Choosing organic seeds for your garden is an important, positive health step as well as a step forward for the environment. There are more varieties to choose from than ever before! 

The gardener has a rhythm to his year that is not like any other.  He is more in tune with the changes in the seasons, working nearly night and day in the late summer and resting and waiting in the winter.  It is not too different from the cycle of the plants that he cares for.  Activity followed by rest.

In the cold months of the year when not much is happening in the garden it is time to begin to plan for next year's harvest.  In decades past this meant looking forward to the colorful seed catalogues arriving in the mail but today it is as easy as typing  a website address in to your browser.  Here are some of the best organic seeds suppliers anywhere. 

Heirloom Seeds has been in business since 1998.  Located in western Pennsylvania, this family owned business specializes in organic, heirloom seeds.  Heirloom seeds are seeds of the varieties of plants that your grandparents and great grandparents might have grown.  Technically the varieties should be at least fifty years old to be considered an heirloom but there are several kinds that have been favorites for forty years or so that are included.  Mainly these seeds are guaranteed to be open pollinated an not genetically engineered or hybridized.   

That means that, while you may not get the yield that you would get with a hybrid, you will get that old fashioned flavor that is missing in so much food today.  You help to keep a variety of plant from becoming extinct.  And, you get that special satisfaction of saying that you are growing heirloom varieties.  If you happen to grow enough to sell a little extra you may be interested to know that heirloom varieties command higher prices and are more sought after than other produce.

Because of USDA requirements for organic certification many small growers cannot certify their seeds.  The seeds that are certified organic are clearly marked and those that are not are, more than likely, grown under organic conditions.

Some of the more interesting seeds that Heirloom Seeds has are:

• Aunt Ruby's German Green Tomatoes are described as being sweet yet spicy.  They turn light green when ripe.
• Black Sea Man is a tomato with a chocolaty color skin and red and green inside.  The folavor is described as rich and complex and this seed is certified organic.
• Flame Leaf Letuce is an old variety that is slow to bolt in heat.  This seed is certified organic.
• Marveille de 4 Seasons is a red bibb type lettuce from France.  The seed is organic.
• Noir de Carmes melon is very sweet and the seed is certified organic
• Moon and Star Watermelon is an old fashioned treat.  Certified organic seed. 

Peaceful Valley has a variety of organic seeds, as well as organic gardening supplies.  The have been in business since 1976. They carry only organic seed but not all of their seed is heirloom or open pollinated.  If this is important to you read the descriptions carefully.

Besides organic seeds they carry organic berries, trees, and potatoes.  If you are looking for one stop shopping for all of your organic gardening needs this may well be the place to bookmark.

Since not all the seeds are heirloom many of the varieties are names that will be familiar to most people.  There are several hybrid seed varieties so if you want to save your own seeds make sure that your are getting an open pollinated or heirloom type.

This website is not  particularly user friendly.  There is a lot of information and it is not easy to find it.  However this site is worth navigating because of the variety of supplies. 

Main Street Seed and Supply is a family owned company in Bay City,Michigan. It has been in business since 1981. They carry a limited variety of organic seeds but what they carry is reasonably priced.

You will find popular varieities such as:

• Blue Lake Bush Beans
• Golden Wax Beans
• Detroit Dark Red Beets
• Red Acre Cabbage

With so many organic seed suppiers on the West Coast it is refreshing to find a supplier in the Mid-west.  If you live in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, or Wisconsin it would be good to buy from them because of the local aspect. 

If you go to the trouble of buying organic seeds then make sure that you use organic fertilizer and other garden supplies.  Be careful with your compost pile.  Many people will through non-organic potato peels on the compost pile and then use the compost on the garden, not realizing that the chemicals and pesticides in the potato skins have broken down and are still contained in the compost.

By using only organic products you can maintain the quality of your organic garden.