SEEDS!

Although spring still seems to be eons away, it’s time to start thinking about seeds! Growing your own food, whether you have one tomato plant or a huge outdoor garden, is a wonderful way to connect with the earth, experience the miracle of creation, and get some tasty, healthy food.

Seeds are usually ordered in February or March, and if you are planning on starting seedlings indoors, March or April is the best time.

There are thousands of seed companies to choose from, with varying seed types and prices. If you are looking for conventional seeds, Lindenberg seeds is a Manitoba, family run, company that offers hundreds of seed varieties, all of which are labelled according to hybrid, non-hybrid, heirloom, etc. They are very affordable, and have lots of different options. They can be found at:  www.lindenbergseeds.ca

Heirloom seeds are a dying type. Because of the demand for vegetables that are uniform, easy to ship pack and store, thousands of varieties have become extinct. For years garden growers have carefully bred plants to come up with the best varieties. These interesting, alternative vegetables have many values, but have sadly become increasingly hard to find. Rare and endangered heirloom seed varieties can be found at www.heritageharvestseed.com. As an added bonus, they offer online shopping and ordering.

Growing seeds can be an intimidating undertaking, but the value is worth the work.  Not only does it encourage one to become more attuned to weather patterns and soil quality, and therefore to be more mindful of creation; the health benefits of working outside and eating more fresh foods make it an edifying experience and the wonderful taste of fresh picked, home grown vegetables is enough.