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Re: Seeds of Change



Seeds of Change offers an excellent catalogue, complete with articles on 
restoring the environment, diversity, seed information and amazing photographs.

The catalog can be ordered for $3.00, address: 1364 Rufina Circle #5, Santa 
Fe, NM  83706.

Other seed companies that offer heirloom varieties and good gardening 
information include:

Fedco Seeds
P.O. Box 520
Waterville, ME 04903 
(Fedco is a cooperative seed co. that specializes in varieties adapted to a 
cold climate)

Abundant Life Seed Foundation
P.O. Box 772
Port Townsend, WA  98368
$2.00 for catalog.  non-profit corporation "...whose purposes are: to 
acquire, propagate and preserve the plants and seeds of the native and 
naturalized flora of the North Pacific Rim with particular emphasis on 
those species not commercially available, including rare and endangered 
species; to provide information on plant and seed propagation; to aid in 
the preservation of native and naturalized plants through cultivation..."

J.L. Hudson, Seedsman
P.O. Box 1058
Redwood City, California, 94064

The Ethnobotanical Catalog of Seeds ($1.00) features an incredible variety 
of unusual cultivars; includes trees, shrubbery, flowers, vegetables.  
Incredible diversity of selection.

Peace Seeds
P.O. Box 190
Gila, NM  88038
catalog - $4.00
Organic & wildcrafted seed, hard to find cultivars, 

There are many, many more seed companies of note.  These are just a few 
that I know of -- all of which express concern for preserving diversity 
through collection & propagation of heirloom and native varieties.  

Enjoy perusing these catalogs, hope your gardening season is filled with 
surprises & new varieties.  Cheers, Sharon
 * Originally by Bill Smith
 * Originally to All
 * Originally dated 13 Feb 1992, 17:50

Just discovered a GREEAAT (!) specialty catalog I feel would be of interest
to users of this echo. It is properly titled "1992 Garlic Catalogue & Research
Catalogue" from FILAREE FARM. The address is Route 1, Box 162,
Okanogan, WA. 98840. I am VERY impressed with it and wanted to inform all of
its existence. Contains approx. 60 varietal descriptions with 50 more being
available (upon request I suppose from a SERIOUS grower of the stuff). This
is very detailed with growing instructions, classification of species,
varieties, etc. It shows a breakdown of a "family tree" so to speak of the
various families, species, etc. Seems pretty much a must if you're looking for
a good source to order from. Don't know much about prices, but I assume they
are competitive with others. They seemed reasonable to me, but I'm not much of
a comparison shopper - if I see something I like I'll go ahead and get it.
Typical male attitude, huh ladies ?! Cost is $3, but very much worth it. HAPPY
GARLIC GROWING TO ONE & ALL !!

--------*--------

Subject: Seeds of Change Organic Seeds
Date: 23 Jan 92 06:16:55 GMT

Just got a seed catalog in the mail today that I don't remember seeing
on some of the recent lists. The company is: Seeds of Change
                                             1364 Rufina Circle #5
                                             Santa Fe, NM 87501
                                             505-438-8080

They sell certified organic seeds, raised in New Mexico and Oregon,
and the literature says that the varieties can be grown thoughout the
U.S.

There are some real unusual  greens, root vegetables, grains, beans, 1
page of chiles/hot peppers, herbs, flowers, and fiber plants.

(Some examples: 4 types of sorghum, 3 types of sesame, 10 varieties
of quinoa)
This is a very "Politically Correct" looking catalog, with recipes and
articles interspersed.

I've never ordered from these folks (hadn't heard of them till today)
but will probably order something just to get their catalog next year.

Anyone out there dealt with them?


Subject: Re: Seeds of Change Organic Seeds
Date: 24 Jan 92 03:49:33 GMT

I purchased several packets from them through a Gardner's Supply
insert (which I haven't seen in any of the GSC catalogs this year).
All of the plants that I got in the ground did well.  I particularly
liked the Burbank slicing tomato.

The funniest thing related to the "marigold" seeds.  I ordered the
"rare, nematocidal Mexican marigolds" that supposedly repelled soil
nematodes.  The ad and the packet both said (Height 6' - 9').  I
assumed that that was a typo - who ever heard of 6 foot marigolds!
Well I certainly can't sue them for truth in advertising.  Those
suckers ended up growing about 7 feet talk and effectively blocked the
light for tomatoes and peppers.  Next year they go in the BACK of the
garden!


Subject: Re: Seeds of Change Organic Seeds
Date: 25 Jan 92 07:02:59 GMT

Yes, my gardening colleagues and I have had very good success with those
folks out in Gila.  The Seeds of Change show up in your mail-box quickly
and germinate with better success than any other company's.  Several varieties
of their lettuce are very very good (I keep giving in to temptatation, like
tonite and eating my intended seed-plants).  Also good are their tomatillos,
mexican sunflowers, and ezapote (wormwood).


From: Bob Batson
Subject: Re: Maza Corn
Date: 27 Jan 92 22:39:47 GMT
 DA> I would like to grow the kind of Corn which is ground
 DA> for making tortillias, maza harina, tamalies, and the
 DA> like.  I would like the leaves which wrap the ear to
 DA> be large enough to wrap tamalies.  Where do I find
 DA> seed for the traditional mexican maza corn?

The type of corn that is best suited for this purpose woulds be a type
called a FLOUR CORN. Kernals of flour corn are easier to grind than flint
or dent corn, milling easily to a soft flour. It's grown primarily in the
Southwest and the Northern Plains.

It's available with kernals that are either blue/purple, multi-colored,
red/pink, white, yellow, and black. I'll give you the names of the yellow
varieties plus some sources.

        HOPI YELLOW
        MANDAN YELLOW
        PAPAGO
        TEXAS SHOEPEG

                                 SOURCES

Abbreviation(s)
        CAT - catalog

        ABUNDANT LIFE SEED FOUNDATION                   CAT - $1
        P.O. Box 772
        Port Townsend, WA 98368

        NATIVE SEEDS/SEARCH                             CAT - $1
        2509 N. Campbell Ave. #325
        Tuczon, AZ 85719

        PLANTS OF THE SOUTHWEST                         CAT - $1
        930 Baca St.
        Santa Fe, NM 87501

Article 4757 (13 more) in rec.gardens:
From: Tom McNeal
Subject: Re: Catalog addresses (was Re: Burpee address)
Date: 6 Jan 92 18:03:53 GMT

   I got some of this from the net a while back, so it's worth publishing
again.  I haven't heard of 'Pepper Gal', but I recommend a magazine called
'Chile Pepper'.  Good info and good receipes.

Alberta Nurseries & Seeds, LTD.
Box 20
Bowden, Alta.
Canada TOM OKO

Burgess Seed and Plant Co.
905 Four Seasons Road
Bloomington, IL 61701

Burpee Seed Company
300 Park Avenue
Warminster, PA 18974

D.V. Burrell Seed Company
Box 150
Rocky Ford, CO 81067

Caprilands Herb Farm
534 Silver Street
Coventry, CT 06238

Henry Fields and Company
Box 600
Shenandoah, IA 51602

Friends of the Trees
P.O. Box 1064
Tonasket, WA 98855

Gurney Seed and Nursery
110 Capital Street
Yankton, SD 57079

Harris Moran Seed Company
3670 Buffalo Road
Moreton Farm
Rochester, NY 14624

H.G. Hastings and Company
Box 4274
Atlanta, GA 30302

Heirloom Gardens
Box 138
Guerneville, CA 95446

Horticultural Enterprises
Box 810082
Dallas, TX 75381-0082

Jackson and Perkins
Box 1028
Medford, OR 97501

Johnny's Selected Seeds
310 Foss Hill Road
Albion, ME 04910

J.W. Jung Seed Company
335 South High Street
Randolph, WI 53957

Laval Seeds
3505 Saint Martin West
Ville de Laval, Que.
Candada H7T 1A2

Le Jardin du Gourmet
West Danville, VT 05873

Le Marche Seeds International
Box 566
Dixon, CA 95620

Orol Ledden & Sons, Inc.
Center and Atlantic Avenues
Sewel, NJ 08080-0007

Liberty Seed Company
P.O. Box 806
New Philadelphia, OH 44663

Long Island Seed Company
1368 Flanders Road
Flanders NY 11901

Earl May Seed and Nursery Company
Shenandoah, IA 51603

Mc Crory's Sunny Hill Herb Farm
Star Route 3 Box 844
Eustis, FL 32726

Mellinger's
2374 W. South Range Road
North Lima, OH 44452

Michigan Bulb Company
1950 Waldorf, N.W.
Grand Rapids, MI 49550

Moon Mountain Wildflowers
P.O. Box 34
Morro Bay, CA 93442

Nichols Garden Nursery
1190 N. Pacific Highway
Albany, OR 97321

Ontario Seed Co., Ltd.
Box 144
Waterloo, Ont.
Canada N2J 3Z9

Otis S. Twilley Seed Company, Inc.
P.O. Box  T65
Trevose, PA 19053

Park Seed Company
Box 31
Cokesbury Road
Greenwood, SC 29647-0001

Peace Seeds
1130 Tetherow Rd.
Williams, OR 97554

Pinetree Garden Seeds
New Gloucester, ME 04260

Porter & Sons Seedsmen
Box 104
Stephenville, TX 76401-0104

Sandy Mush Herb Nursery
Rt. 2
Surrett Cove Td.
Leicester, NC 28748

Seed Savers Exchange
Rt. 3, Box 239
Decorah, Iowa  52101

Seeds Blum
Idaho City Stage
Boise, ID 83707

Seedway, Inc.
Box 250
Hall, NY 14463

Shepherds Garden Seeds
 7389 West Zayante Rd.
Felton, CA 95018

R.H. Shumway
P.O. Box 777
Rockford, IL 61105

Southern Exposure Seed Exchage
P.O. Box 158
North Garden, VA 22959

Stokes Seeds
28 Water Street
Fredonia, NY 14063

Sunrise Enterprises
P.O. Box 10058
Elmwood, CT 06110

Thompson and Morgan
Box 1308, Dept SP6
Jackson, NJ 08527

Otis Twilley Seed Co.
Box 65
Trevose, PA 19047

Vermont Bean Seed Company
Garden Lane
Fair Haven, BT 05743

Vesey's Seeds
York P.E.I.
Canada COA 1PO

Well-Sweep Herb Farm
317 Mr. Bethel Rd.
Port Murray, NJ. 07865

Wyatt-Quarles Seed Co.
Box 739
Garner, NC 27529


Subject: Re: Seed Savers Exchange
Date: 11 Jan 92 00:47:16 GMT

The Seed Savers Exchange is a non-profit orgn which links home gardeners,
farmers, scientists and other interested individuals to help preserve
open-pollenated varieties of food crops (including many heirlooms).
SSE is not a seed company - members share seeds by dealing directly with one
another, using the SSE publications as a kind of trading post.  Members are
encouraged to grow out their seeds using proper seed-saving techniques, and
reoffer the next generation of seeds through the program.  The idea is that
the more people who grow a given variety and collect seeds from it, the
less likely that variety is to disappear.  I could give you frightening
statistics about the number of vegetable varieties that become extinct every
year.

I think a one-year membership is $25 for US residents, $30 for Canadians.
For this you get 3 thick books, mailed separately throughout the year,
filled with information about seed-saving and gardening in general.  I have
found these books to be amazingly informative.  One of the books (usually
mailed in January) contains an enormous list of the members' seed offerings.
You can get a lot of varieties through SSE members which are no longer
available from ANY commercial seed company, and apart from the annual
membership fee, you only pay for postage.

The address is:
        Seed Savers Exchange
        RR3, Box 239
        Decorah, Iowa
        52101

May I also recommend a Canadian seed exchange which operates the same way
as SSE.  They also publish excellent, informative info and coordinate
seed-swapping among members.

        Heritage Seed Program
        RR3, Uxbridge
        Ontario, Canada
        L9P 1R3

        My info says: Canadian membership $12, fixed income $9,
                      supporting member $20, U.S. & foreign $17.


Subject: Re: Seed Savers Exchange
Date: 11 Jan 92 21:02:10 GMT

The Seed Savers Exchange (known hereafter as the SSE) is a not-for-profit,
tax exempt, pubically supported organization. Annual membership dues are
$25, $30 Canadian (or Mexican) and $40 Foreign. Lifetime membershhips are
$350 (pledge payments of $30/month for a year are available). Membership
is open to all. For a comprehensive brochure about the SSE, send $1.00
(US) to:

        SEED SAVERS EXCHANGE
        Rural Route 3, Box 239
        Decorah, Iowa 52101
        U.S. of America

ALSO:
For a free catalog, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to:
        THE PEPPER GAL
        10536 119th Ave. North
        Largo, FL 34643


From: Kay Klier
Subject: Great strange plants...
Date: 27 Jan 92 23:59:42 GMT

Just started to mark up my copy of the Nichol's Garden Nursery catalog
(herbs and rare seed specialists) 1190 North Pacific Highway, Albany,
OR, 97321.   Haven't seen this catalog for years, and I guess I forgot
all the lovely strange things they carry:

For instance:
Nepeta mussini, a low-growing rock garden catnip that my cats seem to
   think is the cat-equivalent of Acapulco gold.
Coriander or Cilantro: a slow-bolting form
Epazote: Chenopodium ambrosoides
Good King Henry:  Chenopodium bonus-henricus
Anise hyssop:  Agastache foeniculus.  Licorice-scented leaves, nice
  blue flowers the bees love (no, you don't get licorice flavored honey).
Tagetes lucida: a 3' marigold that makes a pretty good substitute for tarragon.
Sweet Woodruff: for Mai-wine and potpourri
Pyrethrum: grow your own.

Some things I think I recall people asking about/talking about recently:
Fraxinella  (gas plant)
Hops (for flavoring beer and ale) (yes, they are the other genus in
   the Cannabinaceae (or Cannabaceae, take your pick) -- anyhow,
   first cousin to marijuana
Saffron crocus bulbs
Walking onions
Elephant garlic
yellow potatos  (bintje is great in potato salad!)
yard long beans  (no, green, not purple)
celtuce
miniature sweet corn (advise picking no more than 5 days after silks appear)
jicama
tomatillo
11 cvs hot pepper
12 cvs sweet pepper (incl. pepperoncini)

Oddities that caught my eye:
black radish (black skin, white flesh)
Oregon Spring and Santiam tomatoes, two determinant types that are
  parthenocarpic.  In poor growing conditions, fruits will be seedless.
  About 10 days *earlier* than Early Girl.
Lion's ears (Leonotus nepetifolia): a 3-5 ft mint plant with whorls of
  orange flowers.  The hummingbirds like this South African native.
Lobelia 'Compliment Scarlet': a tetraploid cross between L. fulgens
  and L. cardinalis.  Should be large (1-1.5") bright red flowers
  that hummingbirds ought to find irresistible.
Chinese lantern plant (Physalis alkakengi): "husk tomatoes" with
  bright orange husks.  Made about $100 one year selling that to
  florists on $1 worth of seed...
Bushel gourd:  a lageneria with fruits to 20" across.

also LOTS of oriental veggies....


From: Kay Klier
Subject: Nichol's and Liberty phone #
Date: 29 Jan 92 19:11:43 GMT

Nichols Garden Nursery
1190 Pacific Coast Highway
Albany, OR 97321-4598
phone (503) 928-9280
fax (503) 967-8406

mainly herbs and veggies, esp. oriental veggies  Seeds seem to run about
$0.70-$1.50 packet, mostly around $1.  Free catalog, I think.  $1.25 handling
charge per order.

Liberty Seed
PO Box 806
New Philadelphia, OH  44663
phone (216) 364-1611
fax (216) 364-6415

lots of "mainstream veggies" and a fair amount of wildflower and ornamental
seeds.  Interesting plants for drying. Prices about 1/2-3/4 of "rack" prices
for packeted seeds (Burpee, NK, etc.) around here.
   Also will sell largish quantities of seed to ordinary people at wholesale
prices (usually 25-50% off).  (e.g., 4 oz beets $2.45, but 1 lb for $5.35)
$1 handling per order east of Rockies.  Add $0.20 per pound rest of Rockies.


From: Kay Klier
Subject: More strange plants...
Date: 28 Jan 92 00:09:18 GMT

'Nother neat catalog:

Liberty Seed Company, PO Box 806, New Philadephia, OH  44663.

Lots of good, basic seeds, including 34 cultivars of sweet corn,
and some FUN seeds like:

Ornamental wheat for weaving and bouquets:
  black heads and black awns
  white heads and black awns
  white heads and white awns
and 'Gigas': 3 1/2" heads with 1" long spikelets (HUGE!!) and grey or black
awns.

Podcorn:  like a regular ear of field corn, but with "husks" surrounding
each kernal.

Broomcorn: not a corn, but a sorghum with long infloresence branches.  It's
  the stuff real "cornbrooms" are made from.  Since the tips of the
  inflorescences are covered with shiny yellow, red, brown, mahogany or
  black "seeds", they've apparently been considered decorative by the
  florists.


Subject: Re: where are epazote seeds?
Date: 11 Jan 92 00:00:26 GMT

Nichols Garden Nursery
1190 North Pacific Highway
Albany, Oregon 97321-4598

Plant a handful of epazote plants, and you'll never have to buy seed again.
They happily reseed all over, and grow like--um, weeds.  Which, if you didn't
know what they were, is what you'd think of them.

Mine are currently a gorgeous maroon color, tinged with scarlet, by the way.
Their last gasp of the season.


Subject: Re: where are epazote seeds?
Date: 10 Jan 92 20:33:17 GMT

 SP> A recent issue of Fine Gardening contained an article about Mexican
 SP> culinary herbs, including catalog sources. I believe it mentioned
 SP>  epazote.
 SP> I think it was the last issue (December).

Epazote seed is available from the following source:

        HORTICULTURAL ENTERPRISE
        P.O. Box 810082
        Dallas, TX 75381-0082

While this company specializes in chilies and sweet peppers, they also
sell the seeds of some Mexican herbs and vegetables. The catalog (actually
a price-list) is free and they will mail seeds to Canada also.


Subject: Re: slow bolting cilantro

 TW> I want to grow cilantro for the leaves here in southern Wisconsin.
 TW> Every variety I've tried goes to seed almost immediately.  They're meant
 TW> to produce coriander I guess.  There are some varieties that are meant to
 TW> produce leaves, but I can't find them.  Any suggestions?

You might try growing a variety called `Large Leaved'. It's a relatively
slow flowering type which produces large quantities of young leaves for
vegetable use. It's available from the following source:

        EVERGREEN Y.H. ENTERPRISES
        P.O. Box 17538
        Anaheim, CA 92817

They offer a good selection of oriental vegetable seeds, over 50
varieties. Their catalog is $1.00.

You could also try growing a variety of Cilantro called `Santo' (aka
Slow Bolt, Long Standing, & Leafy). This is a new strain of Coriandrum
sativum that produces lush vegetative growth through several cuttings and
is relatively non-bolting. Although it is slow to bolt to seed, it's best
to make succession plantings every few weeks to ensure a continuous
harvest. "Most productive in cool weather." Some sources are:

        NICHOLS GARDEN NURSERY                  Cat. - free
        1190 North Pacific Hwy.
        Albany, OR 97321

        REDWOOD CITY SEED CO.                   Cat. - $1.00
        P.O. Box 361
        Redwood City, CA 94064

        SUNRISE ENTERPRISES                     Cat. - $1.00
        P.O. Box 10058
        Elmwood, CT 06110-0058

        TERRITORIAL SEED CO.                    Cat. - free
        P.O. Box 27
        Lorane, OR 97451

PS. There's a tropical plant with coriander-flavored leaves called
Cilantro peperomia (Peperomia maculosa).


Subject: Re: slow bolting cilantro
Date: 29 Jan 92 17:37:54 GMT

>I want to grow cilantro for the leaves here in southern Wisconsin.
>Every variety I've tried goes to seed almost immediately.  They're meant
>to produce coriander I guess.  There are some varieties that are meant to
>produce leaves, but I can't find them.  Any suggestions?

I've never experienced the problem you describe, but here's what the Ortho book
"All about Herbs" says about Coriander:

    Direct seed coriander in early spring or late summer through fall...
    Sowing the seeds in late spring or summer is futile because the short
    nights wil make plants flower and set seeds precociously, when they
    are tiny. Plants will withstand quite cold weather....


Subject: Suttons seed in England.
Date: 11 Feb 92 18:57:53 GMT

About 10 years ago I visit London and bought some interesting seeds I have
never seen since. Could anoune check for the following?

Tomato:
"French cross"
Pea:
"Purple podded pea"

About the same time, I also joined a meeting in Mosbach, Germany. I bought
there a very good variety of Brussel sprout which I saw Thompson & Morgan
offered one or two years ago, but they were out of stock when I wrote them:

"Rubine" A violet/purple variety which was very frost-tolerant and gave much
better taste on the sprouts.


Subject: Re: Seeds missing in 1992 Thompson & Morgan catalogue
Date: 8 Feb 92 22:14:06 GMT

 AC> To my greatest displeaure I have seen that the French climbing bean
 AC> Purple Podded Climbing bean has been removed from the lists.

I got some sources for you out of the book _CORNUCOPIA: A Source Book of
Edible Plants_ by Stephen Facciola (ISBN 0-9628087-0-9), but before I list
them, here is a list of abbreviations used.

        CAT - Catalog
        CC - Credit Cards
        ENGL - English Language Catalog
        M.O. - Minimum Order
        OVER - Overseas
        PC - Personal Checks
        R  & W - Retail and Wholesale
        RET - Retail

 AC> Could any of you check if some american seed resellers has listed this
 AC> bean in their catalogues?

A pole bean called PURPLE POD is listed on page 9 in the 1992 catalog for:

        HENRY FIELD'S SEED & NURSERY CO.
        407 Sycamore Street
        Shenandoah, IA 51602
        (605) 665-9391

CAT FREE, R & W, PC/CC
-       -       -       -       -       -       -       -       -       -
There is no listing for a bean called Purple Pod in the book _CORNUCOPIA_,
but there are the following purple-podded pole snap beans:
BLUE COCO, DOW PURPLE POD, LOUSIANA PURPLE POD, PURPLE PEACOCK, TRIONFO
VIOLETTO, VIOLA CORNETTI, and VIOLET PODDED STRINGLESS.

If you are interested in any of these pole beans, let me know my e-mail
and I'll send you the appropriate address(es).

 AC> My mother also has for long times missed the tomato 'Tiny Tim'. Is it
 AC>  available
 AC> in US? If so, which reseller do sell it abroad?

The following tomato seed supplier sells to overseas customers.

        TOMATO SEED CO., INC.
        P.O. Box 323
        Metuchen, NJ 08840
        (201) 548-9036

CAT FREE, RET, PC, OVER
-       -       -       -       -       -       -       -       -       -
 AC> Another plant is a herb growing on Madagascar in Africa. It is the only
 AC> representative of the family in Africa, all others (and also the same
 AC> species) grows in Southern America. I have seen sometime the American
 AC> name, but have forgot it. In Madagascar it is called 'Anamalao'. It's
 AC> latin name is 'Spilanthes oleracea'. Could any of you check if some
 AC> seed resellers sell this spice/herb?

`Spilanthes oleracea' (a.k.a. Spilanthes acmella `Oleracea') Para or
Brazil cress has two sources, both in the US.

        PEACE SEEDS
        2385 S.E. Thompson St.
        Corvallis, OR 97333
        (503) 752-0421

CAT $3.50, R & W, PC/OC, OVER
-       -       -       -       -       -       -       -       -       -
        SEEDS OF CHANGE
        621 Old Santa Fe Trail, #10
        Santa Fe, NM 87501
        (505) 983-8956


From: Kay Klier
Subject: Cream Peas FOUND!!!
Date: 17 Feb 92 01:03:02 GMT

Browsing through the Park's catalog while I was home with strep throat:
lo and behold, CREAM PEAS on p. 15 of the spring catalog.  These are indeed
what I learned to call southern peas, cowpeas or fieldpeas in agronomy
classes, and they list several cultivars:
'Banquet' (p. 15) 5226-3          $1.25 pkt  1.95 4oz   3.15 8oz
'Hercules' (p. 111) 5232-6              all cultivars same price
'Mississippi Silver' (p. 111) 5224-9
'Purple Hull' (p.111) 5228-7
'California blackeye' (p.111) 5222-5
Park's Seed  Cokesbury Road  Greenwood SC 29647-0001

Liberty Seed Company  PO Box 806  New Philadephia, OH 44663
offers 'California Blackeye #5', 'Mississipi Silver' and 'Purple Hull Pinkeye'
for $0.95/pkt or 2.15 for 8 oz.


Subject: Re: can you plant "food" beans
Date: 18 Feb 92 01:28:51 GMT

> I buy pinto beans and lima beans and lentils and etc. and was thinking
> about growing some type of bean of that nature this year.  I was perusing
> the catalogs and said how come pinto beans cost $.40/pound to eat but $.95
> per 2 oz. to plant them.  My husband said why don't we just plant some of
> the ones we buy to eat.  Well, that seems like a great idea, certainly a
> lot cheaper than buying seeds, but I figured that was too obvious and
> might not work.

The reason you might pay $0.95 for bean seed is that you should be getting
plants that are true to their variety, and shouldn't have seed-borne diseases
(beans have several, most of which are readily apparent).  If you plant the
grocery store stock, they'll grow just fine, and produce, but they may not
be just like the ones you planted.  They may be F2 segregates of hybrid
stock, or they may be accidental hybrids.  If you can tolerate some strange-
looking beans, go for it.

Some companies also inoculate their bean seed with Rhizobium bacteria to
help the plants fix nitrogen.  You may want to inoculate grocery store
seed with a commercial legume inocculant (Nitragin is one brand that comes
to mind, but there are others).  Don't bother to inoculate though, if you
use nitrogen containing fertilizer on your beans anyhow.  They won't
fix nitorgen under those conditions.

Kay Klier   Biology Dept  UNI


Subject: Re: German Ivy
Date: 16 Feb 92 21:54:47 GMT

 ja>   Does anyone know where I can get German Ivy. I tried all the local
 ja> nurseries and they say that they are getting some but haven't for about
 ja> a year. A friend of mine love s this plant and desperatley wnats one.
 ja>   A mail order company would be nice but anyplace is better than none.

You might try the following mail-order company.

        IVIES OF THE WORLD
        P.O. Box 408
        Highway 42 (2 miles East)
        Weirsdale, FL 32195
        (904) 821-2201 or 5322 (telephone)

This company's catalog is $1.50 and they have a $20 minimum order. Offers
more than 200 cultivars of ivt, mainly rooted cuttings; plants are grouped
by type and well described. This nursey was formerly Tropexotic Growers
and before that The Alestake of Elkwood, VA.  PS - They also accept
telephone orders paid by credit card.

This information is from _Gardening by Mail: A Source Book_ by Barbara J.
Barton (ISBN 0-395-52280-3), 3rd edition.

 
 * Forwarded from "Home and Garden"
 * Originally dated 31 Mar 1992, 16:58
 >       I am in the process of starting an herb garden, and
 > would like addresses for companies that sell seeds or baby
 > plants....I am mainly interested in finding herbs other than
 > those commonly considered as "cooking herbs", they have been
 > easy to find....

I hope you can get the Herbs'n'Such echo... but if not,
here are two herb sources...
I haven't written to them yet, so I don't know what they offer,
but I got this list from my local paper this week...

WOODRUFF FARMS, RFD 2, Whitehalll, NY 12887...
Flowers, vegetables and herbs; packets usually have fewer seeds
than more expensive packets.

SHEPHERD'S GARDEN SEEDS, 6116 Highway 9, Felton, CA  95018...
Excellent herb and vegetable seeds and recipes.

Since I've started, here is the rest of what was listed in the
article, from Scripps News Service:

     COMPANIES FURNISHING MAIL-ORDER GARDEN CATALOGS
     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
AMERICAN DAYLILY AND PERENNIALS, PO Box 7008, The Woodlands, TX  77387...
A specialty grower that features day lilies, iris, and other plants that
may be hard to find.

BOUNTIFUL GARDENS, 5798 Ridgewood Road, Willits, CA  95490...
For organic gardeners, with more than 200 varieties of open-pollinated
seeds, cover crops, seed-planting guidelines and supplies.

BURPEE, 300 Park Ave., Warminster, PA...
Annuals, perennials, shrubs, trees, vegetables, and garden plans.

CARROLL GARDENS, PO Box 310, 444 Main St., Westminster, MD  21157...
Roses, shrubs, perennials, trees and vines.

HARRIS SEEDS, Moreton Farm, 3670 Buffalo Road, Rochester, NY  14624...
Flower and vegetable seeds, many developed by a research organization.

HASTINGS, 1036 White St., SW, PO Box 115535, Atlanta, GA  30310-8535...
Seedsman for the South; most vegetable and flower selections will grow
in the Midwest.

J.L. HUDSON, SEEDSMAN, PO Box 1058, Redwood City, CA  94064...
Offers directions for hardy annuals, tender annuals, hardy perennials,
biennials, hardy trees and shrubs, tropical plants and trees and
palm seeds.

JOHNNY'S SELECTED SEEDS, Foss Hill Road, Albion, Maine  04910-9731...
Organically produced seeds.

LIBERTY SEED CO., PO Box 806, New Philadelphia, OH  44663...
An old, reliable firm offering many Ohio favorites.

PARK SEED CO., Cokesbury Road, Greenwood, SC  29647-0001...
Annuals, perennials, bulbs, trees, shrubs, vines and vegetables.

PEACEFUL VALLEY FARM SUPPLY, PO Box 2209, Grass Valley, CA  95945...
Supplies such as earthworm castings and cover crop seeds for organic
gardens.

STARK BROTHERS' NURSERIES, Louisiana, MO  63353...
Specializes in fruit trees.

STOKES, Box 548, Buffalo, NY  14240...
Dozens of varieties of tomatos, with in-depth descriptions; also a
wide range of vegetable and flower seeds.

WAYSIDE GARDENS, 1 Garden Lane, Hodges, SC  29695-0001...
A colorfully illustrated catalog of shrubs, vines and trees.

WHITE FLOWER FARM, Litchfield, Conn., 06759-0050...
Provides several colorful catalogs and updates annually, describing
fine varieties of perennials and shrubs.


Subject: Buena Creek Gardens
Date: 6 Mar 92 17:52:35 GMT

The following is the name an address of a local mail-order nursery
that specializes in hybrid daylilies, irises, perennials, rare
subtropicals, and drought tolerant plants.  The name of the nursery is
Cordon Bleu, but the mail order business in Buena Creek Gardens.

Buena Creek Gardens
418 Buena Creek Rd.
San Marcos, CA 92069
Steve Brigham (619)744-2810

I went by a couple of weeks ago and they have some very unusual
plants. They specialize in daylilies, but there weren't too many in
bloom.  Most are well suited varieties for California or the south
(evergreen varieties).  They also had a lot of irises, many of which
they claim will rebloom in our climate. They are preparing for a large
iris show in April.

The original property had some very unusual plants on in it (many not
for sale).  There were full sized specimens of unusual cacti.  They
also had a lot of Australian and south African plants.  Lots of plants
had naturalized over the years.  In many of the shady areas, they had
Lenten roses in bloom. Also they had a drought tolerant lily-family
member plant that grows well under eucalyptus.  It had pale yellow
colored flower spikes and succulent looking foliage and blooms in late
winter to early spring.

The property next door is Judy's perennials (619-471-8850) and is set
up more in an English Garden style.  She keeps weird hours, so is best
call before going.  She carries some of the new alstroemeria hybrids
and true geraniums.  She also uses clear soft yellow munnemannia
fumarifolia (Mexican tulip poppy) in her gardens.  It is related to
the native California poppy and supposed to be easy to grow from seed,
but I have had no luck with it.  Hopefully she will have some of these
plants for sale this year.


Subject: Re: edible roots
Date: 12 Mar 92 23:50:37 GMT

>Does anyone have the complete address.  Do I need to send a SASE with
>the $1?

        J.L. Hudson, Seedsman
        P.O. Box 1058
        Redwood City, CA  94064

SASE not required... Hudson's catalog is too big for a standard
envelope.  Add an extra dollar for a one-year subscription to his rare
seeds supplement... comes out 2-3 times a year, and lists seeds that
have recently arrived and may not be available in large enough
quantities to be listed in the main catalog.

His catalog is _great_ reading... it always leaves me with a very bad
case of acreage-lust (I want enough garden space to grow two of
_everything_).  Nice folks, too... I usually enclose a letter with my
order letting them know how my previous year's plants turned out, and
I've always gotten a note back in response (usually from Hudson
himself).  The Zapotec Collection contains some very interesting
varieties... I really love the Manzano Amarillo chile (fuzzy leaves,
apple-shaped green fruits turning yellow/orange when ripe, flavorful,
and VERY HOT).

Another interesting edible-root plant is the "Chinese Yam" or "Cinnamon
vine".  At least, it _sounds_ interesting... perennial, pretty much
pest-free, productive, easy to grow, and the (inconspicuous) flowers
smell like cinnamon.  The biggest disadvantage (according to the Seeds
Blum catalog) is that the tubers go _deep_ into the ground and aren't
suited for mechanical harvest... you must go after them with a
garden-fork.  However, they can (it says here) be left in the ground
indefinitely;  the tubers get larger and larger but don't get tough or
woody.

I can't swear to any of this... mine are still at the seedling stage and
I won't know until autumn whether I really like them.  I got the
bulblets from Seeds Blum (tried last year but they were out;  they say
they have a good supply this year) and I've gotten 100% of the bulblets
I planted to sprout.

        Seeds Blum
        Idaho City Stage
        Boise, Idaho

These folks get #very# badly backlogged in the spring.  I usually get
their catalog right around Christmas time, and I've learned to send in
the order immediately... one year I waited until the end of February to
order, and my seeds took over eight weeks to arrive.

They're a good source of heirloom and traditional vegetable varieties...
no F1 hybrids at all.

Subject: Re: Parsley seeds
Date: 17 Mar 92 14:10:47 GMT

> I am looking for a source for parsley seeds. Please help!

This year, I ordered herb seeds (Italian and "curly" parsley included)
from:

Pinetree Garden Seeds
Lewiston Road
New Gloucester, Maine  04260

You could send away for their catalog; its free.

Here are some other sources:

W. Atlee Burpee Co.
300 Park Ave.
Warminster, PA  18974
  (free catalog)

Well Sweep Herb Farm
317 Mt. Bethel Road
Port Murray, NJ  07868
  ($1 catalog)

Jude Herbs
Box 563-CJ
Huntington Station, NY 11746
  ($1 catalog)

Sandy Mush Herb Nursery
Rt. 2, Sorret Cover Road
Leichester, NC  28748
  ($3.95 catalog)


Subject: Re: edible roots--unusual beets
Date: 18 Mar 92 01:53:20 GMT

For unusual beets, have I got a seed catalog for you!

  The Cook's Garden
  P.O. Box 535
  Londonderry, VT 05148

These guys specialize in heirloom and unusual vegetables.  This year, I'm
trying Chiogga, an heirloom variety that is supposed to be very sugary and
have a root consisting of pink and white rings, giving a candystripe
appearance.  They have golden beets, carrot-rooted beets, beets grown for
their tops, etc...  All sorts of interesting varieties.  (You should see
their selection of salad greens!!  Or eggplants!)


Subject: Australian plants
Keywords: catalogs, seeds

I have recently read through a number of books which are either directly
or indirectly about Australian plants.  Does anyone know of seed
catalogs which might specialize in the Australia/New Zealand area?  I
have such catalog gems as J.L.Hudson and The Banana Tree, and have ordered
from them.  But they only offer a smattering of goodies from down under.
A summary will be posted if requested.  Thanks.

Subject: Re: creeping thyme source?
Date: 31 Mar 92 18:48:47 GMT

A good source of thymes is the nursery someone posted yesterday:

Companion Plants, 7247 N. Coolville Ridge, Rd., Athens, Ohio 45701.
Phone (614) 592-4043.

Most of their thymes are prostrate ("creeping").  My favorite thyme
is orange-balsam.  It has a warm, almost nutty, citrus scent.
It is one of the more upright growing thymes.

Subject: Re: creeping thyme source?

 > Maybe I am not shopping at the right places, or getting the right
 > catalogues, but I have yet to find a place that sells creeping thyme
 > in any shape or form.  If you know a source, please clue me in.

Try any of the following sources.

        COMPANION PLANTS                        [CATALOG $2]
        7247 North Coolville Ridge Road         [MINIMUM ORDER]
        Athens, OH 45701                        [$15 Plants]
        (614) 592-4643                          [$5 Seeds]
-----
        THE SEED SOURCE                         [CAT $4]
        Rte. 68, Box 301                        [M.O. $25]
        Tuckasegee, NC 28783

NOTE: Has seed of more than 7,000 unusual plants. Previously known as
Maver Nursery.
-----
        WELL-SWEEP HERB FARM                    [CAT $2]
        317 Mt. Bethel Rd.                      [M.O. $5]
        Port Murray, NJ 07865                   [NO telephone orders]
        (201) 852-5390
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The above information is from _CORNUCOPIA: A Source Book of
Edible Plants_ by Stephen Facciola (ISBN 0-9628087-0-9)

BTW, you might also try:

        NICHOLS GARDEN NURSERY INC.             [CAT FREE]
        1190 North Pacific Hwy.
        Albany, OR 97321
        (503) 928-9280


Re: Fern Society, sources for fern spores.
Subject: Re:Spore source wanted, also associations
Date: 5 Dec 91 19:21:17 GMT

 >Does anyone know of a source for fern spores.  Parks, etc occasionally offer
 >mixtures, but I want to know what is growing when something starts.
 >Additionally I've gotten some strange looking hybrids out of the mixture
 >method of growing fern.  Also are there National Associations offering spore
 >and seed libraries for their members? If so, can anyone offer addresses/phone
 >numbers?

 You might try contacting either/or the following societies.

        AMERICAN FERN SOCIETY
        Dept. of Botany, Univ. of Vermont
        Burlington, VT 05405-0086

 Membership does not include the more scholarly "Fmerican Fern
 Journal", which costs an extra $15 (plus $4 overseas). Spore
 exchange has fresh spore available by exchange or at nominal cost to
 society members. Membership is by calendar year only. Also publishes
 "Pteridologia" (irregular basis); write for information.
  Annual Dues --- $8 (in USA)
 --------------------------------------------------------------------
        LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL FERN SOCIETY
        P.O. Box 90943
        Pasadena, CA 91109-0943

 Has a spore program and round-robins on various subjects. Also holds
 educational programs.
 Annual Dues --- $15

Subject: Seed Savers Exchange (was: Wish List)
Date: 10 Apr 92 20:33:18 GMT

I thought I should give a plug for the Seed Saver's Exchange, address
Rural Route 3, Box 239, Decorah Iowa 52101. Annual membership is $25,
("optional reduced fees $20, $15") and you get a Yearbook containing
members addresses and varieties of heirloom plants offered. This year
they list 14,780 kinds of rare vegetables, grain, a few fruit and misc.

These folks also run a 140 acre Heritage Farm, and are doing a great
job of preserving a diverse gene pool - a critical endeavor which will
someday be appreciated.

CA Du D (me/us) are listed this year for the wonderful dry-bean variety
_Tarahumara carpinteros_, a 90 day drought tolerant vigorous plant with
gorgeous black and white beans (like Holsteins). email if interested...


Subject: Source for camellia 'Pink Perfection'
Date: 29 Apr 92 15:39:07 GMT

   Camellia 'Pink Perfection' is listed in the current CAMELLIA FOREST
nursery catalog.
        CAMELLIA FOREST
        125 Carolina Forest Road
        Chapel Hill, NC 27516
        919-967-5529
        $1 catalog price

   I purchased a few plants from Camellia Forest and was very satisified
with size, quality, packing etc.  The camellia selection is huge.  Also
many unusual asian trees and shrubs.  The catalog is well done and quite
informative.


Subject: Re: edible roots
Date: 12 Mar 92 23:50:37 GMT

>Does anyone have the complete address.  Do I need to send a SASE with
>the $1?

        J.L. Hudson, Seedsman
        P.O. Box 1058
        Redwood City, CA  94064

SASE not required... Hudson's catalog is too big for a standard
envelope.  Add an extra dollar for a one-year subscription to his rare
seeds supplement... comes out 2-3 times a year, and lists seeds that
have recently arrived and may not be available in large enough
quantities to be listed in the main catalog.

His catalog is _great_ reading... it always leaves me with a very bad
case of acreage-lust (I want enough garden space to grow two of
_everything_).  Nice folks, too... I usually enclose a letter with my
order letting them know how my previous year's plants turned out, and
I've always gotten a note back in response (usually from Hudson
himself).  The Zapotec Collection contains some very interesting
varieties... I really love the Manzano Amarillo chile (fuzzy leaves,
apple-shaped green fruits turning yellow/orange when ripe, flavorful,
and VERY HOT).

Another interesting edible-root plant is the "Chinese Yam" or "Cinnamon
vine".  At least, it _sounds_ interesting... perennial, pretty much
pest-free, productive, easy to grow, and the (inconspicuous) flowers
smell like cinnamon.  The biggest disadvantage (according to the Seeds
Blum catalog) is that the tubers go _deep_ into the ground and aren't
suited for mechanical harvest... you must go after them with a
garden-fork.  However, they can (it says here) be left in the ground
indefinitely;  the tubers get larger and larger but don't get tough or
woody.

I can't swear to any of this... mine are still at the seedling stage and
I won't know until autumn whether I really like them.  I got the
bulblets from Seeds Blum (tried last year but they were out;  they say
they have a good supply this year) and I've gotten 100% of the bulblets
I planted to sprout.

        Seeds Blum
        Idaho City Stage
        Boise, Idaho

These folks get #very# badly backlogged in the spring.  I usually get
their catalog right around Christmas time, and I've learned to send in
the order immediately... one year I waited until the end of February to
order, and my seeds took over eight weeks to arrive.

They're a good source of heirloom and traditional vegetable varieties...
no F1 hybrids at all.

Subject: Re: creeping thyme source?
Date: 31 Mar 92 18:48:47 GMT

A good source of thymes is the nursery someone posted yesterday:

Companion Plants, 7247 N. Coolville Ridge, Rd., Athens, Ohio 45701.
Phone (614) 592-4043.

Most of their thymes are prostrate ("creeping").  My favorite thyme
is orange-balsam.  It has a warm, almost nutty, citrus scent.
It is one of the more upright growing thymes.


Subject: Re: creeping thyme source?

 > Maybe I am not shopping at the right places, or getting the right
 > catalogues, but I have yet to find a place that sells creeping thyme
 > in any shape or form.  If you know a source, please clue me in.

Try any of the following sources.

        COMPANION PLANTS                        [CATALOG $2]
        7247 North Coolville Ridge Road         [MINIMUM ORDER]
        Athens, OH 45701                        [$15 Plants]
        (614) 592-4643                          [$5 Seeds]
-----
        THE SEED SOURCE                         [CAT $4]
        Rte. 68, Box 301                        [M.O. $25]
        Tuckasegee, NC 28783

NOTE: Has seed of more than 7,000 unusual plants. Previously known as
Maver Nursery.
-----
        WELL-SWEEP HERB FARM                    [CAT $2]
        317 Mt. Bethel Rd.                      [M.O. $5]
        Port Murray, NJ 07865                   [NO telephone orders]
        (201) 852-5390
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The above information is from _CORNUCOPIA: A Source Book of
Edible Plants_ by Stephen Facciola (ISBN 0-9628087-0-9)

BTW, you might also try:

        NICHOLS GARDEN NURSERY INC.             [CAT FREE]
        1190 North Pacific Hwy.
        Albany, OR 97321
        (503) 928-9280


Subject: Re: Maza Corn
Date: 27 Jan 92 22:39:47 GMT
 DA> I would like to grow the kind of Corn which is ground
 DA> for making tortillias, maza harina, tamalies, and the
 DA> like.  I would like the leaves which wrap the ear to
 DA> be large enough to wrap tamalies.  Where do I find
 DA> seed for the traditional mexican maza corn?

The type of corn that is best suited for this purpose woulds be a type
called a FLOUR CORN. Kernals of flour corn are easier to grind than flint
or dent corn, milling easily to a soft flour. It's grown primarily in the
Southwest and the Northern Plains.

It's available with kernals that are either blue/purple, multi-colored,
red/pink, white, yellow, and black. I'll give you the names of the yellow
varieties plus some sources.

        HOPI YELLOW
        MANDAN YELLOW
        PAPAGO
        TEXAS SHOEPEG

                                 SOURCES

Abbreviation(s)
        CAT - catalog

        ABUNDANT LIFE SEED FOUNDATION                   CAT - $1
        P.O. Box 772
        Port Townsend, WA 98368

        NATIVE SEEDS/SEARCH                             CAT - $1
        2509 N. Campbell Ave. #325
        Tuczon, AZ 85719

        PLANTS OF THE SOUTHWEST                         CAT - $1
        930 Baca St.
        Santa Fe, NM 87501


Subject: Re: Catalog addresses (was Re: Burpee address)
Date: 6 Jan 92 18:03:53 GMT

   I got some of this from the net a while back, so it's worth publishing
again.  I haven't heard of 'Pepper Gal', but I recommend a magazine called
'Chile Pepper'.  Good info and good receipes.

Alberta Nurseries & Seeds, LTD.
Box 20
Bowden, Alta.
Canada TOM OKO

Burgess Seed and Plant Co.
905 Four Seasons Road
Bloomington, IL 61701

Burpee Seed Company
300 Park Avenue
Warminster, PA 18974

D.V. Burrell Seed Company
Box 150
Rocky Ford, CO 81067

Caprilands Herb Farm
534 Silver Street
Coventry, CT 06238

Henry Fields and Company
Box 600
Shenandoah, IA 51602

Friends of the Trees
P.O. Box 1064
Tonasket, WA 98855

Gurney Seed and Nursery
110 Capital Street
Yankton, SD 57079

Harris Moran Seed Company
3670 Buffalo Road
Moreton Farm
Rochester, NY 14624

H.G. Hastings and Company
Box 4274
Atlanta, GA 30302

Heirloom Gardens
Box 138
Guerneville, CA 95446

Horticultural Enterprises
Box 810082
Dallas, TX 75381-0082

Jackson and Perkins
Box 1028
Medford, OR 97501

Johnny's Selected Seeds
310 Foss Hill Road
Albion, ME 04910

J.W. Jung Seed Company
335 South High Street
Randolph, WI 53957

Laval Seeds
3505 Saint Martin West
Ville de Laval, Que.
Candada H7T 1A2

Le Jardin du Gourmet
West Danville, VT 05873

Le Marche Seeds International
Box 566
Dixon, CA 95620

Orol Ledden & Sons, Inc.
Center and Atlantic Avenues
Sewel, NJ 08080-0007

Liberty Seed Company
P.O. Box 806
New Philadelphia, OH 44663

Long Island Seed Company
1368 Flanders Road
Flanders NY 11901

Earl May Seed and Nursery Company
Shenandoah, IA 51603

Mc Crory's Sunny Hill Herb Farm
Star Route 3 Box 844
Eustis, FL 32726

Mellinger's
2374 W. South Range Road
North Lima, OH 44452

Michigan Bulb Company
1950 Waldorf, N.W.
Grand Rapids, MI 49550

Moon Mountain Wildflowers
P.O. Box 34
Morro Bay, CA 93442

Nichols Garden Nursery
1190 N. Pacific Highway
Albany, OR 97321

Ontario Seed Co., Ltd.
Box 144
Waterloo, Ont.
Canada N2J 3Z9

Otis S. Twilley Seed Company, Inc.
P.O. Box  T65
Trevose, PA 19053

Park Seed Company
Box 31
Cokesbury Road
Greenwood, SC 29647-0001

Peace Seeds
1130 Tetherow Rd.
Williams, OR 97554

Pinetree Garden Seeds
New Gloucester, ME 04260

Porter & Sons Seedsmen
Box 104
Stephenville, TX 76401-0104

Sandy Mush Herb Nursery
Rt. 2
Surrett Cove Td.
Leicester, NC 28748

Seed Savers Exchange
Rt. 3, Box 239
Decorah, Iowa  52101

Seeds Blum
Idaho City Stage
Boise, ID 83707

Seedway, Inc.
Box 250
Hall, NY 14463

Shepherds Garden Seeds
 7389 West Zayante Rd.
Felton, CA 95018

R.H. Shumway
P.O. Box 777
Rockford, IL 61105

Southern Exposure Seed Exchage
P.O. Box 158
North Garden, VA 22959

Stokes Seeds
28 Water Street
Fredonia, NY 14063

Sunrise Enterprises
P.O. Box 10058
Elmwood, CT 06110

Thompson and Morgan
Box 1308, Dept SP6
Jackson, NJ 08527

Otis Twilley Seed Co.
Box 65
Trevose, PA 19047

Vermont Bean Seed Company
Garden Lane
Fair Haven, BT 05743

Vesey's Seeds
York P.E.I.
Canada COA 1PO

Well-Sweep Herb Farm
317 Mr. Bethel Rd.
Port Murray, NJ. 07865

Wyatt-Quarles Seed Co.
Box 739
Garner, NC 27529


Subject: Re: Seed Savers Exchange
Date: 11 Jan 92 00:47:16 GMT

The Seed Savers Exchange is a non-profit orgn which links home gardeners,
farmers, scientists and other interested individuals to help preserve
open-pollenated varieties of food crops (including many heirlooms).
SSE is not a seed company - members share seeds by dealing directly with one
another, using the SSE publications as a kind of trading post.  Members are
encouraged to grow out their seeds using proper seed-saving techniques, and
reoffer the next generation of seeds through the program.  The idea is that
the more people who grow a given variety and collect seeds from it, the
less likely that variety is to disappear.  I could give you frightening
statistics about the number of vegetable varieties that become extinct every
year.

I think a one-year membership is $25 for US residents, $30 for Canadians.
For this you get 3 thick books, mailed separately throughout the year,
filled with information about seed-saving and gardening in general.  I have
found these books to be amazingly informative.  One of the books (usually
mailed in January) contains an enormous list of the members' seed offerings.
You can get a lot of varieties through SSE members which are no longer
available from ANY commercial seed company, and apart from the annual
membership fee, you only pay for postage.

The address is:
        Seed Savers Exchange
        RR3, Box 239
        Decorah, Iowa
        52101

May I also recommend a Canadian seed exchange which operates the same way
as SSE.  They also publish excellent, informative info and coordinate
seed-swapping among members.

        Heritage Seed Program
        RR3, Uxbridge
        Ontario, Canada
        L9P 1R3

        My info says: Canadian membership $12, fixed income $9,
                      supporting member $20, U.S. & foreign $17.


Subject: Re: Seed Savers Exchange
Date: 11 Jan 92 21:02:10 GMT

The Seed Savers Exchange (known hereafter as the SSE) is a not-for-profit,
tax exempt, pubically supported organization. Annual membership dues are
$25, $30 Canadian (or Mexican) and $40 Foreign. Lifetime membershhips are
$350 (pledge payments of $30/month for a year are available). Membership
is open to all. For a comprehensive brochure about the SSE, send $1.00
(US) to:

        SEED SAVERS EXCHANGE
        Rural Route 3, Box 239
        Decorah, Iowa 52101
        U.S. of America
--------------------------------------
ALSO:
For a free catalog, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to:
        THE PEPPER GAL
        10536 119th Ave. North
        Largo, FL 34643


From: Kay Klier
Subject: Great strange plants...
Date: 27 Jan 92 23:59:42 GMT

Just started to mark up my copy of the Nichol's Garden Nursery catalog
(herbs and rare seed specialists) 1190 North Pacific Highway, Albany,
OR, 97321.   Haven't seen this catalog for years, and I guess I forgot
all the lovely strange things they carry:

For instance:
Nepeta mussini, a low-growing rock garden catnip that my cats seem to
   think is the cat-equivalent of Acapulco gold.
Coriander or Cilantro: a slow-bolting form
Epazote: Chenopodium ambrosoides
Good King Henry:  Chenopodium bonus-henricus
Anise hyssop:  Agastache foeniculus.  Licorice-scented leaves, nice
  blue flowers the bees love (no, you don't get licorice flavored honey).
Tagetes lucida: a 3' marigold that makes a pretty good substitute for tarragon.
Sweet Woodruff: for Mai-wine and potpourri
Pyrethrum: grow your own.

Some things I think I recall people asking about/talking about recently:
Fraxinella  (gas plant)
Hops (for flavoring beer and ale) (yes, they are the other genus in
   the Cannabinaceae (or Cannabaceae, take your pick) -- anyhow,
   first cousin to marijuana
Saffron crocus bulbs
Walking onions
Elephant garlic
yellow potatos  (bintje is great in potato salad!)
yard long beans  (no, green, not purple)
celtuce
miniature sweet corn (advise picking no more than 5 days after silks appear)
jicama
tomatillo
11 cvs hot pepper
12 cvs sweet pepper (incl. pepperoncini)

Oddities that caught my eye:
black radish (black skin, white flesh)
Oregon Spring and Santiam tomatoes, two determinant types that are
  parthenocarpic.  In poor growing conditions, fruits will be seedless.
  About 10 days *earlier* than Early Girl.
Lion's ears (Leonotus nepetifolia): a 3-5 ft mint plant with whorls of
  orange flowers.  The hummingbirds like this South African native.
Lobelia 'Compliment Scarlet': a tetraploid cross between L. fulgens
  and L. cardinalis.  Should be large (1-1.5") bright red flowers
  that hummingbirds ought to find irresistible.
Chinese lantern plant (Physalis alkakengi): "husk tomatoes" with
  bright orange husks.  Made about $100 one year selling that to
  florists on $1 worth of seed...
Bushel gourd:  a lageneria with fruits to 20" across.

also LOTS of oriental veggies....


From: Kay Klier
Subject: Nichol's and Liberty phone #
Date: 29 Jan 92 19:11:43 GMT

Nichols Garden Nursery
1190 Pacific Coast Highway
Albany, OR 97321-4598
phone (503) 928-9280
fax (503) 967-8406

mainly herbs and veggies, esp. oriental veggies  Seeds seem to run about
$0.70-$1.50 packet, mostly around $1.  Free catalog, I think.  $1.25 handling
charge per order.

Liberty Seed
PO Box 806
New Philadelphia, OH  44663
phone (216) 364-1611
fax (216) 364-6415

lots of "mainstream veggies" and a fair amount of wildflower and ornamental
seeds.  Interesting plants for drying. Prices about 1/2-3/4 of "rack" prices
for packeted seeds (Burpee, NK, etc.) around here.
   Also will sell largish quantities of seed to ordinary people at wholesale
prices (usually 25-50% off).  (e.g., 4 oz beets $2.45, but 1 lb for $5.35)
$1 handling per order east of Rockies.  Add $0.20 per pound rest of Rockies.


From: Kay Klier
Subject: More strange plants...
Date: 28 Jan 92 00:09:18 GMT

'Nother neat catalog:

Liberty Seed Company, PO Box 806, New Philadephia, OH  44663.

Lots of good, basic seeds, including 34 cultivars of sweet corn,
and some FUN seeds like:

Ornamental wheat for weaving and bouquets:
  black heads and black awns
  white heads and black awns
  white heads and white awns
and 'Gigas': 3 1/2" heads with 1" long spikelets (HUGE!!) and grey or black
awns.

Podcorn:  like a regular ear of field corn, but with "husks" surrounding
each kernal.

Broomcorn: not a corn, but a sorghum with long infloresence branches.  It's
  the stuff real "cornbrooms" are made from.  Since the tips of the
  inflorescences are covered with shiny yellow, red, brown, mahogany or
  black "seeds", they've apparently been considered decorative by the
  florists.


Subject: Re: where are epazote seeds?
Date: 11 Jan 92 00:00:26 GMT

Nichols Garden Nursery
1190 North Pacific Highway
Albany, Oregon 97321-4598

Plant a handful of epazote plants, and you'll never have to buy seed again.
They happily reseed all over, and grow like--um, weeds.  Which, if you didn't
know what they were, is what you'd think of them.

Mine are currently a gorgeous maroon color, tinged with scarlet, by the way.
Their last gasp of the season.

Subject: Re: where are epazote seeds?
Date: 10 Jan 92 20:33:17 GMT

 SP> A recent issue of Fine Gardening contained an article about Mexican
 SP> culinary herbs, including catalog sources. I believe it mentioned
 SP>  epazote.
 SP> I think it was the last issue (December).

Epazote seed is available from the following source:

        HORTICULTURAL ENTERPRISE
        P.O. Box 810082
        Dallas, TX 75381-0082

While this company specializes in chilies and sweet peppers, they also
sell the seeds of some Mexican herbs and vegetables. The catalog (actually
a price-list) is free and they will mail seeds to Canada also.


Subject: Re: slow bolting cilantro

 TW> I want to grow cilantro for the leaves here in southern Wisconsin.
 TW> Every variety I've tried goes to seed almost immediately.  They're meant
 TW> to produce coriander I guess.  There are some varieties that are meant to
 TW> produce leaves, but I can't find them.  Any suggestions?

You might try growing a variety called `Large Leaved'. It's a relatively
slow flowering type which produces large quantities of young leaves for
vegetable use. It's available from the following source:

        EVERGREEN Y.H. ENTERPRISES
        P.O. Box 17538
        Anaheim, CA 92817

They offer a good selection of oriental vegetable seeds, over 50
varieties. Their catalog is $1.00.

You could also try growing a variety of Cilantro called `Santo' (aka
Slow Bolt, Long Standing, & Leafy). This is a new strain of Coriandrum
sativum that produces lush vegetative growth through several cuttings and
is relatively non-bolting. Although it is slow to bolt to seed, it's best
to make succession plantings every few weeks to ensure a continuous
harvest. "Most productive in cool weather." Some sources are:

        NICHOLS GARDEN NURSERY                  Cat. - free
        1190 North Pacific Hwy.
        Albany, OR 97321

        REDWOOD CITY SEED CO.                   Cat. - $1.00
        P.O. Box 361
        Redwood City, CA 94064

        SUNRISE ENTERPRISES                     Cat. - $1.00
        P.O. Box 10058
        Elmwood, CT 06110-0058

        TERRITORIAL SEED CO.                    Cat. - free
        P.O. Box 27
        Lorane, OR 97451

PS. There's a tropical plant with coriander-flavored leaves called
Cilantro peperomia (Peperomia maculosa).


Subject: Re: slow bolting cilantro
Date: 29 Jan 92 17:37:54 GMT

>I want to grow cilantro for the leaves here in southern Wisconsin.
>Every variety I've tried goes to seed almost immediately.  They're meant
>to produce coriander I guess.  There are some varieties that are meant to
>produce leaves, but I can't find them.  Any suggestions?

I've never experienced the problem you describe, but here's what the Ortho book
"All about Herbs" says about Coriander:

    Direct seed coriander in early spring or late summer through fall...
    Sowing the seeds in late spring or summer is futile because the short
    nights wil make plants flower and set seeds precociously, when they
    are tiny. Plants will withstand quite cold weather....