As anyone who works with the land knows, there is inherent risk involved with growing. Some years are too dry; others too wet. Sometimes diseases inhibit plant growth repeatedly, no matter what preventative measures are taken. Pests can abound. Accidents happen. With seed production, we feel these risks in equal measure to vegetable farmers. We strive to diversify our seed sourcing from trusted, safe producers who share our values so we can always have seed available for our growers’ needs. But some crops are particularly difficult to grow for seed, and our best intentions can sometimes be thwarted by an unexpected storm, a seed lot failing a disease test or high levels of weed seed in a particular crop of seeds. This year, as often happens, we’ve had to come to terms with some disappointing seed production failures. Because of these unpredictable disappointments, High Mowing strives to be able to offer a deep selection of seed for growers who depend on organic varieties. We purposefully include redundancies in our varieties while maintaining a unique selection of reliable seed options for growers. We’ve put together a list of some popular seed crops with limited availability this year, paired with suitable substitutions for each. We know it’s important to get high quality seed into the hands of hard working farmers, and that’s why we strive to be a dependable source for organic seed.  Looking for this? Primax Cabbage Try this: Farao F1 Cabbage Comparable Attributes: Packable heads · Tender leaves ∙ Early maturity Growers love the early and tender heads provided by Primax Cabbage for a hearty spring brassica offering. Our favorite equivalent for this out-of-stock variety also boasts both earliness and flavor: Farao F1 Cabbage produces the same small heads (ideally suited for packing in boxes) which hold equally well through summer’s heat. Farao’s tender outer leaves also benefit from the plant’s resistance to tip burn, an upgrade from Primax.   Looking for this? Luscious F1 Sweet Corn Try this: Xtra-Tender 2171 F1 Sweet Corn Comparable Attributes: Sweet flavor · Good husk coverage ∙ 8” ears Luscious F1 Sweet Corn is always a best-seller for its well-known, outstanding flavor. This year’s supply is limited, but we have a knock-out substitution which we consider a step up from Luscious: Xtra-Tender 2171 F1 has better cool soil emergence, similar ear length and husk coverage, and performs more consistently across growing regions. Plus, it’s a Supersweet variety (Luscious F1 is a Tablesweet), which means the flavor is exceptional.   Looking for this? National Pickling Cucumber Try this: Calypso F1 Cucumber (left) or H-19 Little Leaf Cucumber (right) Comparable Attributes: Good texture and flavor · Productive plants ∙ Early maturity The beloved standard National Pickling Cucumber is in limited supply this year, but our pickling cucumber selection is strong enough to fill the gap for your cucumber needs. We recommend Calypso F1 Cucumber, which is comparable in size to National Pickling, but with added disease resistances and delivers the same early productivity. Or, try the open-pollinated H-19 Little Leaf Cucumber which is similarly suited to packing into pickle jars. Looking for this? King Richard Leek Try this: Alto Leek Comparable Attributes: Tall and slender · Uniformity ∙ Early maturity For an early, reliable and refined leek King Richard is difficult to beat, but we’ve worked hard over the years to find an equivalent we felt was up to snuff: Alto Leek offers the same uniformity and slender structure, maturing slightly later. Unlike King Richard, it does not overwinter well but offers a versatile option for summer harvests and can also be planted in clumps to use as a bunching leek.   Looking for this? Newham Lettuce Try this: Spretnak Lettuce Comparable Attributes: Dense heads ∙ Suitable in multiple seasons ∙ Strong disease resistances With good growth across seasons and excellent response to tight spacing for mini heads, Newham provides a solid harvest for growers in several regions. Another reliable green romaine, Spretnak, fulfills all the same needs while boasting an equally impressive package of disease resistances and excellent flavor. Looking for this? Red Sails Lettuce Try this: Vulcan Lettuce (left) or New Red Fire Lettuce (right) Comparable Attributes: Full or mini heads · Colorful red leaf varieties ∙ Quick maturing Red Sails Red Leaf Lettuce is favored for its versatility: fast-growing, it can be harvested as baby, teenage or full size heads. A crop failure this season forced limited seed quantities of Red Sails, but our deep lettuce selection provides plenty of adequate substitutes. If you’re seeking a similar baby leaf or teenage head, try the red leaf Vulcan, which matures into crisp heads with more vibrant color than Red Sails. New Red Fire is superior to Red Sails for full size heads, maturing in the same amount of time with outstanding disease resistances for successful growth in various seasons. Looking for this? Olympus F1 Pepper Try this: Sprinter F1 Pepper (left) or Dashen F1 Pepper (right) Comparable Attributes: Large fruits · Similar disease resistances · Good leaf cover Olympus F1 Pepper (out of stock for 2017) is a go-to for extra-large green-to-red bell peppers. Depending on your needs, try substituting with Sprinter F1, which matures to red slightly earlier with equal leaf cover, or Dashen F1, a comparable extra-large green with resistance to bacterial leaf spot and also provides plenty of greenery to protect fruits from sun scald. Looking for this? Maya Habanero Pepper Try this: Magnum Habanero Pepper Comparable Attributes: Flavorful · Highly productive plants We know hot pepper lovers are always looking for the right variety that delivers a punch; with a crop failure for Maya Habanero seed this year, why not try our traditional habanero, Magnum? Magnum delivers an extra jolt of heat (210,000 Scoville Heat Units to Maya’s 150,000) with the shape and color of a classic habanero. Maturing slightly later than Maya, Magnum’s highly productive plants will satisfy your hot pepper needs.