Whenever stress got the better of me during college, I’d walk into town. The mile-long trek and the enormous elm trees that lined both sides of the avenue, their arcing branches creating a lacy canopy, were often enough to soothe me. Years later I revisited that street and the consoling canopy was gone — Dutch elm disease had taken its toll. It was my first lesson in the importance of plant diversity; if the elms had been intermixed with maple, locust, and ash trees, the devastation wouldn’t have been so complete. Instead, the elm-less avenue was all sharp edges and concrete.
I thought again of plant diversity this month, when I visited Seed Savers Exchange (SSE) in Decorah, Iowa. On the wooden seed racks in the visitors’ center were packets of tomato seeds with names like Black Sea Man and Hillbilly Potato Leaf, beans called Turkey Craw and Lazy Housewife, and squash dubbed Guatemalan Blue Banana, Long Island Cheese, and Yugoslavian Finger Fruit. The variety extended beyond the names: cooks enjoy the diversity of size, shape, color, and taste, while gardeners appreciate the range of days to germination, heat tolerance, and disease resistance. A commitment to preserve these kinds of diverse seeds was the impetus for Diane Ott Whealy and Kent Whealy, who in 1975 started Seed Savers Exchange with the seeds of a morning glory vine and a German Pink tomato. A gift from Diane’s Grandpa Ott, these seeds had been passed through the family by his parents, who brought them to Iowa from Bavaria when they emigrated in the 1870s.
From that grassroots beginning, SSE has grown to include 13,000 members and encompass nearly 900 acres, a site known as Heritage Farm, where heirloom seeds and plants are collected, grown, studied, and preserved. Heirloom seeds are typically more than 50 years old and have been handed down through generations. The red barns and myriad gardens of SSE make it look like a typical farm (albeit meticulously maintained), but it’s much more.
“We are a farm, but also a lab, a seed vault, a seed company, we have hiking trails, we publish books, and we’re a living museum,” says John Torgrimson, SSE’s executive director. “We provide an alternate model to more conventional agriculture, especially for home gardeners and market farmers.”
In addition to growing and preserving heirloom vegetables, fruits, flowers, and herbs, collecting and recording data and storing seeds for future use, a major mission of SSE is “participatory preservation.” Each year the organization’s members who commit to growing seeds by SSE’s approved methods may list their seeds for sale or exchange in SSE’s annual yearbook — in this year’s book, 700 members offered 13,876 unique varieties of vegetables and fruits. “Participatory preservation is at the heart of Seed Savers,” says Torgrimson. “We want gardeners everywhere saving seeds. There’s no better hedge against the changes wrought by agribusiness.”
When I admired whorls of green and nearly black lettuces growing by the visitor’s center, Torgrimson explained that these raised beds are testing grounds for studying varieties before they’re offered to the public. Data is recorded — length of time for germination and maturity, water needs, heat tolerance, etc. — and samples are harvested and tasted. It takes an average of three years from the time a seed is collected until it’s ready to be sold in the SSE catalog. In other gardens, seeds are “grown-out” to create more seeds, both for sale and for safekeeping. SSE protects samples of its stock in on-site storage, as well as in the USDA Seed Bank in Fort Collins, Colorado and the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway.
Along with collecting physical data, SSE records the cultural history of its seeds. “Every variety, every seed has a story,” says Torgrimson. “Many families have seeds handed down through generations.”
These seeds are often shared with the SSE. An example is Grandpa Admire’s lettuce. In the catalog are notes about its flavor and heat tolerance, along with mention that it was given to SSE in 1977 by 90-year-old Chloe Lowry and named after her grandfather, a Civil War veteran. “People kept these seeds for a reason — heirlooms are survivors that have adapted to weather conditions, to pests, and they taste great,” Torgrimson says. “People want them to be saved and distributed.” To preserve them, heirloom seeds and tissue culture are stored in climate-controlled rooms until they’re “grown out.” To prevent accidental cross-pollination in the field, SSE workers go to extremes. Carrots, for example, in the same family as the Queen Anne’s Lace that grows wild in Decorah ditches, are grown in isolation tents. Because Iowa farmers grow lots of corn, it’s not unusual to see stalks in the Heritage Farm fields with paper bags covering the tassels, preventing a cross between local farmers’ crops and SSE heirloom varieties.
Educating gardeners about these and other heirloom seeds is a central mission of SSE. Torgrimson is delighted that vegetable gardening is growing in the U.S. — in 2009, more than 7 million U.S. households planted vegetables for the first time. He hopes novice gardeners will consider heirloom seeds. ”You’d be amazed at what you can grow in a 10′ by 10′ plot, or in pots if you’re in an urban area,” he says. His advice? “Keep it simple, have fun, and grow things you like to eat.”
Seed Saver seeds are available at more than 500 garden stores throughout the U.S. They can also be ordered online. For more information, visit http://www.seedsavers.org.
About the author: A lifelong sewer/knitter and former weaver/spinner, Linzee Kull McCray, a.k.a. lkmccray, is a writer and editor living in Iowa. She feels fortunate to meet and write about people, from scientists to stitchers, who are passionate about their work. Her freelance writing appears in Quilts and More, Stitch, Fiberarts, American Patchwork and Quilting and more. For more textile musings, visit her blog.
More Features From Linzee | Plants and Edibles Category
A lifelong sewer/knitter and former weaver/spinner, Linzee Kull McCray, a.k.a. lkmccray, is a writer and editor living in Iowa. She feels fortunate to meet and write about people, from scientists to stitchers, who are passionate about their work. Her freelance writing appears in Quilts and More, Stitch, Fiberarts, American Patchwork and Quilting and more. For more textile musings, visit her blog.
114 comments
Sign in to add your ownscarletbegonia11 says:
So important to save these seeds and keep the variety alive! Very happy to see this post today. Also, check out horizonherbs.com for rare medicinal seeds :-)
345 days ago
CarryTheWord says:
Wonderful information! I'd love to visit there!
345 days ago
blessedvintage says:
love the garden, I grew the biggest vegatable myself this spring in az. love the article blessings
345 days ago
cubits says:
So nice to see this article today :) Canadians should check out Seeds of Diversity and the Populuxe Seed Bank for information specific to Canadian heirloom seed saving.
345 days ago
VintageEye says:
This really appeals to my inner botany nerd! Thanks!
345 days ago
MootiDesigns says:
Beautiful garden, thank you for sharing!
345 days ago
MegansMenagerie says:
Love this!!!!
345 days ago
noonblueapples says:
This is such great work that the SSE is doing, really wonderful. Thanks for the great article!
345 days ago
Barnaclebags says:
Thanks so much for this article! I just joined seed savers this spring, what a wonderful organization! Happy Gardening to all!
345 days ago
prettydreamer says:
Linzee, what a super story ...wouldn't I love to hear some more of the story behind those little seeds. Thank you!
345 days ago
designinglife says:
Seed Savers is wonderful! My husband and I bought heirloom seeds from this for our garden. We love being able to grow vegetables that you can't get at the store!
345 days ago
thisthatotherthings says:
I Love Home Grown Garden Goodness. Thanks for sharing.
345 days ago
amysfunkyfibers says:
I just got in from pulling weeds...great article!
345 days ago
amysfunkyfibers says:
I just got in from pulling weeds...great article!
345 days ago
LittleWrenPottery says:
Wow an amazing project kinda wish there was something like this in the uk, I love purple carrots - they arent naturally orange they should be purple! How cool is that!
345 days ago
Courtney5918 says:
This is such a great project, it makes my heart swell
345 days ago
KatEzat says:
What these people do is sooo important. I wanna get me some seeds for my balcony ;)
345 days ago
paramountvintage says:
so important! we need to preserve history as much as possible.
345 days ago
BlackStar says:
So excited to see an article about SSE! They do fab work. You can also buy heirloom seeds right here on Etsy.
345 days ago
thelittlemarket says:
Great article!!! Thank you so much for such valuable information!!
345 days ago
WhisperingOak says:
This is so interesting. It hurts my heart everytime I see trees cut down to open up another parking lot. Great to see people working so hard for preservation.
345 days ago
wolfmothercommune says:
fantastic!!!!
345 days ago
overthemeadow says:
How splendid! Love that feeling of getting back into nature and growing and eating healthy fresh produce from the backyard !!! Very inspiring :-)
345 days ago
mudhousedesigns says:
Wonderful, Wonderful, Wonderful!!! I have been growing heirloom varieties of vegetables, herbs and flowers for years. I love it. The heirloom movement goes hand in hand with the handmade movement. They are identical philosophies.....in reality they are one in the same. They are just different physical manifestations of the same ideologies. Thank you so much for sharing the message of heirloom seeds with the community here at ETSY. Power to the people! There are many awesome organizations out there doing similar work. Buy organic and heirloom and support the revolution!
345 days ago
ThePolkadotMagpie says:
Long time member and fan. Thanks for spreading the word. :-)
345 days ago
ThoseThreeWords says:
Beautiful pictures, and very educational! I often dream of having a garden of my own, but being in an apartment for now keeps it a dream for the future. Thanks for sharing the importance of heirloom seeds, I'll definitely be looking into them for "one day"...!
345 days ago
TheIDconnection says:
Wonderful, remind me of growing up on the farm in Ohio. Everything was home grown. There is nothing like it! Great story. Monica TheIDConnection & NanaBellAntiques
345 days ago
jennyleefowler says:
Definitely a national treasure trove! There are some great regional folks doing important seed saving and education as well like the Hudson Valley Seed Library. Nice to see this spotlighted here :)
345 days ago
aBreathofFrenchair says:
I love this! As someone who starts all her annuals and perennials by seed, this is very interesting! I winter sow my seeds using the method on Wintersowing.org. it produces large and sturdy plants and you can garden all year!
345 days ago
myvintagecrush says:
what a great way to pre plan your garden - a yearbook!
345 days ago
TheBourgeois says:
Lets all begin to make a difference today. TODAY!!!
345 days ago
ohbabydotcom says:
There is a great group of people called "Seeder Exchange" - Gardening is wonderful! We love growing and cooking with herbs.
345 days ago
NotYourGrandmasAttic says:
Such pretty items, I love this article.
345 days ago
followingfireflies says:
so very important to save your seeds! important for us and future generations. do not wait for someone else to do it and hope these heirlooms will still be around later. it's up to each of us to make sure they will be around for future generations.
345 days ago
NaturalPetProducts says:
Such a wealth of knowledge here, ty for sharing (everyone)!!
345 days ago
lorenabr says:
Would love to visit!
345 days ago
musarraandcompany says:
My garden gets bigger every year! Now I am dying to try some of these out. There is nothing like peservation of our past to mark our future successes and failures.
345 days ago
ObeliskFiberArts says:
Wonderful article! After growing SSE seeds for years, last Summer I visited SSE for the first time. The photos and texts brought back many good memories, and I'm looking forward to visiting again soon. I honestly never expected to read about SSE on Etsy. My favorite communities are converging. Thanks.
345 days ago
UUPP says:
Growing up in a family of 9, we grew most of our own food. It was lovely. I am now a very passionate gardener.
345 days ago
GardenApothecary says:
Yep, I love seed savers exchange! great org and even better seeds!
345 days ago
MoonlightMicroFarm says:
Great article! It's so important to spread the word about preserving biodiversity through seed saving. SSE has been a true inspiration for us seed savers and gardeners.
345 days ago
TheMillineryShop says:
Not only have people grown accustomed to the same unvaried fruits and vegetables sold by the supermarket chains but we no longer accept anything but a perfectly round red(dish) tomato that looks pretty good but has no flavor. Oddball veggies that are healthy and amazingly delicious lose out to what we now "think" our produce should look like. In my garden, purple beans win out over green and beautiful star-shaped pattypan squash takes the place of ubiquitous zucchini. Yet my husband loves his iceberg lettuce.
345 days ago
shop1848 says:
What a wonderful article! These guys are doing great work!
345 days ago
Jungle says:
SOS! save our seeds!
345 days ago
AlissaRose says:
I love seed saving! Most people don't know what common vegetables and fruits look like when they're flowering and going to seed - knowing makes the world that much more exciting!
345 days ago
misty714 says:
I live in Memphis TN, in midtown, and I grow, in my front yard, Tomatoes, Okra, Cucumbers, Peppers, Watermelon and herbs! It is the most rewarding thing ever!! Easy too, try it!! Thanks for telling me about these seeds, I will get some!!! misty
345 days ago
CakisCottage says:
Very interesting article.... greatly enjoyed ......Thank you
345 days ago
theroyal says:
saving seeds is very important. monsanto patents and GMO's should mot be legal. the more organic varieties of seeds not patented by monsanto or any other small farmer suing corporation the better..
345 days ago
katrinaalana says:
I'd love to plant a garden someday. It would be great to plant these heirloom seeds and enjoy a fresh bounty.
345 days ago
teospe08s says:
I save lot of seeds from my garden..its from generation to generation..some of seeds i sell it..most of seeds i keep for my own garden..i love to have my meals come from healthy natural fruits and vegetables that i grow in my garden. :)
345 days ago
Iammie says:
Love this story.
345 days ago
TheScarfTree says:
So beautiful! Lovely place to visit! Thanks for sharing !
345 days ago
Peachygirl says:
Well you've gone and done something quite nice for me: reminded me of my precious mom whose passion was to get out in her gardens and plant something, anything, she just had to get her hands in the dirt and the results were absolutely beautiful. And now you've also inspired me to get out there as well in her memory! Thank you!
345 days ago
Zodiaque says:
How exciting. I can't wait to move into my new place that hopefully will have enough room for a garden. I love my little container herb garden, but can't wait to have more room for heirloom plants. It's like a little vintage collection but living and breathing in your yard. How awesome is that?!
345 days ago
woollypastures says:
My family visited last fall to learn about planting garlic and the varieties they carry. Wonderful place to be inspired and purchase great seed. Thank you for sharing, Lindzee :)
345 days ago
EnRouteStudio says:
wow guys, this is intense! I find gardening an act of faith. Water until it comes. Water vigilantly, lovingly and with desperation to see that first pair of leaves come up. Then... those leaves are in your hands.
345 days ago
minzer says:
Such an important article and company and way of life! I might be bias seeing that John is my uncle but I have to say Go Seed Savers! I helped with the harvest of their garlic last summer and I can't wait to help again. It feels good to get your hands dirty!
345 days ago
AMRSTUDIO says:
What a great story. Reminds me of my youth when we once raised our own vegetables and canned for the winter. Now living on the 9th floor in a NYC apartment makes me yearn for those days. Love to get a hold of some of those seed varieties and begin planting but first I'll need a plot of land.
345 days ago
paulajeansgarden says:
Every community needs a "seed bank" of heirloom seed collections growing in its neighborhood gardens. That's what I call food security.
345 days ago
redemptionart says:
Great article! Heirloom seeds or keiki (baby) are so much a part of keeping our Hawaiian culture alive, as with so many indigenous cultures. I too have purchased heirloom seeds from other places on etsy at http://www.wallflowerstudio.etsy.com. I can't wait to turn heirloom cucumbers and tomatoes Hawaiian..lol!
345 days ago
MoonlitHerbals says:
This is such a neat article, thank you so much for sharing!
345 days ago
thegemreaper says:
I actually purchased from SSE this Spring. I couldn't be happier with my order and I could just hug them for what they are doing.
345 days ago
mariposavintage says:
I went to the Irish branch of seed savers for the first time in March its such a inspiring organization doing such important work! I was also able to buy to buy tomato seeds which are made for growing in the dodgy summers we can experience here in Ireland. I got three varieties two from Canada and one from Siberia so far this summer it has been wet wet wet and they are thriving! I think that this is the future of gardening why have these evil seed companies been allowed to take over and create plan
345 days ago
mariposavintage says:
plants which cant self seed its shocking and wrong
345 days ago
pasin says:
a wonderful article! These guys are doing great work!
345 days ago
pasin says:
a wonderful article! These guys are doing great work!
345 days ago
LittleBlueMoon says:
What a nice heritage farm. Hope to visit it someday.
345 days ago
BabaMoon says:
how wonderful! it's nice to know there are organisations like this in the world that seek to preserve all that is precious for our land and gardens. We have a similar organisation in the UK known as Ryton Garden Organics which we are members of and receive a generous selection of heritage seeds each year. Great article!
345 days ago
kathyjohnson3 says:
Beautiful place, and it's nice to know that there are places like this that do preserve seeds to be handed down from generation to generation. Some plants that my grandmother had growing in her garden I can't even find anymore. Will have to check this out, thanks for a great article!
345 days ago
abbyberkson says:
This is incredible, and fills me with hope for the future. I want to go to this place-and will definitely be looking for some of their seeds. Thank you for this article, and the amazing photographs.
345 days ago
ddfoto says:
Great article. Makes me want to go out and plant something!!
345 days ago
willaby says:
Thanks for this article! Preserving different varieties of seeds helps us not to have to go to such great lengths to sustain only a few varieties (pest control, disease control, etc.). Disease is much more likely when there are limited varieties. I love growing heirloom seeds for the flavor but also it allows me to marvel at the beauty of food!
345 days ago
jmbarclay says:
I know where im buying next years seed's.
345 days ago
BizzieLane says:
Thank you so much for sharing this information. I have seeds from my family that have been past down from several generations. So I know the importance of this from personal experience. It is such joy to see someone plant a garden, who has never planted one. Because I grew up in a family of farmers I always thought everyone at least had small gardens. But that is simply not true. So many people think it really hard to grow food, but it is not! It's easy and pure joy! Blessings to you!
345 days ago
littlethings1 says:
Wonderful to see on Etsy ! This is where I purchase my seeds ( online ) for the past few years , I love tending to my garden. I agree with TheRoyal , Monsanto should be illegal , if more people would research what they are doing , I have several copies The World According to Monsanto DVD and pass along & if you have not seen it , you should !! My dad was a farmer and did not use chemicals , we saw first hand what can happen when you do !
345 days ago
MaryFosterCreative says:
Thank you for this informative article. I have bookmarked SSE's site for ordering next year's seeds.
345 days ago
FranceGallery says:
Great! What an important project to keep old seed varieties going.
345 days ago
zipit says:
What a wonderful organization, thank you so much for sharing!
345 days ago
SlippinSouthern says:
What a gardeners heaven! so intersting, the part on the corn rea hit home, wow. Makes you want to get out in the garden! thanks for sharing.
345 days ago
orchardfarmsoap says:
what an inspiration to do more! we save seed on quite a few heirlooms at our farm and at the farm my husband manages at WSU. maybe a garden exchange team can start on etsy. thanks for sharing this beautiful story!
345 days ago
fineartstoneware says:
Thanks for sharing this.
345 days ago
PinesVintageClothing says:
I heart seed savers!
345 days ago
BanglewoodSupplies says:
I love this. I love the photos. I need to create space for a garden!
345 days ago
NYhop says:
Very interesting.
345 days ago
MishaGirl says:
Very interesting! I love growing tomatoes....this makes me want to branch out and grow different kinds of veggies!
345 days ago
girltuesdayjewelry says:
I would love to visit this place. I am heartened to read about these people who take the time and care to keep this exchange in existence and to preserve the integrity of the plants and seeds. Thank you for sharing this!
345 days ago
accentonvintage says:
When I was growing up, I would sit with my grandmother and shell beans from piles of plants. To this day I still love to save seeds from my flowers! Great article!
345 days ago
recycledideas says:
Thanks for sharing this. I absolutely love gathering seeds!
345 days ago
pinkbijou says:
Love the article
344 days ago
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344 days ago
OldTimePickers says:
Gardening is a passion of mine...very informative article!
344 days ago
strawberryluna says:
This article makes me incredibly happy, as a gardener and a history nerd, and a lover of all things worth preserving. Hooray for heritage and the Seed Savers!
344 days ago
rejive says:
This is incredible. Keep up the good work!
344 days ago
TheLittleRagamuffin says:
I live in a fifth generation farmhouse and left behind were all kinds of treasures and family heirlooms. But some of the most amazing were the seeds and flowers my family left behind for me. I am so happy to be able to share these family heirloom seeds with others and to create new heirlooms for my great-grandchildren.
344 days ago
NatalieDrest says:
Lovely inspiring article. And I love the photos of the red barns - very American!
344 days ago
imakecutestuff says:
Fantastic article! My good friend Caitlin Moore started a seed exchange here in Western WA state - http://olympiaseedexchange.org/ She even teaches workshops about the biology of seed saving - pretty awesome stuff!
344 days ago
HandiworkinGirls says:
I seriously need a larger garden. Go heirloom seeds!
344 days ago
vintagehouse1 says:
I'm a huge collector of seeds and antiques ...I love this article!
344 days ago
FavreBijoux says:
Great post-- I have followed this story since the beginning. I love seeing your photos!!
344 days ago
Lilsugarskulls says:
Love the article!! Thank you for the information.
344 days ago
AnnTig says:
Great job! Thank you for sharing:)
343 days ago
JorjaLily says:
We sell these seeds at the garden center i work at in Iowa. I hope to visit soon, Such a great place!
343 days ago
ForestofEnchantment says:
I watched a programme on the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, I recomend anyone to have a look at the information on it. Its very interesting. Thanks for this! http://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/lmd/campain/svalbard-global-seed-vault.html
343 days ago
andralynn says:
We live in the city but we still have a garden. It's a little raised bed in the backyard and some pots on the patio filled with heirlooms, but it's enough to spark the imagination of my daughters and teach them that food doesn't just come from the grocery store.
343 days ago
minnieco says:
Love the preservation
342 days ago
collectiblesatoz says:
Great post , great farm and great mission! Thanks and keep up the great work.
342 days ago
CuffandCollar says:
keep up the good work
341 days ago
PierogiPicnic says:
Love love love Seed Savers Exchange. Thanks to them I have a beautiful heirloom urban container garden (wow that's a mouthful!).
341 days ago
CassiasGarden says:
i hope you don't mind, Linzee, but I copied your blog post with all links and credits going back to you, inviting readers to your delightful shop. My blog is mainly focused on my kitchen creations and my garden, and I hope to inspire and educate people throught it..... If that is NOT OK, please do let me know! http://CassiasKitchen.blogspot.com
341 days ago
ohbuckets says:
aah, so excited to see this article! I attended Luther College in Decorah - off to link on my FB page, my fellow alumni will be excited to see it too!
340 days ago
girliepains says:
cute!
339 days ago
Ecobota says:
Its so great to know there are people working against GMO seeds! Or at least, working to offer another option
334 days ago
Love4MyGarden says:
This is great you are spreading the word about this-very important. I enjoyed reading this very much. I am a huge gardener,grow my own food. love to see articles that make a difference. people don't realize how important heirloom seeds are. thanks :)
329 days ago
meldrum2011 says:
Heirloom Seeds relatively new science allows DNA from one species to be injected into another species in a laboratory, creating combinations of plant, animal, bacteria, and viral genes that do not occur in nature or through traditional crossbreeding methods.
310 days ago