Happenings: Seed Starters

I love growing things. I’m no expert, by any means, but I have always had a love affair with dirt, soil, earth and the magick that springs forth. When I was a kid, we had a garden, and chickens (and turkeys and rabbits) but I lived on a steep sloping hill with just a bit of plateau (big enough for the house, the drive, the garden) on a narrow strip. We were country folk and ‘put up’ a lot of tomatoes and beans every year, cured meats (and skins); but my people were more hunters and fishermen than growers (more like a history of trapping and moonshine). But the principles were there. When I would go to my grandmother’s, in the big ‘town’, we would plant flower beds upon flower beds. Her mother kept the back fence garden full of dahlia’s, hollyhocks, gladiolas – the old time flowers. My grandmother would plant this large peanut-shaped bed on the lawn with annuals every year, and I would help. It was my favorite time of the year.

By the time I was surly-mohawked-19yr-old, living part-time in Staten Island with my mom, going to hardcore shows in the city, you would think the growing was out of me (or on hiatus) but I had a little herb garden and was making my own teas (much to my little brother’s chagrin as he was the official taste-tester) and sewing my own tea bags. When I met Josh a few years later I was still planting herbs outside the house I shared with a girlfriend (and when Josh and I decided to run off into the sunset, I dug them all up, put them in baskets and sold them at our yard sale for as much cash as we could scratch up before we left to drive to New Orleans from VT). But then Josh and I lived in many apartments where we could not have a garden (though I always tried, even in the darkest of shared yard corners and driveway medians, porch and window boxes).

I’m the kind of person floored by the magick of the seed. Janisse Ray’s book The Seed Underground, anything about the kooky Gettle’s (the people behind Baker Creek Seeds), and their associate Vandana Shiva – all make me deeply appreciative of seed-magick. I’m in an online book club now on Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass, which is just such a lovely book I’ve been in love with now for a couple of years (it’s one of those books I like to always give as a gift, that and Maxine Hong Kingston’s Fifth Book of Peace). Books about growing – in more ways than one. For those of you who like those sorts of avenues and communities – both ‘Taproot’ and ‘Emergence’ magazine are great resources. The latter features the seed goddess Rowen White, as well.

With that said, I think it’s beautiful if the Victory Garden comes back (though less about the name – perhaps we could have something less war-like or combative in cultivation) – seed sales are through the roof and people are gardening as homeschooling (YES!), gardening for food security (YES!), gardening because they want to be outside and better connected to nature (YES!) – I wish all this sanity and productivity and creativity for everyone. The particular beauty of these gardens is that there will always be surplus of something to share with someone else. It’s always been my fantasy that if everyone grew even just one thing and shared it with someone else, so so so many of our people problems (and likely the earth’s) would be mitigated. Go forth and grow.

So, that’s what’s really happening here – a lot of growing. I have trays and trays of seedlings getting up to speed. We will have many for sale, I will keep you posted as to who is ready and when – I can tell you that I have melons, cucurbits, eggplants, tomatoes, peppers, celery, flowers (hollyhocks, pansies, marigolds, phlox), herbs (thyme, oregano, marjoram, basil, lavender, hyssop, cilantro so far), and more growing but I also have a ton of seed – if you want to start your own, let me know. I have ready-made garden seed packs ready for delivery options at $6 pack (pay on Venmo or Paypal). Shipping through  the mail is not the best choice as there are some restrictions and machine issues, so let me know if you really need them shipped and we can figure something out individually.

All packets are subject to substitutions of a similar kind (specific kinds will be in packets) but do let me know if you can’t have something in particular that comes as part of the packet (like onions, or nightshades, etc) and I will substitute for something else. Most seeds are organic or non-synthetic (most are likely Fedco 1-3 code, Baker Creek, Johnny’s, or saved seed from my own stock). None of these seeds are treated or chemically/genetically modified. And have all been chosen for best viability in the North East (zones 4 and 5). With every pack – you’ll get an free gift plant of my choice!

Garden Starter (for bigger gardens with ground space)

• Parsley                                            *   Red Russian Kale
• Marigold                                         *   Fresh Beans
• Mixed Heirloom Tomatoes         *   Brussels Sprouts
• Winter Squash                              *   Cucumbers
• Watermelon                                   *   Sunflower
• Summer Squash                           *   Peas (either snap or shelling)

Wild Places (good for enticing companion species/some medicinals)

•   Hyssop                                           *   Evening Primrose
•   Cheyenne Spirit Coneflower     *   Milkweed
•   Red Clover                                    *    Dill
•   Black-Eyed Susan                        *    Gloriosa Daisy

Kitchen Potager (for smaller spaces, more ‘immediate’ needs)

•   Orange Pepper                             *   Lemon Cucumber
•   Pattypan Squash                          *   Purple Sprouting Broccoli
•   Nasturtium                                   *   Cherry Tomatoes
•   Radish                                            *   Basil
•   Chard                                             *   Marigold

Root Cellah (for storage and the long haul)

•   Leeks                                               *   Cabbage
•   Beets                                                *   Rutabaga
•   Carrots                                            *   Cauliflower
•   Parsnips                                          *   Winter Squash

Wee One’s Nibble Garden (designed for kids!)

•   Cherry Tomatoes                          *   Strawberry Popcorn
•    Lettuce                                           *   Mexican Gherkins
•    Snow Peas                                     *   Radish
•    Marigold                                        *   Sunflower

Window Box (a mix of flowers, herbs, veg)

•   Lettuce                                            *   Thyme
•   Parisienne Carrot                         *   Chamomile
•    Pansy                                              *   Tatsoi/Purple Pac Choi
•   Sprouting  Peas                             *   Cherry Tomatoes

Let me know what you think – how you want them. Or wait for seedlings, coming soon!