Seed Network

Update 14 March 2016

Things have changed since I put up this page and started this seed network several years ago.  It’s lacked attention from me almost since the day I wrote it, and I think there are other ways of trading seeds that may be better, for example on Facebook or through other Internet forums.

I’m also a believer in promoting local trades, with people you know, rather than trying to broker long distance trades over the Internet.  For this reason I started Seedsavers NL, a local network based here in Amsterdam.  I prefer to invest my energies into this initiative, rather than continuing to work on this page.  Even though we are based in The Netherlands, we do have members from all over.  If you’re interested in making contact with people here, feel free to contact me about a membership.

In the meantime, if you’re a small seed company or individual with a seed collection you would like to share, I’m happy to publish it as a post on this blog.  Just get in touch via the contact tab, and send me the relevant information.  I can’t be responsible for following the content of external websites, and keeping your seed lists up to date.  Please be sure to send me a mail if you would like me to update the information.

 

21 Replies to “Seed Network”

  3. Hello, just wanted to know if these seeds are original and not genetically altered. Also are they patented in any way? How much would a pack of each seed on the list cost? I am about to adventure into organic gardening for my family. Tired of altered possible cancerous foods at the supermarket! Let me know Thanks

  4. Hi ccorbyn,

    Excellent questions!

    I’m going to hunt down the safe seed pledge that is frequently used by heirloom seed stores, and add it to this list. It states that I promise not to knowingly offer genetically altered seeds. I do not believe anything I am offering contains any altered genes, but I don’t think anyone is really in a position to certify something like that 100%.

    The same thing is true with patents. I am not aware of any patents on any of these seeds and I do not believe there are any. This is a very complex subject, and varies from country to country. All of the seeds were either obtained from gardeners like myself or seed stores specializing in heirloom seeds. I then grew these plants out in my garden and saved the seeds from them.

    I’m going to send you an email about the price. Thanks for your interest in my seeds.

  5. Oooh, I’d love to try some Purple Prince and Dog beans, and the Orange Jelly turnip.

    Here’s a list of what I have readily available at the moment, though it’s likely that I have *some* seed available for most things that appear on my blog.

    Climbing (pole) beans:
    Mrs Fortune’s
    Kew Blue
    Spagna Bianco

    Bush beans:
    Canadian Wonder

    I also have small amounts of these broad/fava beans:
    Red-flowered
    Grando Violetto

    Also some potatoes, though they’ve taken it upon themselves to start chitting already:
    Shetland Black
    Salad Blue

  6. pinto,navy and gazebo beans.
    are these beans known by other names?
    can’t buy them in stores (canned). can you help me? thanks…
    cookie

  7. Hi Cookie – I think you have come across the wrong blog. I think you mean garbanzo beans (or chick peas). In the US I don’t think navy beans are sold in cans, and pinto beans are usually sold as refried beans. Hope this helps…

  8. I`ve enjoyed your site and am very interested in the seeds that you have to offer.Could you please tell me why you can’t ship to the U.S.? I am amazed at the large variety of garlic that you have & would love to buy and/or trade for some. By the way, in regards to potatoes, what does ‘chitting’ mean? Thanks

  9. Hi Hope –

    Thanks for all the kind words!

    The US now requires a permit to import seeds. You must be a US resident to apply for this permit, and I’m not. There is also a lot of paperwork to do in order to comply with the terms of this permit, and at the moment it’s too much work. Several people have mentioned to me that they are just a lot stricter on this kind of thing after 9/11.

    I would like very much to be able to send seeds to people in the US, and I hope to be able to work something out soon. In the meantime, almost all of the seeds offered here are available in the US through the seed companies listed on the front page of this blog (click on ‘Home’ above). If you need help finding a particular variety, please let me know and I will help you find a source for it.

    Garlic is more of a problem. I don’t think it will ever be possible for me to send garlic to the US, it’s simply not allowed. However, most of what I have was originally purchased in the US, and is available through the companies on the front page of this blog. The same offer applies, if you can’t find a particular variety, please let me know and I will try to help find it in the US for you.

    Chitting potatoes simply means to put them in sunlight for a few days or weeks so they sprout. Many people who grow potatoes in their garden do this before planting them, in order to give them a head start. In the comment above Rebsie was just joking that she didn’t have to put her potatoes in the sun, as they had already started sprouting in her root cellar.

  10. re: Getting seed into the US:

    I have taken seed into the US (post-9/11!) with the permission of the customs guy! Showed him the seed and explained it was for a friend… “Yeah, that’s OK.” was the answer. I wouldn’t take too much notice of the regulations, personally. For instance, its “totally illegal” to bring seed into South Africa, though much gets through (YAY for incompetent government! 😉 The fact is that many of these seed-movement regulations are simply there to protect large-corporate interests. To hell with that.

  11. I think the rules for importing seeds into the US are for two main reasons. First they want to control the import of corn (maize) and related plants, because it is such a major crop in the US and they have been having a lot of problem recently with smut/blight like diseases. Since nearly all food in the US depends on corn, this also makes it vulnerable to terrorist attack.

    Instead of just regulating the import of corn, they check all seeds to be extra safe…

    The other reason for doing it this way is part of the US concept of free trade. By requiring a permit that only US residents can apply for, it prevents small foreign companies from competing with US companies. Like you said, it protects the large-corporate interests, because there are other permits large companies can apply for especially if they have ‘free trade’ agreements with the US.

    Like you said too, if you show up at the border with a few seeds that are obviously not corn, and the customs officer is in a good mood, you might be allowed to bring them in.

  13. Hi Skye,

    Thanks for the comment!

    I have heard of both of these places, but have never purchased anything from them, and so don’t have personal experiences. I have no reason to think they aren’t fine seed companies. Thanks for mentioning them!

  14. Hi

    I have some great chillis and loads of other edibles i could swap. I’ve posted my seed list of 2007 online at http://www.masdudiable.com/fluxit/mdd.nsf/dx/Seed-List-2007.htm?opendocument&comments most of which i have seed for so if anything takes your fancy be glad to swap for Mangetout peas # Taiwan Sugar or # Mammoth Melting Sugar.
    I am very keen to collect some new chillis this year if anyone else wants to trade for chilli seeds I am looking for chillis to grow as perennials see http://www.masdudiable.com/fluxit/mdd.nsf/dx/perennial-peppers.htm?opendocument&comments

  15. please could anybody send me any seeds I am now teaching my disabled daughter at home and we would like to a study on growing things please could anyone spare any seeds please help thankyou
    linda

  16. Linda Farrington, you could always do what my mom did when she taught me about growing plants, and we were poor. We had 4 young kids and only one smallish salary cause dad got himself laid off…

    We grew some ordinary dried pinto beans from the grocer, and some cheap mammoth sunflower seeds, nasturtium seeds, and some veggie seeds that went on end-of-Spring clearance in a local store. Not only was it educational, we got a few edibles out of it too. 🙂

    Many stores do have seed clearances in late Spring. The clearance seeds do grow, and are very cheap seeds to get, and you can even use food stamps to buy them if you are really broke!

    Some store clerks don’t know this, but US law clearly states that food stamps may be used to buy seeds of any plant that produces edible food. So that includes all veggies, nasturtiums (edible flowers and leaves), calendulas (also has edible flowers and leaves), and sunflowers because sunflower seeds are food!

    If this suggestion does not work for you, I suggest you contact marbles_n_the_garden (Robin). She is a member of Gardenweb.com who is running a seed donation service for poor people.

  17. Hi Patrick, apologies if my above comment was misplaced. I just hoped to help LindaF get her problem solved. 🙂

    Astoundingly cool blog you have here! I am truly amazed to see all these unusual edibles you are growing. Makes me wish I lived nearer to you, so I could more easily grow some of what you are growing. I live in Hawaii. 🙂

    I also do wonder what info “cookie” was looking for… maybe English isn’t her primary language, or maybe she was a Web reader trying to do some 4-H homework?

    Interestingly enough, navy beans are indeed sold canned in much of the USA. They are sold in a product called Pork-N-beans as well as plain. Pinto beans are indeed usually sold as refried beans here, but may also be bought as Ranch Style beans or plain.

    Has your seed list been removed?? For some reason I am unable to locate it… and now my curiosity is piqued! I want to see your seed list. 🙂

    Here is a partial seed list of mine…Needs some updating!
    http://members.gardenweb.com/members/exch/grovespirit

  18. Hi Grovespirit,

    Thanks for the comment!

    I mostly only grew garlic last year, and my seed list was so out of date I recently removed it. Because you are in the US you would need a USDA ‘Small Lots of Seed’ permit in order to import any seeds I might have. If there is anything you see mentioned in a post, I can probably send some seeds, just let me know.

  19. Hi, Patrick and others–
    For U.S. gardeners wanting to bring seeds into the U.S., I’d definitely look into the small seed permit you mentioned.

    I had the aggravating experience recently of having ALL of my purchased seeds confiscated returning from a 2 week trip to England in May. They were all in commercial seed packets, but the ag folks at Newark didn’t care that I was a gardener, work at a botanical garden, etc. etc. – I just didn’t have the permit that I needed.

    I made them empty all the seed packets so I at least had the packets to remind myself what I had bought! Mostly unusual varieties of vegetables. I could have smuggled them in, but actually thought seeds were OK. Geez, they weren’t plants with roots…

    We do have a marvelous array of garlic proprietors here in the US — great fun to grow garlic.

    Best wishes,
    Lisa

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