Variety Highlights
-
Spring Bitter Plants and Awakening from Winter
By: Kim Trenholm Danielle harvesting dandelion greens at Root 5 Farm in Fairlee, Vermont The coming of spring is filled with the emergence of sun, rains, and the brave wild plant scouts ready to pave the way for their kin. Spring is a wonderful time of regrowth, inspiration, and renewal. Prior to this renewal, there is an awakening period... -
Growing Great Organic Corn
There are few things that truly celebrate the summer sun more than a fresh harvested ear of sweet corn. This precious treat, along with the dent, milling and popcorns, is a true nod to what the summer heat and thunderstorms can bring. Corn is a warm-season tender annual that requires high soil fertility to produce uniform ears. Considered a cereal... -
Winter Lettuce Production
Growing Lettuce in the Winter When we think of winter crops, we think of tough, leafy greens and durable roots that grow close to the ground and survive the low light and cold temperatures of winter, in part due to their robustness and strength. These crops are often delicious, sweetened with the frosts and hardy to the difficult growing conditions of the cool seasons. One crop that... -
Preview of our 2021 Organic Seed Catalog
It’s that time of year again, the release of our 2021 catalog is just around the corner and we wanted to share a little preview of what you can expect when it arrives at your doorstep this month. 54 New Varieties From our trials field evaluations, we have selected some excellent, organic and non-GMO verified varieties for your gardens and farms... -
Cichoria!: Italianize your Farm and Round Out your Season with Bitter Sweet Chicories
Umami is not the only neglected flavor to resurge mainstream taste as of late. Amaro has recently become a household word and we can thank the often chicory-infused Italian liqueurs for giving bitter its trendy new platform. Not only does every restaurant menu in New York City now feature a variation of a chicory salad, but every dive bar mixes... -
Quick Farm Crops for Mid-Season Sowing
Farmers in mid-summer often have real estate to maximize as crops start to come out of the ground instead of going in. Read on for advice on some of our favorite quick-maturing crops that can fill those empty field spots and provide a little extra product for mid-season markets. Microgreens Microgreens are the ultimate last-minute crop, no matter the season... -
The Story of a Seed: Open-Pollinated Corn Edition
How does a corn seed get from plant to packet? Read on to learn about the intricacies of open-pollinated corn development and production through looking at the variety Who Gets Kissed?. We hope the story of a seed entices you to try a new corn variety this season! To read about hybrid corn seed production, click here. Dr. Bill Tracy... -
The Story of a Seed: Hybrid Onion Edition
How does an onion seed get from plant to packet? Read on to learn about the intricacies of hybrid onion seed development and production through looking at the variety Red Carpet F1. We hope the story of a seed entices you to try a new onion variety this season! The Market The first step to development of a new onion... -
Crop Talk: Alliums
Onions are the third most consumed fresh vegetable in the United States behind potatoes and tomatoes, and as such demand to be a crucial part of a diversified vegetable farmer’s crop plan. Thankfully, there are myriad types of alliums and productive, well adapted varieties to choose from. In order to achieve success with your alliums so customers keep coming back... -
Summer-Sown Cover Crops: How to Plan, Establish and Incorporate
Why Summer-Sown? Buckwheat (left) and BMR Sorghum-Sudangrass F1 (right). When the summer is your prime harvesting season (as it is for growers in the north), or your short rest before another growing season (as it is for growers in the south), it can be easy to marginalize anything other than cash crops in favor of the things that need your...