I have a lot of seed available. I haven't mustered up the courage to count them yet...

I'm hoping to have some Chioggia beet seeds soon, but I have yet to find out if I'll have enough to share.

CABBAGE:

Copenhagen: Approximately 100 seeds available.
Brunswick: A lot.... Seeds anyone?
Glory of Enkhuizen: Not quite as many seeds available as the Brunswick, but still a goodly amount. :)

CAULIFLOWER:

Okay, so these were given to me, I have no name of the seeds, and I haven't counted them yet. But from the looks of the bulky envelope that they're in, methinks I will not be lacking in the cauliflower department this year...

PEPPERS:

Big Bomb: 285 seeds available. What's a "Big Bomb" pepper? ;D
Jalapeño: 394 seeds available. I may not know about 'big bomb' varieties, but I DO know what a jalapeño is!
Mini Sweet Pepper: 199 seeds available. These are so cute! Peppers are usually about 2" to 3" tall, and plants are very productive.

BROCCOLI:

Calabrese: 200 seeds available. This is the typical "grocery store" type of broccoli.
Romanesco: Sorry, all checked out for 2011. :(

CUCUMBERS:

Marketmore: 50 seeds available.
Edmonson:  20 seeds available. This will be my first year to try the Edmonson's; sooo excited!

WATERMELON:

Sugar Baby: 15 seeds available.

BEANS/ PEAS

Blue Lake Pole: 150+ seeds available. The link actually leads to the bush variety of the Blue Lake, but the beans are the same regardless of pole or bush habit.
Early Contender Bush: 600-700 seeds available. Pleeeeeze ask for some of these!! I am so swamped with these seeds! It goes to show just how productive the plants are though, I guess... These beans are great, and produce for an extended period of time. The beans themselves are ever-so-slightly fuzzy, which makes them perfect for throwing at people, since they will stick to clothing quite well when freshly picked. ;)
Purple Podded Pole: 6 seeds. Sorry, but I need to keep these as a "grow out" this year. Keep an eye out for them next year though!
Masai French Filet: 100 seeds available. I can't find very much info about this variety online, but a lot of people have assured me that these are very yummy beans. I guess we'll find out come summer time!
Sugar Snap Peas: 80 seeds available. Mmmmmm... I love these snap peas. Not very many find their way into the house because I usually end up snacking on them while outside. Even our picky eaters like these.
Peas: 50 seeds available. I think these might be shelling peas. but not positive on that. These were given to me, thus the reason for the lack of info.

SPINACH:

Bloomsdale: 300 seeds available.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS:

Catskills: 30 seeds available. I'm not much of a fan of brussels sprouts, but I've heard that this variety tastes a little better than others. We'll see...

Well, that be all for now. I still have seeds that are not yet listed. Some are still in the mail, some I haven't counted yet, etc. But I'll continue to add to this list as the seeds come in.

Again, if you see something you would like, please e-mail me, HERE, and I'll give you the address to send your SASE to.

Happy Gardening!

The List, Part #1

Okay, even though I'm still not quite done counting seeds and whatnot, I'm going to go ahead and post what seeds I have in the library. You may notice on the list that some varieties say that they are "grow outs" and not available. This is due to only having maybe three or four seeds and thus needing to keep that variety in my garden to save seed from. This isn't the complete list, as I am still awaiting more seeds in the mail, but this is what I have so far! If you see something that you would like, e-mail me HERE, with your list and I will give you my address to send your SASE to. Please bear in mind that this is a 'first come, first serve' so some varieties you wanted may or may not be available.

We'll start with the tomatoes... (Note: I have added a link to each variety so you can read more about them)

Big Month: 118 seeds available.
Black from Tula: 4 seeds. Sorry, this is a grow out variety!
Cherokee Purple: 28 seeds available.
Cour Di Bue: 47 seeds available.
Dr. Wyche's Yellow: 0 seeds. I did have some, but all were quickly checked out for the 2011 growing season.
Golden Cherokee: 4 seeds. I think I am going to have to keep this as a grow out, but if you really want to try it, I can share 2 seeds. No seed companies carry this variety, but it is exactly like the 'Cherokee Puple', only a golden bi-color. Very rare and beautiful.
Goldman's Italian/American: 25 seeds available. I love this variety! It is so fun!
Great White: 6 seeds available: I am extremely excited to try this variety out this year!
Hillbilly:  9 seeds available.
Islea: 18 seeds available. Another very rare tomato that has been passed from gardener to gardener rather than being sold through seed companies. This is a red tomato that is very ruffled, more so than the 'Goldman's'. Very good, classic tomato flavor, and the slices look like flowers because they are so ruffled! I believe this is a Italian variety...
Kellog's Breakfast: 4 seeds. Sorry, another grow out! I had more, but once again, they were quickly taken.
Old German: 4 seeds. [sigh] another grow out... I wish I had more of these to share with y'all, as they are such great tomatoes!
Omar's Lebanese: 0 seeds. I didn't even get to keep any of these, they flew out of here so fast!
Striped Roman: 55 seeds available. These are super fun to grow (and eat, for that matter..)
"Surprise": 125 seeds available. I don't know what kind of tomatoes these are. If you try them, let me know what you get!!

ONIONS:
Maui: approx. 200 seeds available. These are a small, white, sweet variety. Very yummy, but not good for storage.

Colorado #6: I haven't counted the seeds yet. There's too many. There is a chance that these seeds have been crossed with Red Burgundy onions; we'll find out come harvesting time! Colorado #6's are extremely good keepers, have good flavor, reach harvest size in 115-120 days and are usually about 4 inches in diameter.

Valencia: 683 seeds available. And that's after I started seeds of my own and shared with other gardeners!! Don't ask me how long it took me to count all those seeds. This is a really great onion.

Red Burgundy: I'm going to guess that I have somewhere around 300-400 seeds of this kind.

PUMPKINS:

Sweet Meat: Sorry, all checked out for 2011
Red Kuri: 8 seeds available.
Mountaineer baby Hubbard: 12 seeds available. I'm not positive about what this variety will look like, either blue or green would be my guess. I added a link that gives info on the blue baby Hubbard variety.
Waltham x Butterbush Butternut cross: 30 seeds available. This squash is a cross between the two. It will be interesting to see how the cross affected the taste!
Amish Pie: 4 seeds available. This is a really nice baking squash.
White: 30 seeds. The name says it all. I got these from a Canadian gardener, and all I know about the plant is that it produces a white, heirloom pumpkin. ;)
Thelma Sanders: 12 seeds available. Yummy and fun.
White: 30 seeds available. The name says it all. This seed was given to me by a Canadian gardener, I don't know anything about the plant other than it's a white, heirloom pumpkin.
Marina Di Chioggia: Do I have to share these? Just kidding. 8 seeds available. If I could only keep one seed, this would be it. The Marina Di Chioggia has such a rich, family history. Originally from the coast of Chioggia Italy, this squash is only just starting to become known here in America. My favorite.

Whew. Well, that's part one. I'll try and do part two later...

Seeds Anyone?

Hurray!! I have the pleasure of announcing that:

My seed library is officially open!!

I have over 70 varieties of fruits, flowers and veggies, and have somewhere around 2500 seeds!

I'm still trying to finish archiving my seeds, so that I can see at a glance what I have, how much I have, and keep a record of growing notes on each variety. And it's going slooooow. Lots of tape, page protectors, three ringed binders, paper clips, and time. Maybe I should employ a helper.... ;)

I'll try and get a list on here with what I have available, and if you see something you would like to try out this year, just send me an e-mail (I'll provide that in the seed list post) saying what you would like and how many seeds, so that I will know what to reserve for you. I would really like to keep this as a SASE (Self Addressed Stamped Envelope) to cut down on confusion on my part of things. I have already "checked out" quite a few seeds to people, and believe me, it gets confusing trying to get the right seeds to the right person!