Winter Seed Catalogues by Lori Shapiro

It may still be cold and dark, but January still brings garden joy. Over the last couple of weeks, seed catalogues have begun arriving in my mailbox. These catalogues are thoughtfully written with gorgeous photography and illustrations, and are a delight to read (and re-read multiple times).

Starting plants from seeds is fun, educational and meditative. There is a seed for everyone. If seeds are new to you then something that can be directly sown in the spring, like lettuce or cilantro, is a good choice. For more experienced gardeners, seeds are a way to access unusual varieties that aren’t available at our local garden centers.

Reveling in my stash of seed catalogues as the snow falls outside

Starting plants from seed is also an inherently political act. Seeds are one of the world’s most consolidated industries, with only four transnational corporations (BASF, Sinochem, Bayer and Corteva) accounting for 50% of global seed sales. This consolidation has led to accelerating loss of plant genetic diversity and agricultural knowledge.

There are still many small, independent seed companies that continue to help steward conservation of our cultural and agricultural biodiversity. Many offer seeds with profound human and biological histories.

Below are the seed companies I’m ordering open pollinated, heirloom seeds from this season. Most companies listed here are local to the Northeast, but some are from the Midwest and Northwest. The Watertown Public Library also has free garden seeds to share with the community. Watching a tiny, dormant speck transform into a graceful plant is a magical experience, and I highly recommend to at least experiment with integrating them into your window or in-ground garden.

This is a non-exhaustive list - if you have other fun seed sources, please share them in the comments below.

Fruits, veggies, herbs and flowers:

• edenbrothers.com
• fedcoseeds.com
• highmowingseeds.com
• hudsonvalleyseed.com
• johnnyseeds.com
• kitchengardenseeds.com
• marysheirloomseeds.com
• rareseeds.com
• seedsavers.org
• territorialseed.com
• trueloveseeds.com

Mostly or all flowers:

• logees.com
• sunnymeadowsflowerfarm.com
• prairiemoon.com