Seeds
Who owns the seed?
Blog post: https://www.rareseeds.com/blog/post/who-owns-the-seed-who-controls-food
Video: https://youtu.be/cSsPtis0ZKM
Documentary
SYNOPSIS – Few things on Earth are as miraculous and vital as seeds. Worshipped and treasured since the dawn of humankind. In the last century, 94% of our seed varieties have disappeared. SEED: The Untold Story follows passionate seed keepers protecting our 12,000 year-old food legacy. As biotech chemical companies control the majority of our seeds, farmers, scientists, lawyers, and indigenous seed keepers fight a David and Goliath battle to defend the future of our food. In a harrowing and heartening story, these heroes rekindle a lost connection to our most treasured resource and revive a culture connected to seeds. SEED features Vandana Shiva, Dr. Jane Goodall, Andrew Kimbrell, Winona Laduke and Raj Patel.
SEED is Executive Produced by Academy Award Winning Actress Marisa Tomei, Marc Turtletaub (Little Miss Sunshine) and Phil Fairclough (Grizzly Man, Cave of Forgotten Dreams).
“Seed is not just the source of life. It is the very foundation of our being.”
– Vandana Shiva
Support open source seeds
https://rockymountainseeds.org/no-patents-on-seeds/
OSSI Seed companies
Other seed companies who grow sell and distribute open pollinated and heirloom seed varieties
Restoration Seeds – 100% savable seed
Strictly Medicinal, LLC – In a nutshell, our seeds are tested viable, GMO-free, untreated, open-pollinated, seed-saver friendly, packed with love and released to the public domain!
Bucktown Seed Company – We are a small family owned seed company offering the highest quality heirloom & organic seed varieties for the home gardener.
Sow True Seed – A collection of over 500 types of GMO-free vegetable, herb and flower seeds. We proudly carry heirloom, organic and small farmer-grown varieties. It is our mission to encourage seed saving for a resilient food system. Supporting food security and seed diversity since 2009.
Baker Creek – We only sell open-pollinated seeds: pure, natural & non-GMO!
Annie’s Heirloom Seeds – Annie’s heirlooms are at least 50 years old, open pollinated, hardy, nutritious and incredibly delicious! We’ve curated a diverse collection with time-tested seeds to thrive in every growing region and delight every gardener.
Alliance of Native Seedkeepers – All of our seeds within our seed store or any of our banks are required to be GMO free and left untreated from any sort of insecticidal or anti fungicidal coatings.
Colorado Seed Companies and Farms
High Ground Gardens – We grow, clean, pack and sell sustainably produced open pollinated, vegetable, flower and herb seed, from multiple garden sites in the beautiful San Luis Valley of South-Central Colorado. We do not work with GMO seed in any way and never use any chemical pesticides or fertilizers. We feed our families with our vegetable production, and are happy to offer folks with challenging growing conditions the chance to do the same.
High Desert Seed – Grown in Colorado by family farmers and a few dedicated seed savers. They are all open pollinated (OP), non-GMO, and grown using low input (natural) methods.
Pueblo Seed and Food – We grow certified organic open pollinated seeds for farmers and home gardeners. Our varieties are selected for drought tolerance, flavor, nutrition, and storage qualities. In addition to our own production, we maintain close working relationships with several experienced partner farms to manage isolation distances and expand our offerings. We are not a full-line seed company. We concentrate on varieties that are adapted to semi-arid and arid regions. We are certified organic by the Colorado Department of Agriculture.
Wild Mountain Seeds – Landrace selected seeds for a high altitude, short season climate.
Seeds Trust – Seeds Trust is a 30 year-old seed company dedicated to teaching you to save your own seeds, grow a delicious home garden and create stunning native landscapes. We sell heirloom seeds (passed on from generation to generation), open-pollinated seeds (will reproduce true to form) and organic/naturally grown vegetable, native wildflower, native grass and medicinal herb seeds. High Altitude Gardens has been our resource since 1984 for thousands of extreme gardeners looking for exceptional flavor and trusted reliability in the coldest climates and shortest seasons. We carry the tried and true varieties we have grown to love and rely on, season after season.
Amkha Seed is an independently owned and operated seed company located in Westminster, Colorado. We’re horticulturalists and growers obsessed with crop improvement and genetic preservation. By developing new low-input varieties, encouraging agricultural awareness, and promoting sustainable methods we hope to make a difference. We like to think of ourselves as mavericks. While we exceed industry standards, diligently adhere to restrictions and regulations, and embrace traditional proven methods, we’ve distanced ourselves from many of the industry’s dated and limiting norms. We specialize in underutilized and underappreciated food and utility crops originating from all over the world, or forgotten domestically. We also offer a wide range of open-pollinated and heirloom varieties specifically selected for their value in terms of adaptability, pest resistance, overall utility, yield, as well as other desirable and sustainable traits.
Native and non-food source seeds
Western Native Seed – specializes in seeds of plants which are native to the Rocky Mountains, western Great Plains, and adjacent areas. Our goal is to provide high quality seed for the native plant enthusiast and to promote the use of native plants for gardening, landscaping, and revegetation. We’ve been in business for over 20 years and supply a wide variety of different wildflower, grass, tree, shrub, and wetland species.
Prairie Moon Nursery – Native plants for gardening and restoration.
Tree and Shrub Seeds
Sheffield’s Seed Company – We have been scouring the world for the past 30 years looking for hard to find seeds. During this time we have developed friendships with scores of seed collectors and fellow seedsmen on every continent (except Antarctica!) This makes it possible to source the widest array of the best quality seed at the lowest price.
Seed Saving Resources and Supplies
Books
Seed to Seed by Suzanne Ashworth
Basic Seed Saving by Bill McDorman
Beginning Seed Saving for the Home Gardener by Jim Ulager
The Complete Guide to Saving Seeds by Robert E. Gough
Saving Seeds: A Home Gardener’s Guide to Preserving Plant Biodiversity by Dan Jason
The Manual of Seed Saving: Harvesting, Storing, and Sowing Techniques for Vegetables, Herbs, and Fruits by Andrea Heistinger
Seedswap: The Gardener’s Guide to Saving and Swapping Seeds by Josie Jeffery
Saving Seeds: The Gardener’s Guide to Growing and Saving Vegetable and Flower Seeds by Marc Rogers
The Seed Garden: The Art and Practice of Seed Saving Contributions by Jared Zystro, Micaela Colley
Blogs
Seed Saver Exchange blog on their top 10 seed saving supplies to keep on hand
https://blog.seedsavers.org/blog/top-10-seed-saving-supplies
Seed Packet Tutorials
https://re-living.uk/all/diy-how-to-fold-origami-seed-packets
https://www.instructables.com/Mini-Origami-Envelopes/
Seed Screens and Equipment
This set is a bit on the expensive side but they are really high quality and if you plan on sifting seeds frequently they are worth the investment.
https://strictlymedicinalseeds.com/product/stainless-steel-and-cedar-seed-cleaning-screens-set-of-8/
Occidental Arts and Ecology Center seed saving curriculum for k-6 grade A Handful of Seeds