I am very excited to receive the first batch of seeds for the 2009 garden. This year I am going to focus on growing open pollinated vegetables and then to save the seed bounty for the 2010 garden.
This first batch of seeds are all open pollinated and many are heirloom varieties. I ordered them from the oldest continuously operating seed company in the US – Comstock, Ferre & Co., established in 1820 and not very far from where I live!
As you can see from the photos, this company is VERY Yankee – they do not waste any effort on fripperies and stick to the important things. For example, they adopted the use of paper envelopes for their seeds back in the 1830s from the Shakers in their area. They also designed the simple blue printing for the border you see STILL used today in these photos.
You can also see that they simply write on blank envelopes when an order comes in, VERY thrifty!
I ordered the following seeds:
- Beans, Bush, Cherokee Wax
- Beans, Bush, Derby
- Beans, Pole, Yard Long
- Beans, Soybean, Vinton 81
- Carrot, Gold Pak
- Carrot, Purple Dragon
- Chamomile, German
- Coriander/Cilantro, Long Standing
- Cucumbers, Slicing, Apple Shaped/True Lemon
- Cucumbers, Slicing, Marketmore
- Cumin
- Dill, Mammoth
- Eggplant, Black Beauty
- Fennel, Florence
- Gourds, Bushel
- Lavender, English
- Lettuce, Butterhead, Buttercrunch
- Mesclun Mix, Early Season
- Mesclun Mix, Mid-season
- Nasturtium, Dwarf Single Mix
- Pea, Shelling, Tall Telephone/Alderman
- Rosemary
- Sage, Broad Leaf
- Spinach, Bloomsdale
- Squash, Winter Butternut, Early
- Swiss Chard, Giant Lucullus
I will be ordering more seeds for a few more vegetables that I didnt see on their list. I will also be posting up garden maps for the raised beds and also be talking about my expansion project for this year’s garden, exciting stuff, stay tuned!
I love what you are doing! And think the library rocks . . . (I am the Miami Weston A Price Foundation Chapter leader) Can;t wait to hear more about your garden via Twitter
Justine
@farmmaid
Justine, Thanks for stopping by! Thats super neat that you are a chapter leader. I dont know what that means operationally but I am guessing that it means you help others get the real foods they need!
I’m so jealous!
We *still* haven’t found the ideal house to buy, so – no garden yet
I want to get planting, but we can’t plant when there ain’t no garden! I’m doing pots at the moment, but geting sick of only having about 8 square feet of pots in which to grow food!
D: Sorry! And its summer there too… My father in law moved to NZ a few months ago and is already growing all sorts of yummy stuff – NZ looks like a fantastically beautiful place! (except for that ozone issue :-/)
I have grown by containers so I know your pain.. I had amazing luck growing tons of really abundant growing lettuce – take a look at this set on our container gardening – http://www.flickr.com/photos/nika7k/sets/72157612440231388/
Hi Nika – Yes, my lettuce exploits have been successful – although none of it made it to the table, thanks to two greedy preschoolers!
The ozone is healing itself remarkably quickly, thanks to the Montreal Protocol!
But we’re careful to wear sunblock and hats, and avoid the middle of the day. I’m from Australia, so I’m used to covering up. All it means is you burn quicker than you would expect, and have to play safe.
But yes, this is the most beautiful place I’ve ever been to – although West Virginia came a close second!
[…] you read my garden blog – Humble Garden – you would know that I am already planning the 2009 garden. I have already gotten the first batch of seeds and am gearing up to start seedlings […]
Wow! I’m drooling at your seeds and at your library.
It will be a few weeks before I order seeds, but I am getting excited as winter continues. I’ll be starting the first seeds of broccoli and cabbage at the end of February. I. Can’t. Wait.
D: thats too funny re the pre-schoolers! shouldnt be a problem as long as they arent munching on dirt along with it!
Ah, AU prepared you for it. I agree, W Virginia is a very beautiful place, just knocks your socks off.
E: We will be doing the same about then too!
I am going to plant even more broccoli this year, was amazed by how resistant it is to pests/disease, harbored the most amazing garden spiders, and produced so much.
Only problem with broccoli is that its best eaten fresh and not storable unless you want to freeze it (my freezer is tiny and filled with roosters and chicken legs)