Non-Monsanto Seeds Info

curlydoglover

I found this last year and consider it helpful.

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=824672

Also, this one, a list of seed companies that, while not owned by either, buy part or all of their seed stock from Monsanto or Seminis.

http://lifeinthelostworld.blogspot.com/2009/01/dont-buy-monsanto-seeds-list-of.html

Lastly, Mother Earth News put together a list of seed companies, however it was written in 2007, so I don't know if it has been updated to reflect the Seminis buyout. I'm not quite sure why I had it in my head that the Seminis buyout was post 2007. This list should be "safe".

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/2007-11-01/Best-Garden-Seed-Companies.aspx

SDgirl22

This couldn't have been better timing...DH and I just got a boatload of containers off Craigslist so we can do our gardening (we only have a patio, so we have to container garden) and he really wants to start from seed. He is really interested in Territorial Seed Co, because they are organic and local. I konw there was some controversy with them (using a supplier that aws bought by Monsato, but relations I beleive have ceased), so I will continue to resarch before we start our seeds.

Alisha_A

These are great links, thank you! I was glad to see the heirloom company I want to buy seeds from is on the good list. You'd think so but...never assume!

uncannycanuck

I try to buy most of mine through a local guy. I figure if he can grow them here, I stand a chance.

http://www.prseeds.ca/

Alisha_A

uncannycanuck:

I try to buy most of mine through a local guy. I figure if he can grow them here, I stand a chance.

http://www.prseeds.ca/

Plants grow there??

The last list of 'good' companies is organized by state for the US... but Canada is as usual, all lumped together.

SuperGreen

I got our seeds this year from www.highmowingseeds.com, who is 100% organic and on Mother Earth News' list (they're in Vermont).  So no shifting through the conventional seeds to find organic.  I e-mailed them about Seminis, and they don't carry any of their seed, so no Monsanto!  We used to order from Johnny Seeds, a large supplier.  However, they do get some of their seed from Seminis.  They've been working on phasing it out since Seminis was bought by Monsanto, but they still have several Seminis varieties.  None were what DH and I wanted to buy, but I didn't want to give my money to any company that is supplied by Monsanto.  I did, reluctantly, buy onion plants from them because I couldn't find anyone else that had the variety I wanted.

We did buy several hybrids this year, including bell peppers, carrots, and cucumber from High Mowing Seeds.  We did that because we have a small space (2 raised bed) so we need good yields.  Plus this is our first year doing such an ambitious garden so we're starting with plants that are easy to grow.  Once we have a succesful season under our belts we'll switch to all herloom and start saving our seed at the end of the season.

belovedbride07

Thanks for this info!  Our local hardware store sells non-GMO seeds (as I discovered while I was planting some flower seeds that have probably been washed away with all the rain we've gotten!), but I'll check these out as well.  I'm planning to do some square foot gardening boxes, some potted tomatoes and various peppers, and then take over my mom's back yard with some more SFG boxes and squash/pumpkins/melons/etc.

curlydoglover

SuperGreen:

I got our seeds this year from www.highmowingseeds.com, who is 100% organic and on Mother Earth News' list (they're in Vermont).  So no shifting through the conventional seeds to find organic.  I e-mailed them about Seminis, and they don't carry any of their seed, so no Monsanto!  We used to order from Johnny Seeds, a large supplier.  However, they do get some of their seed from Seminis.  They've been working on phasing it out since Seminis was bought by Monsanto, but they still have several Seminis varieties.  None were what DH and I wanted to buy, but I didn't want to give my money to any company that is supplied by Monsanto.  I did, reluctantly, buy onion plants from them because I couldn't find anyone else that had the variety I wanted.

We did buy several hybrids this year, including bell peppers, carrots, and cucumber from High Mowing Seeds.  We did that because we have a small space (2 raised bed) so we need good yields.  Plus this is our first year doing such an ambitious garden so we're starting with plants that are easy to grow.  Once we have a succesful season under our belts we'll switch to all herloom and start saving our seed at the end of the season.

Here's more info on Johnny's Seeds.

And hybrids aren't necessarily bad.  Granted, you can't save seeds from F1 hybrids (since there's no guarantee of true to type), but a lot of hybrids are perfectly fine.  Hybrid does not equal genetically modified.

I do have some varieties that are former Seminis seeds on this year's list, mainly because they've been proven good producers and I've not found a replacement yet that performs the way they do.

derky17

Talk about ears ringing (or the internet equivalent) I had JUST called the seed company I posted about yesterday to see if they carried GM seeds and they don't--and then I check the nest and here's a list that also says that they don't hooray!!  This company offers a pretty good selection of heirloom varieties, along with their own FI hybrids as well.  www.superseeds.com

ColoradoMelissa

Thank You for this info!  DH and I are starting to plan for our garden and this will come in handy!