It’s Also The Time Of Year to Order Seed Catalogs

Sure, it’s the holidays. You’re probably busy buying stocking stuffers and replacing ornaments on the tree that your retriever keeps knocking off with his tail. It would be the busiest time of year for all of us if we didn’t tend to make every other month way too busy on our own accord.

But here’s another thing you should add to your list of stuff to do this month: Start ordering seed catalogs. Visiting seed supplier websites and requesting catalogs will take about an hour of your time – then you have the joy of finding them in your mailbox sporadically over the next few weeks.

It’ll be like your own little holiday surprise that you set up for yourself. It can be your secret. For Christmas, I give myself the ability to daydream about vegetables.

Hey: It works for some of us.

The reason to start ordering seed catalogs now is that it will provide you plenty of time to choose the varieties and cultivars that you’d like to plant this year. If you’ve never planted vegetables, fruits, herbs, etc. before, it’ll give you an opportunity to research what varieties will likely thrive in your climate zone.

Don’t know where to start? Here are five seed company websites that can get the ball rolling for you. Although many of these sites have online catalogs or shops, request a physical, actual copy of the catalog. There’s a lot of be said for touching glossy pages with pictures of bright, colorful veggies over staring at a computer screen, yelling at your web browser for crashing right when you got to the tomato page.

Have at it!

Wood Prairie Farm out of Bridgewater, ME: Jim and Megan Gerritsen and their family run a small organic farm in Aroostook County. Click here to request a catalog.

Pinetree Garden Seeds in New Gloucester, ME: Pinetree makes every effort to keep GMO seeds out of their catalog. Click here to request a catalog.

Johnny’s Selected Seeds out of Winslow, ME: Employee-owned and well respected, Johnny’s Seeds were the lucky guns to find themselves in my soil last spring. I can whole-heartedly recommend the Johnny’s purchasing experience; however, if you’re wary of hybridized vegetables and genetics, pay close attention to their variety descriptions. They are very transparent about the nature of each seed – you just have to read the details. Request a catalog here.

Fedco Seeds of Waterville, ME: According to their website, they provide cold-hardy varieties “especially adapted to our demanding Northeast climate.” To order a catalog, call (207)426-0090.

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds of Missouri: Non-GMO, non-patented heirloom seeds are available for purchase, just in case you want to stick to gardening the old-fashioned way. Click here to request a catalog.

Seed Savers Exchange of Iowa: SSE is another heirloom seed provider. Some of the cultivars that caught my eye? Strawberry Crown Squash and Dragon Carrots. Click here to request a catalog.

I have already received my Johnny’s catalog and am waiting for the others to come in. How about you join me in the joy of that daily walk to the mailbox?

Jenna Beaulieu

About Jenna Beaulieu

Jenna is a writer and fine art photographer who recently moved from the Saint John Valley region to the quiet side of Mount Desert Island. She’s a fan of excellent music, homemade gravy, and colored pencils (also, short books and long books, good pens, flannel, and when the June bugs don’t really come out much that year). For more about Jenna and her work, visit her website at www.jennabeaulieu.com