{"title":"All Seeds","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"winterspinat-haldenstein-winter-spinach","title":"Winterspinat Haldenstein (Winter Spinach)","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis winter spinach has large, smooth, nutty, and mild leaves that can be seeded in the fall for an early spring harvest. You can also seed this variety in the spring or late summer. It is named for Haldenstein: the Swiss town where people have been growing this pointy-seeded heirloom since before WWI.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e overwinter\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 120\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 93% on 09\/18\/2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBarely cover and tamp down the seeds directly in the ground. Seed in fall and overwinter in the garden for an early spring harvest. In zone 7 and colder, cover with low tunnels or cold frames during the coldest months. Alternatively, you can sow as soon as the ground can be worked in the spring or in the late summer when nights start to get cooler.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpinach is wind pollinated, biennial, and dioecious, meaning there are separate male and female plants. This means you should be sure to have both for successful pollination. Male plants eventually release visible pollen when shaken. Allow overwintered plants to flower and then turn brown. Seeds are ready when they are dried out. They will form pointy clusters. Harvest the stalks at this dry stage and allow the plants to further dry in a ventilated place if necessary.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Truelove Seeds Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":751842131981,"sku":"AMAR-001","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/29791733_10216606076847366_4673681715271565312_o.jpg?v=1571609431"},{"product_id":"borlotto-tongue-of-fire-bean","title":"Borlotto Lingua di Fuoco (Tongue of Fire Bean)","description":"\u003cp\u003eCreamy heirloom Italian bush bean with flaming red streaks on off-white seeds and pods. Great stewed and served over polenta or cooked with pasta in soups. Also eaten as a young, tender green bean. My friend Rachel Sayet sent me a Mohegan succotash recipe that calls for \"Dwarf Horticultural Beans,\" a type of cranberry bean that came to the U.S. in the 1800s from Italy. The recipe was written by Rachel’s great-granduncle, Harold Tantaquidgeon, and published in her mother (and Mohegan medicine woman) Melissa Tantaquidgeon's 1994 book, \"The Lasting of the Mohegans.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a descendant of Italian immigrants who grew up on Mohegan land, I decided to grow these Borlotto beans to honor the resilience of the native people in Connecticut, and to hold onto Italian culture despite generations of assimilation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to Maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 75 for fresh shell\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 40\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 95% on 03\/22\/2024\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlant in warm soil at least a couple weeks after the last danger of frost has passed. Sow directly in the ground at a depth of one inch, spaced every few inches in rows 12 inches apart. Thin to one plant every six inches.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeans are self-pollinating, though it is best to isolate different varieties of \u003cem\u003eP. vulgaris\u003c\/em\u003e by at least 25 feet (we do 75 feet to be sure) to avoid unwanted cross-pollination from flying insects. For seed saving, harvest the beans when their shells have become dried and crispy on the plants. Lay out the pods in a dry, sunny place to dry down further. Shell the beans and lay out the seeds in a well ventilated place away from direct sunlight for at least another few days to a week before storing for next year.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Andiario Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":753166712845,"sku":"BN-001","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/tumblr_ouol67cTiu1se7haqo1_1280.jpg?v=1571609431"},{"product_id":"fagiolo-del-purgatorio-purgatory-bean","title":"Fagiolo del Purgatorio (Purgatory Bean)","description":"\u003cp\u003eSmall, white, and round bush bean historically planted and harvested by hand in the Lazio region of Italy. With delicate flavor and a thin skin, it is tasty when simply boiled with garlic, sage, and bay, then dressed with olive oil, salt, and pepper or cooked in a farmer's soup. The Purgatory Bean has been designated by Slow Food as an outstandingly tasty, culturally important, and endangered variety in Italy, and is listed in their Ark of Taste as a way to invite everyone to take action to help protect them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to Maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 95\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 40\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 84% on 01\/16\/2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlant in warm soil at least a couple weeks after the last danger of frost has passed. Sow directly in the ground at a depth of one inch, spaced every few inches in rows 12 inches apart. Thin to one plant every six inches.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeans are self-pollinating, though it is best to isolate different varieties of P. vulgaris by at least 25 feet (we do 75 feet to be sure) to avoid unwanted cross-pollination from flying insects. For seed saving, harvest the beans when their shells have become dried and crispy on the plants. Lay out the pods in a dry, sunny place to dry down further. Shell the beans and lay out the seeds in a well ventilated place away from direct sunlight for at least another few days to a week before storing for next year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Winnetuxet Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":753748312077,"sku":"BN-002","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/fagiolodelpurgatorioclose.JPG?v=1571609431"},{"product_id":"purple-kingsessing-bean","title":"Purple Kingsessing Bean","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eAlso known as Lenape Blue Bread Beans, these dry beans have a delicious meaty flavor and are used for stews and baking into bread. Six foot vines yield an abundance of purple pods filled with dark purple seeds, with a fair amount of tannish brown off-types. If saving seed for replanting, consider sowing only the purple seeds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWilliam Woys Weaver was entrusted with these beans when the seed keeper who cared for them in Oklahoma passed away. Many Lenape people now reside in Northern Oklahoma because the U.S. government forced them there in the 1860s. The seed has been brought back to its original land. Kingsessing is derived from the Lenape word \"Chingsessing,\" meaning “a place where there is a meadow.” Originally, this was the name for the land between the Schuylkill River and Cobbs Creek, in what is now West and Southwest Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. These seeds were grown once again in Kingsessing for Truelove Seeds by staff at the historic Bartram's Garden. If you are Lenape, please reach out so we can rematriate these seeds to you free of charge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 70-95\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 40\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 96% on 11\/04\/2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlant in warm soil at least a couple weeks after the last danger of frost has passed. Sow directly in the ground at a depth of one inch, spaced every few inches in rows 12 inches apart. Thin to one plant every four to six inches. Provide a sturdy trellis as the vines can grow six to eight feet tall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeans are self-pollinating, though it is best to isolate different varieties of \u003cem\u003eP. vulgaris\u003c\/em\u003e by at least 25 feet (we do 75 feet to be sure) to avoid unwanted cross-pollination from flying insects. For seed saving, harvest the beans when their shells have become dried and crispy on the plants. Lay out the pods in a dry, sunny place to dry down further. Shell the beans and lay out the seeds in a well ventilated place away from direct sunlight for at least another few days to a week before storing for next year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Truelove Seeds Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":753978245133,"sku":"BN-003","price":6.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/tumblr_nxvjndSY1E1se7haqo1_1280.jpg?v=1571609431"},{"product_id":"bronze-syrian-lettuce","title":"Bronze Syrian Lettuce","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003eOpen-headed green romaine lettuce with a pretty bronze tint and a silver cast. Plants grow 8\" high and 4-6\" in diameter with violet stems, and are very heat tolerant and slow to bolt. Tastes like lettuce! Tastes good! This seed is from Homs, Syria and was donated by the Near East Foundation to the US National Plant Germplasm System in 1949. In 2014, it was shared with \u003ca rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/trueloveseeds.com\/collections\/roughwood\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eRoughwood Seed Collection\u003c\/a\u003e by the Experimental Farm Network, who has a particular interest in preserving crops from parts of the world experiencing farmland loss due to war and natural disaster. Homs is now known as \"the capital of the revolution,\" and has experienced extreme violence against those resisting the Bashar al-Assad regime. We hope to rematriate Syrian seeds to those looking to grow a taste of home, whether in their homeland or from afar.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 40-60\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 100\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 81% on 11\/13\/2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeed every 1\" in rows 8-12\" apart, 1\/4-1\/2\" deep. Keep watered until germination. Thin to every 8\". Harvest when you can't wait anymore!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLettuce is very much self-pollinating, but give at least 10 feet between plants (we give at least 35 feet) to avoid unwanted cross-pollination from flying insects. Allow the plants to bolt and flower. Often, flowering lettuce benefits from simple staking (we tie several plants together) so that the flowers and seedheads do not fall to the ground. Seed is ripe when the flowers turn to 'feathers', which are fluff balls like dandelions. In the moist summers of Pennsylvania, we harvest the entire seedheads when at least 50% of the plant has gone to seed. If there are dry days in the forecast, feel free to wait longer for more ripe seed. Cut the seedheads a few feet down, and allow to dry about a week in a sunny dry place like a greenhouse, sunny window, or even a car seat. Later, wearing a handkerchief or mask to avoid breathing in the feathers and dust, bang the seedheads in a bucket allowing the seed to fall to the bottom. The ripest seeds fall, the least ripe stay in the plant, so do not over do it. Sift through strainers to remove the large chaff, and then use your breath, a fan, or the wind to carefully blow off the smaller dust.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bear Bottom Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":754150277133,"sku":"LET-002","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/bronzesyrianlettuce4.jpg?v=1571609431"},{"product_id":"potawatomi-pole-lima-bean","title":"Potawatomi Pole Lima Bean","description":"\u003cp\u003ePotawatomi Pole Lima is from the Potawatomi Nation in Wisconsin, and so it does very well in cooler climates. This gorgeous and highly-productive bean is great for shelling or dried. Try cooking with corn and onions in succotash (a traditional Wampanoag and Mohegan recipe from New England) or stewed as a Southern-style butter bean. The plants have tall 8-10' vines that are truly loaded with pods and resistant to pests and diseases. This seed comes from William Woys Weaver, who received them from Andrew Bucienski of the Potawatomi Nation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 80\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 40\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 97% on 12\/23\/2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlant in warm soil at least a couple weeks after the last danger of frost has passed. Sow directly in the ground at a depth of one inch, spaced every few inches in rows 12 inches apart (or on either side of a trellis). Thin to one plant every four to six inches. Provide a sturdy trellis as the vines can grow eight to ten feet tall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLima beans are self-pollinating, though it is best to isolate different varieties of \u003cem\u003eP. lunatus\u003c\/em\u003e by at least 150 feet to avoid unwanted cross-pollination from flying insects. For seed saving, harvest the beans when their shells have become dried and crispy on the plants. Lay out the pods in a dry, sunny place to dry down further. Shell the beans and lay out the seeds in a well ventilated place away from direct sunlight for at least another few days to a week before storing for next year.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Truelove Seeds Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":754507546637,"sku":"BN-005","price":6.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/tumblr_oc4nrizJdQ1se7haqo1_1280.jpg?v=1650046347"},{"product_id":"anise-hyssop","title":"Anise Hyssop","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis attractive mint-family herb is popular both as a border plant and for its edible purple flowers. Its sweet, anise-like aromatic leaves make a delicious tea that helps with digestion, congestion, coughs, fevers, and diarrhea. Drought tolerant, perennial, pollinator-friendly, and native to the northern parts of North America. When flowering, the plants are 3-4' tall, and 2' wide. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAlso known as giant hyssop, blue giant hyssop, fennel giant hyssop, licorice mint, and fragrant giant hyssop.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 75-80\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 200\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 94% on 05\/27\/2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSow seeds on the surface of moist potting soil and keep it evenly moist, cool, and in the sunlight until germination. Start indoors, and later transplant in full to partial sun and rich, moist soil, spaced 12-24\" apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAllow seedheads to dry on the plant. Cut the stalks below the lowest seed clusters. If necessary, dry the seedheads further in the sun on a sheet or table away from moisture and precipitation. When fully dry, whack the seedheads in a bucket, allowing the ripest seed to fall. Sift through strainers to remove the largest chaff, and then winnow off the lighter chaff with your breath, a fan, or the wind. Anise Hyssop will self-sow readily and vigorously!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Truelove Seeds Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":899361505293,"sku":"HERB-008","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/Anise_Hyssop_and_Orang_Sulphur_Butterfly.jpg?v=1571609431"},{"product_id":"aunt-mollys-ground-cherry","title":"Aunt Molly's Ground Cherry","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis Slow Food Ark of Taste variety is a delightful combination of sweet and tart, with notes of vanilla and pineapple. Ground cherries are sweet cousins to tomatoes and tomatillos. Kids of all ages love finding tiny wrapped packages and eating the yellow fruits like candy right in the garden, or several weeks later in fruit salad or over ice cream, as they store well in their husks. Naturally high in pectin, they make great preserves and pies as well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAunt Molly's Ground Cherry has been designated by Slow Food as an outstandingly tasty, culturally important, and endangered heirloom from Pennsylvania, and is listed in their Ark of Taste as a way to invite everyone to take action to help protect it. This particular strain was named and further improved by Territorial Seed Company after they received this landrace originating in 1850's America.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to Maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 65\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 100\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 92% on 01\/28\/2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSow indoors 1\/4\" deep around 6 weeks before the last frost date. Germination can take as long as 20 days, but can be sooner if set on a heat mat with a temperature between 75 and 80 degrees F. Transplant in the garden in rows about every 18\"-24\". Plants will form blousy bushes like tomatillos. Keep well weeded until they fill in the space in order to best find the fallen fruits later in the season; some growers put down weed barriers (plastic, cloth, or newspaper) under the plants to prevent those weeds and more easily see the fallen fruits. Harvest when the husks turn brown and the fruits are yellow. For winter use, store the fruits unhusked in a dry, airy place (like a basket). To eat, remove the husk and eat the yellow fruit raw or bake in pies or stew with sugar for jam.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNote: Unripe, green ground cherries and their leaves and husks are bitter and toxic. Do not eat!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGround cherries are self-pollinating, but different varieties of the \u003cem\u003eP. pruinosa\u003c\/em\u003e should be isolated by several hundred feet to prevent unwanted cross-pollination. Seeds are ready for harvest when fruit is ripe. A single fruit can have 100 seeds! You can remove seeds by hand, rinse, and dry. We use a blender on the lowest setting with plenty of water. When the fruits have been broken open, pour the mixture into a large container and add water. Allow the fruits to float and the seeds to sink. Pour off everything except the seed (you may have to add more water and repeat this process a few times) and then strain and rinse the seeds, and dry. However, you may never need to replant ground cherries after your first year - they tend to reseed themselves!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Truelove Seeds Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":899361570829,"sku":"PHYS-001","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/auntmollysgroundcherriesarranged.JPG?v=1568676656"},{"product_id":"balsam-apple-bitter-melon","title":"Balsam Apple (Bitter Melon)","description":"\u003cp\u003eBalsam Apple is a Bitter Melon relative with tiny pointed fruit that are edible when young and green, but that cause vomiting when ripe and orange. The bright red seed coat is sweet and textured like tapioca. In Cameroon, Sudan, and southern Africa the young fruit and leaves are cooked as a vegetable. This plant (\u003cem\u003eMomordica balsamina\u003c\/em\u003e) has numerous medicinal uses, and in 19th century texts it is described alongside the more common bitter melon (\u003cem\u003eMomordica charantia\u003c\/em\u003e), and both listed as Cerasee, an important healing vegetable in Jamaica. This plant is from tropical Africa and was also introduced to Asia where it is used to treat wounds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 120\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 12\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 91% on 05\/12\/2026\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDirect sow outdoors after the last threat of frost has passed, or get a head start and sow indoors a couple weeks beforehand. For better germination, soak seeds overnight before planting. The plant will use as much trellising as you give it!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeeds are ripe when the fruits turn a fiery orange-red. If you wait too long to harvest, they will pop open and drop their seeds, which are covered in a sweet, red gel. Remove the seed coat and dry the seeds in a well ventilated place away from direct sunlight. I have found that smooshing the seeds in a cloth bag will help remove the seed coat more efficiently.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Truelove Seeds Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":899361603597,"sku":"MOM-001","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/balsamappleripefruit.JPG?v=1571609431"},{"product_id":"blue-sesame","title":"Blue Sesame","description":"\u003cp\u003eLarge blue-grey sesame seeds with the classic sesame taste will bring color and delight to your homemade desserts, breads, salads, or spice mixes. Blue is dominant, with some lighter and darker seeds mixed in. I have been planting the bluest seeds for a couple seasons and the mix seems to be getting bluer each year. Beautiful light yellow to light purple flowers attract pollinators and resemble foxgloves. Originally from the former Soviet Union, this seed was donated to the US National Plant Germplasm Database by the Biology Department of Toyama University, Japan in 1960.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost species of \u003cem\u003eSesamum \u003c\/em\u003eare native to Africa, though \u003cem\u003eSesamum indicum\u003c\/em\u003e, this cultivated species that we eat, is native to India. Known as \u003cem\u003ebenne\u003c\/em\u003e, it was brought to 17th-century colonial America by enslaved Africans who first popularized the food on this continent. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 90-110\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 80\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 88% on 04\/15\/2026\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSow seeds indoors 3-4 weeks before the last frost date, 1\/4\" or less below the soil. Keep soil moist until germination. After the last frost, transplant outdoors 10-12\" apart. Will grow about 3-feet tall. Harvest stalks when the first seed pods start to turn yellow. Put in a paper bag or hang over a bucket to finish maturing and drying. Whack in a bucket to remove seeds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUse a sieve to remove larger plant parts. Use breath, wind, or fans to winnow off lighter chaff and lighter immature seeds.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Truelove Seeds Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":899362357261,"sku":"SESA-001","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/bluesesamecloseup.jpeg?v=1571609431"},{"product_id":"greater-burdock","title":"Greater Burdock","description":"\u003cp\u003eGreat Burdock is a traditional medicinal plant with broad elephant ears and a deep, nutritious taproot. It is reported to be supportive of the liver, healing for skin blemishes, and cooling for inflammation. In Japanese cooking it is called gobo, and provides a crunchy, earthy, carrot-like quality to soups, stir-fries, shredded salads, sushi, and tempura. This biennial member of the aster family can grow taller than you in the second year, spouting a spray of thistle-like purple flowers that make clingy seed pods, which were the inspiration for zippers. Dig the roots for food and medicine in the fall of the first year. This will also keep it from reseeding itself in the second year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 100\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 98% on 01\/23\/2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSow seeds 1\/4\" deep directly in the ground in early spring - germination can take some time. Sow every 6\" and thin to one plant every 24-36\". Keep moist until germination. Root harvest is difficult - prepare as if digging up a tree. Lift roots in the fall of the first year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAllow seed pods to dry out and begin to open, releasing the first seeds. Wear protective clothing, as the hairs from the pods can irritate like hairs on your neck after a visit to the hairdressers, but worse. Cut the seedheads below the lowest ripe seed pods and whack in a bucket, releasing the seeds. Alternatively, you can use a rolling pin over the pods to release the seeds. Winnow using breath, wind, or fans to remove the fine, irritating dust. This plant will reseed itself, so if you are concerned about having it forever in your garden, do not allow it to go to seed.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Truelove Seeds Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":899363176461,"sku":"HERB-002","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/burdockflowerscreativecommonswiki.jpg?v=1571609431"},{"product_id":"callaloo-amaranth","title":"Callaloo (Amaranth)","description":"\u003cp\u003eSmooth, bright, tender leaves and young stems are tender enough to steam. Mature stems have a light, fluffy pith that tastes and feels similar to summer squash when cooked. Callaloo, the dish, originates in West Africa. The plant, a type of amaranth grown for its greens, was domesticated in Africa and the Americas, and it is cherished in many parts of the Caribbean. Not only is it rich in flavor and nutrition, it is an extremely resilient, self-sufficient, and prolific crop, making it an ideal superfood.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are a number of different variations of callaloo: there are \"wild\" type low growing ones with dark green, hairy leaves, there are plants with flushes of pink in the leaves, and there are upright, smooth, bright plants, which are what we offer here. Some people use other plants for this dish, such as taro leaves or water spinach. Many people season the leaves with onion, garlic, and hot pepper and serve it with saltfish, breadfruit, or boiled green plantain. It is extremely popular in our largely Caribbean neighborhood of East New York.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to Maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 30\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 100\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per bulk packet:\u003c\/strong\u003e approx. 1,000\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 97% on 06\/03\/2026\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCallaloo is an extremely self-sufficient crop. Expect germination between 10-20 days, and fast growth after that. To get a head start on the season, sow seeds 2-4 weeks before the last frost lightly covered in pots or trays in a greenhouse or sunny window. Transplant 1-2' apart into the garden a couple weeks after the last frost, when the soil has warmed a bit. At this point on our farm, callaloo has seeded itself enough that we harvest many young, tender plants whole at 12\" as a way of thinning, but the plants we allow to mature are given about 2' space in each direction. Mature plants have deep pink taproots that allow them to go long periods of time without watering, and shoot up thick, bushy branches.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCallaloo is wind pollinated and can cross pollinate with many varieties of Amaranth. Isolate by a minimum of 500 feet or cover the flowers with corn tassel bags to prevent unwanted cross pollination. Seeds are ready when they start dropping from the seed head, which matures after the flower dies back. You can cut the whole seed head and hang it to dry and mature further in a dry, ventilated place, or you can shake it while still on the plant every day or two, as the seeds ripen at different times starting from the bottom to the tip. Either way, shake the plant in a bucket to release the seeds. Use a strainer to sift out the larger chaff. Use your breath, wind, or fans to winnow off lighter weight chaff.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Truelove Seeds Farm","offers":[{"title":"Regular packet: 100 seeds","offer_id":43967877513454,"sku":"AMAR-003","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"BULK PACKET: 1000 seeds","offer_id":43967877546222,"sku":"AMAR-003-BULK","price":20.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/Callaloo_Farm_stand.jpg?v=1571609431"},{"product_id":"cherokee-purple-tomato","title":"Cherokee Purple Tomato","description":"\u003cp\u003eLarge, smooth, dusky-red fruits with a delicious blend of sweetness, acid, and a subtle smokiness. These heirloom plants provide plenty of 10-12 oz. tomatoes. This variety is reportedly from a family that had grown them for 100 years and that had received them from the Cherokee people. They were passed through a few hands to John Green of Sevierville, TN, who in turn shared them with tomato connoisseur Craig LeHoullier, a retired chemist from Raleigh, NC. In 1993, he shared them with Ira Wallace of Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, who introduced this dusky beauty to the world through their seed catalog. Cherokee Purple has been designated by Slow Food as an outstandingly tasty, culturally important, and endangered heirloom, and is listed in their Ark of Taste as a way to invite everyone to take action to help protect it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 80-90\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 25\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 88% on 05\/07\/2026\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStart seeds 6-8 weeks before the last frost and transplant into garden well after the danger of frost. We recommend you prune the suckers that form in the crotches of the branches by the main stem. Water tomatoes at the soil level, keeping the leaves dry.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTomatoes are generally self-pollinating, though we isolate different varieties by 35-50 feet, in hopes that flying insects will not cross pollinate them unexpectedly. Tomato seeds are ripe when the fruits are ready to eat! Cut the fruit at the equator and squeeze or scrape out seeds from each of the cavities. In a cup or bucket, add a little water (1\/2\" is probably plenty) to your seeds and pulp to keep them from drying out, and allow them to ferment away from direct sunlight. Ideally, you will stir the concoction every day for 3-5 days. In the end, add more water to fill the vessel, stir one final time, and allow to settle. Pour off the floating material and then strain the seeds through a strainer. Sometimes, you will need to add more water and pour off the floating material several times until the water is clear and you can see the seeds sunken at the bottom. Squeeze dry the strained seeds in a towel, and then lay out to dry on a labeled screen or paper product in a ventilated place away from direct sunlight for a week or two.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Chelsea Askew","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":899363799053,"sku":"TOM-006","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/cherokeepurple1_square.jpg?v=1571609431"},{"product_id":"fish-pepper","title":"Fish Pepper","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Fish Pepper is an extremely flavorful, productive, and decorative variety that makes an excellent hot sauce. The white unripe fruit were used to flavor seafood dishes in the Black catering community of Baltimore in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The foliage is variegated white and green, as is much of the unripe fruit, which is 2-3\" long and turns from white with green stripes, to orange with brown stripes, and then bright red. The heat is a 3 on a scale from 1-5.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA note on the variegation: We've found that many plants in our Fish Pepper population are less variegated on their leaves and fruits, and we leave these in as they tend to be healthier, stronger, and more productive, improving the long-term health of this population.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHorace Pippin, the now-famed painter, shared this variety (and many others) with H. Ralph Weaver in the early 1940s in exchange for bee-sting therapy. Weaver's grandson (William Woys Weaver) found the seeds in a baby food jar in his grandmother's deep freezer a couple decades later, many years after his grandfather's death, and was able to reintroduce via Seed Savers Exchange. For years, we have been making gallons of delicious fish pepper sauce from the ripe red fruits after deseeding. Soilful City in Washington DC also makes \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/soilfulcitydc.wordpress.com\/soilful-store\/\" title=\"Buy Pippin Sauce\"\u003ePippin Sauce\u003c\/a\u003e from fish peppers grown by black farmers and urban gardeners in the DC and Maryland areas, and now offers their seeds through Truelove Seeds. The fish pepper has been designated by Slow Food as an outstandingly tasty, culturally important, and endangered heirloom from Philadelphia and Baltimore, and is listed in their \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/trueloveseeds.com\/collections\/ark-of-taste\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eArk of Taste\u003c\/a\u003e as a way to invite everyone to take action to help protect it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to Maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 80\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 25\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 93% on 11\/26\/2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStart seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before the last frost and transplant into garden well after the danger of frost. Keep seedlings moist but do not overwater. Transplants should be initially watered in well, and plants will be most productive with regular irrigation and full sun.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePeppers are generally self-pollinating, though we isolate different varieties of the same species by at least 50 feet, in hopes that flying insects will not cross pollinate them unexpectedly. There are several important species of peppers, so check your scientific names! Pepper seeds are ripe when the fruits have turned their final fiery color - in this case, red. Cut the fruit (consider wearing gloves), scrape out seeds, and lay them out to dry on a labeled screen or paper product in a ventilated place away from direct sunlight for a week or two. Drying the peppers before seed extraction can slightly lower your germination rates, but works fine for home seed saving as long as the peppers do not rot.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Truelove Seeds Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":899364061197,"sku":"CAP-002","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/fishpepperarranged.JPG?v=1571609431"},{"product_id":"gita-long-bean","title":"Gita Long Bean","description":"\u003cp\u003eTender, dark green pods averaging between 15-20 inches in length. We harvest them when they are pencil-thick, but some communities prefer them slimmer. These beans are sweet, flavorful, and lower in fiber, and are ideal for steaming or stir-frying. Our community of East New York is comprised of people from the Caribbean, South Asia, and African Americans from the American South. Caribbean cuisine has been influenced by centuries of cultural exchange with English, French, and Spanish colonizers, enslaved people from West Africa, and indentured servants from Asia and India. The long bean originated in Southeast Asia, became popular in Caribbean cuisine after the Asian cultural exchange, and is now cherished in our diverse community in Brooklyn, where it's affectionately known as \"bora\" or sometimes \"bodi\". Our youth interns at East New York Farms! enjoy harvesting this unique crop, and can sometimes be found playfully whipping each other with them. One popular Trinidadian way to prepare them is to saute them with garlic, pepper, and tomato (known as \"fry bodi\"). A popular Bengali method is to cook them as a stew with potato, shrimp, turmeric, hot pepper, and garlic. Also called asparagus bean.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to Maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 78\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 32\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 94% 04\/15\/2026\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eDirect sow long beans safely after frost, any time between late May and mid-July. This is a climbing vine crop, so it needs to be planted next to a structure or trellis. Plant up to 1\" deep with 3” spacing. Being a legume, it does fairly well and adds nitrogen to poor soil. Ready to harvest after about 80 days. We find the majority of beans near the bottom or tops of the plants, and harvest them completely for the first month to push the plants to continue producing.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLong beans are self-pollinating, though it is best to isolate different varieties of \u003cem\u003eV. unguiculata\u003c\/em\u003e (including black-eyed peas, southern peas, cowpeas) at least 20 feet, if not much farther to avoid unwanted cross-pollination. Allow beans to become yellow and rubbery, and then to dry fully into a brown crispy state. This is when they are ready to harvest for seed. If necessary, lay them out to dry a little longer in their pods.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"East New York Farms!","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":899364159501,"sku":"VIG-002","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/gitalongbeans4.JPG?v=1571609431"},{"product_id":"green-nutmeg-melon","title":"Green Nutmeg Melon","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis aromatic, green cantaloupe with a nutmeg shape and netted skin is a delicious and tried-and-true heirloom variety. Yielding medium sweet fruit with subtle spicy nutmeg aftertaste, this is one of the oldest varieties of cantaloupe that has been grown and distributed in America. It was first mentioned in Bernard McMahon’s “The American Gardener’s Calendar” in 1806 and also by Thomas Jefferson in 1811. Seeds for this variety were sourced from the Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants at Monticello. Check them out for more historic heirloom varieties.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to Maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 80\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 24\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 99% on 12\/11\/2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStart seeds directly in the soil after the last danger of frost. Grow on hills spaced two feet apart, six seeds per hill, thinned to the best three plants. In cooler climates, start indoors 3-4 weeks before last frost and transplant. Keep soil moist until germination.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIsolate by 1\/2 mile from other members of \u003cem\u003eC. melo\u003c\/em\u003e, including other muskmelons, cantaloupes, honeydews, and Armenian cucumbers. Harvest fruits when very ripe to ensure fully mature seeds. Rinse seeds and allow to dry in a ventilated place away from direct sunlight.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Meadowhawk Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":899364683789,"sku":"CUC-001","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/Green_Nutmeg_Melon.jpg?v=1571609431"},{"product_id":"hill-country-red-okra","title":"Hill Country Red Okra","description":"\u003cp\u003eThese plump, red and green pods have a rich, delicious okra flavor. In my field, they grew to above average heights of 8-feet tall on thick, deep-red stems, and produced for months! Hill Country Red Okra is said to have originated in the eastern portion of the mostly limestone Edwards Plateau in west-central Texas—also known as Texas Hill Country. This area has a large German population and influence, which meant they opposed secession from the Union during the Civil War, and also meant introducing the accordion to Tejano music. Okra is probably from West Africa, though some claim Ethiopia as the origin. Many believe enslaved Africans hid okra seeds in their hair on the forced journey across the Atlantic. Certainly, this crop is a taste of home for people of the African Diaspora. My partner Chris (another Truelove Seeds farmer based at the Sankofa Farm at Bartram's Garden) is from Mississippi and is an okra fanatic. This is his favorite variety hands-down, but cannot commit to growing only one type, so I isolated this crop to produce true seed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 60-70\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 40\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 93% on 10\/01\/2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSow seeds of this heat-loving plant indoors 2-3 weeks before transplanting, which should happen several weeks after the last frost, or when soil temperatures stay above 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Soak seeds overnight for quicker germination, and plant 3\/4\" deep. Space 18\" in rows 12-18\" apart. Beds should be at least 3' apart as plants tend to bush out widely. Okra likes fertile, well-drained soil with added compost.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWe harvest and eat this okra when the pods are 2-3\" long and still tender. You can harvest it up to 5-6\", but may find them a bit woody. Can be eaten red or green! When growing new varieties of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"il\"\u003eokra\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, we encourage harvesting at all different stages until you get a sense of the best size for eating. We even eat them raw in the field as a test!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOkra is insect pollinated. Isolate different okra varieties by at least 1\/8th of a mile (or up to 1\/2 mile if you are truly concerned about seed purity) to avoid unwanted cross pollination. Allow pods to grow large and turn brown and woody (your neighbors may look at you funny). When you can hear the seeds rattle, harvest the pod and allow it to dry further on trays in the sun in a dry place. Remove seeds and use breath, wind, or fans to remove bits of chaff.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Truelove Seeds Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":899365240845,"sku":"OKRA-001","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/Photo_Sep_14_10_32_05_AM_levels.jpg?v=1571609431"},{"product_id":"landis-winter-lettuce","title":"Landis Winter Lettuce","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis is an extremely winter-hardy butterhead with pleasant, mild, velvety leaves. It is excellent for salads anytime, but especially exciting to have something green and crunchy while snow is still on the ground. Last year, starting on the first day of spring, we sold this variety to Johnny Brenda's kitchen in Philadelphia while they waited for their regular farmers' early lettuce crops to mature. It's a Pennsylvania Dutch selection of the now-extinct late 1700s variety known as White Tennisball. \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/trueloveseeds.com\/collections\/roughwood\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eRoughwood Seed Collection\u003c\/a\u003e acquired this seed in 1994 from renowned Lettuce seed collector Mary Schultz of Monroe, Washington.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to Maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e overwinter\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 200\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 90% on 12\/16\/2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeed every 1\" in rows 8-12\" apart, 1\/4-1\/2\" deep. Keep watered until germination. Thin to every 8\". Harvest when you can't wait anymore!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLettuce is very much self-pollinating, but give at least 10 feet between plants (we give at least 35 feet) to avoid unwanted cross-pollination from flying insects. Allow the plants to bolt and flower. Often, flowering lettuce benefits from simple staking (we tie several plants together) so that the flowers and seedheads do not fall to the ground. Seed is ripe when the flowers turn to 'feathers,' which are fluff balls like dandelions. In the moist summers of Pennsylvania, we harvest the entire seedheads when at least 50% of the plant has gone to seed. If there are dry days in the forecast, feel free to wait longer for more ripe seed. Cut the seedheads a few feet down, and allow to dry about a week in a sunny dry place like a greenhouse, sunny window, or even a car seat. Later, wearing a handkerchief or mask to avoid breathing in the feathers and dust, bang the seedheads in a bucket allowing the seed to fall to the bottom. The ripest seeds fall, the least ripe stay in the plant, so do not over do it. Sift through strainers to remove the large chaff, and then use your breath, a fan, or the wind to carefully blow off the smaller dust.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Truelove Seeds Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":899365797901,"sku":"LET-001","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/landiswinterlettuceheads.jpg?v=1571609431"},{"product_id":"mary-reynolds-orange-tomato","title":"Mary Reynold's Orange Tomato","description":"\u003cp\u003eHuge and productive beefsteak tomato with a mango\/persimmon orange color, and a sweet rich flavor. Mary Reynolds lived in Natural Bridge, Virginia, where she saved this variety for so long that the original name is gone. She gave seeds to her neighbor John R. Lewis Jr., who in turn shared them with William Woys Weaver through Seed Savers Exchange in the late 1990s. Now we can all enjoy the juicy, delicious, 12-16oz fruits of her labor. For more information and beautiful descriptions of this variety and 99 others, see William Woys Weaver's \"\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/100-Vegetables-Where-They-Came\/dp\/1565122380\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e100 Vegetables and Where They Come From\u003c\/a\u003e.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to Maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 85\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 25\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 89% on 12\/16\/2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStart seeds 6-8 weeks before the last frost and transplant into garden well after the danger of frost. We recommend you prune the suckers that form in the crotches of the branches by the main stem. Water tomatoes at the soil level, keeping the leaves dry.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTomatoes are generally self-pollinating, though we isolate different varieties by 35-50 feet, in hopes that flying insects will not cross pollinate them unexpectedly. Tomato seeds are ripe when the fruits are ready to eat! Cut the fruit at the equator and squeeze or scrape out seeds from each of the cavities. In a cup or bucket, add a little water (1\/2\" is probably plenty) to your seeds and pulp to keep them from drying out, and allow them to ferment away from direct sunlight. Ideally, you will stir the concoction every day for 3-5 days. In the end, add more water to fill the vessel, stir one final time, and allow to settle. Pour off the floating material and then strain the seeds through a strainer. Sometimes, you will need to add more water and pour off the floating material several times until the water is clear and you can see the seeds sunken at the bottom. Squeeze dry the strained seeds in a towel, and then lay out to dry on a labeled screen or paper product in a ventilated place away from direct sunlight for a week or two.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bear Bottom Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":899366584333,"sku":"TOM-004","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/maryreynolds5.JPG?v=1571609431"},{"product_id":"mikado-tomato","title":"Mikado Tomato","description":"\u003cp\u003eIf I could only grow one type of tomato, this would be it. Reason number one: its large, juicy, raspberry-crimson colored fruits are the most delicious. It is a productive indeterminant variety with beautiful, luscious \"potato\" leaves. This is the original Mikado and was first offered in 1886 under the names Mikado and Turner's Hybrid. According to an 1887 advertisement from Rice’s Box of Choice Vegetables, it was bred in Iowa - and was \"unequaled in fine flavor\" to the point where \"old favorites must take a back seat.\" I agree. Thanks to Dr. William Woys Weaver and his Roughwood Seed Collection for introducing me to my true tomato love. While there are several varieties of Mikado available now, this one predates the distinction between pink, red, yellow, and black, according to Dr. Weaver. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to Maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 85 from transplant\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 25\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 95% on 05\/01\/2026\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStart seeds 6-8 weeks before the last frost and transplant into garden well after the danger of frost. We recommend you prune the suckers that form in the crotches of the branches by the main stem. Water tomatoes at the soil level, keeping the leaves dry.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTomatoes are generally self-pollinating, though we isolate different varieties by 35-50 feet, in hopes that flying insects will not cross pollinate them unexpectedly. Tomato seeds are ripe when the fruits are ready to eat! Cut the fruit at the equator and squeeze or scrape out seeds from each of the cavities. In a cup or bucket, add a little water (1\/2\" is probably plenty) to your seeds and pulp to keep them from drying out, and allow them to ferment away from direct sunlight. Ideally, you will stir the concoction every day for 3-5 days. In the end, add more water to fill the vessel, stir one final time, and allow to settle. Pour off the floating material and then strain the seeds through a strainer. Sometimes, you will need to add more water and pour off the floating material several times until the water is clear and you can see the seeds sunken at the bottom. Squeeze dry the strained seeds in a towel, and then lay out to dry on a labeled screen or paper product in a ventilated place away from direct sunlight for a week or two.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Truelove Seeds Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":899366748173,"sku":"TOM-001","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/mikadoarranged.JPG?v=1571609432"},{"product_id":"motherwort","title":"Motherwort","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis bitter mint is calming for anxiety, strengthening for the heart (its scientific name means \"lion hearted\"), soothing and tonifying for menstrual pains, and helps with premenstrual and menopausal nerves. Native to Europe, it has naturalized in North America and grows in disturbed areas, roadsides, and fields. The leaves and pink-lavender flowering tops are often used for their healing properties.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to Maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 60\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 100\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 91% on 05\/23\/2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrefers partial shade to full sun. Direct sow in spring or fall, tamping down seeds with back of rake, barely covered. Keep soil moist until germination. You can also start seeds indoors and transplant. Space plants 1-2' apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAllow seedheads to dry on the plant. Consider wearing gloves, as the seedheads can be irritatingly pointy. Cut the stalks below the lowest seed clusters, and place immediately in buckets as seed will drop. If necessary, dry the seedheads further in the sun on a sheet or table away from moisture and precipitation. When fully dry, whack the seedheads in a bucket, allowing the ripest seed to fall. Sift through strainers to remove the largest chaff, and then winnow off the lighter chaff with your breath, a fan, or the wind.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mill Hollow Plant Music","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":899366879245,"sku":"HERB-001","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/motherwortflowering.jpg?v=1571609432"},{"product_id":"paul-robeson-tomato","title":"Paul Robeson Tomato","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlease also check out the \u003ca title=\"AFRICAN DIASPORA COLLECTION SEED PACKETS AND POSTCARDS\" href=\"https:\/\/trueloveseeds.com\/collections\/print-shop\/products\/african-diaspora-collection-seed-packets-and-postcards-regular-size\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAfrican Diaspora Collection Seed Packets and Postcards\u003c\/a\u003e bundle.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis dusky-red, juicy heirloom is sweet and earthy, dense and smoky, tangy and rich - full of flavor! 7-10oz fruits grow on an indeterminate vine. This Russian variety was introduced by Marina Danilenko, a seed seller from Moscow, and was named in honor of Paul Robeson (1898-1976). Robeson was an African American actor, athlete, singer, linguist and an outspoken crusader for racial equality and social justice for African Americans and all colonized peoples. He spent his final years in our very own West Philadelphia!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 70-80\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 25\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 88% on 10\/03\/2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStart seeds 6-8 weeks before the last frost and transplant into garden well after the danger of frost. We recommend you prune the suckers that form in the crotches of the branches by the main stem. Water tomatoes at the soil level, keeping the leaves dry. Stake tomatoes so that their leaves and branches are kept off the ground, for good airflow between plants, and for easier harvest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTomatoes are generally self-pollinating, though we isolate different varieties by 35-50 feet, in hopes that flying insects will not cross pollinate them unexpectedly. Tomato seeds are ripe when the fruits are ready to eat! Cut the fruit at the equator and squeeze or scrape out seeds from each of the cavities. In a cup or bucket, add a little water (1\/2\" is probably plenty) to your seeds and pulp to keep them from drying out, and allow them to ferment away from direct sunlight. Ideally, you will stir the concoction every day for 3-5 days. In the end, add more water to fill the vessel, stir one final time, and allow to settle. Pour off the floating material and then strain the seeds through a strainer. Sometimes, you will need to add more water and pour off the floating material several times until the water is clear and you can see the seeds sunken at the bottom. Squeeze dry the strained seeds in a towel, and then lay out to dry on a labeled screen or paper product in a ventilated place away from direct sunlight for a week or two.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003ePhoto by Lan Dinh.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Truelove Seeds Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":899367043085,"sku":"TOM-005","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/PaulRobesonTomatoPhotobyLanDinh.jpg?v=1578691525"},{"product_id":"petit-marseillais-pepper","title":"Petit Marseillais Pepper","description":"\u003cp\u003ePetit Marseillais is an heirloom sweet pepper from the South of France. With delicate walls, the mildest hint of heat, and the perfect manageable size for adding to a sauté, it is sure to be a favorite. These sunset-orange fruits are about five inches long, two inches wide, and beautifully wrinkled or wavy. The plants are two feet tall and consistently loaded with peppers - you will be giving them away to friends long after you've found 10 ways to eat and preserve them. We freeze about 5 gallons of deseeded Petit Marseillais peppers per year, and use them throughout the winter. We also stuff the fresh peppers with rice, beans, vegetables, and cheese and bake them to perfection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 70\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 25\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 84% on 06\/03\/2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStart seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before the last frost and transplant into garden well after the danger of frost. Keep seedlings moist but do not overwater. Transplants should be initially watered in well, and plants will be most productive with regular irrigation and full sun.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePeppers are generally self-pollinating, though we isolate different varieties of the same species by at least 50 feet, in hopes that flying insects will not cross pollinate them unexpectedly. There are several important species of peppers, so check your scientific names! Pepper seeds are ripe when the fruits have turned their final fiery color - in this case, sunset-orange. Cut the fruit, scrape out seeds, and lay them out to dry on a labeled screen or paper product in a ventilated place away from direct sunlight for a week or two. Drying the peppers before seed extraction can slightly lower your germination rates, but works fine for home seed saving as long as the peppers do not rot.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Truelove Seeds Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":899367075853,"sku":"CAP-001","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/petitmarseillaisharvest.JPG?v=1571609432"},{"product_id":"plate-de-haiti-tomato","title":"Plate de Haiti Tomato","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlease also check out the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/trueloveseeds.com\/collections\/print-shop\/products\/african-diaspora-collection-seed-packets-and-postcards-regular-size\" title=\"AFRICAN DIASPORA COLLECTION SEED PACKETS AND POSTCARDS\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAfrican Diaspora Collection Seed Packets and Postcards\u003c\/a\u003e bundle.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProlific, vermilion red, apple-shaped tomato that has been associated with Hispaniola since the 1550s. Right up until frost, this indeterminate tomato produces endless 2-inch fruits that are flavorful when eaten fresh, and even better in sauce. According to William Woys Weaver who shared the seeds with Pentridge Children's Garden, this variety was first documented in Conrad Gessner's Historia Plantarum in 1561. In 1793, the Creole refugees who fled the successful uprising of enslaved people in Haiti brought this tomato with them. Dr. Weaver was able to find this tomato depicted in paintings of that time period made by the Peale family of Philadelphia, well before it became a popular food in North America (see \u003cem\u003eStill Life: Balsam Apples and Vegetables, 1820\u003c\/em\u003e by James Peale). The kids at Pentridge Children's Garden in West Philadelphia explore the history of the Haitian Revolution while growing and eating this tomato. Our packets were illustrated by Jasmine Hamilton, and feature \u003cspan\u003eMarie-Jeanne Lamartiniére of of the revolutionary Haitian soldiers.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSoul Fire Farm remits 100% of their proceeds from the sales of their seeds to the Stockbridge Munsee Band of the Mohican Nation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 80\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 25\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 98% on 01\/17\/2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStart seeds 6-8 weeks before the last frost and transplant into garden well after the danger of frost. We recommend you prune the suckers that form in the crotches of the branches by the main stem. Water tomatoes at the soil level, keeping the leaves dry.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTomatoes are generally self-pollinating, though we isolate different varieties by 35-50 feet, in hopes that flying insects will not cross pollinate them unexpectedly. Tomato seeds are ripe when the fruits are ready to eat! Cut the fruit at the equator and squeeze or scrape out seeds from each of the cavities. In a cup or bucket, add a little water (1\/2\" is probably plenty) to your seeds and pulp to keep them from drying out, and allow them to ferment away from direct sunlight. Ideally, you will stir the concoction every day for 3-5 days. In the end, add more water to fill the vessel, stir one final time, and allow to settle. Pour off the floating material and then strain the seeds through a strainer. Sometimes, you will need to add more water and pour off the floating material several times until the water is clear and you can see the seeds sunken at the bottom. Squeeze dry the strained seeds in a towel, and then lay out to dry on a labeled screen or paper product in a ventilated place away from direct sunlight for a week or two.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Soul Fire Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":899367206925,"sku":"TOM-002","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/Plate_de_Haiti_15_maybe_fave_square.jpg?v=1571609432"},{"product_id":"schimmeig-stoo-stuffing-tomato","title":"Schimmeig Stoo Stuffing Tomato","description":"\u003cp\u003eSchimmeig Stoo is a striped tomato shaped like a bell pepper with a hollow cavern that can be stuffed with salad or with some savory filling, topped with cheese, and baked. The walls hold up, and while somewhat bland, it absorbs flavors and keeps it all together structurally in a gorgeous edible container. Tom Wagner of Tater Mater Seeds named it Striped Cavern in Manx, the language of his mother's father and released it in 1983. Super productive!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlso known as Striped Cavern, and Get Stuffed Tomato. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 75\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 25\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 100% on 09\/07\/2022\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStart seeds 6-8 weeks before the last frost and transplant into garden well after the danger of frost. We recommend you prune the suckers that form in the crotches of the branches by the main stem. Water tomatoes at the soil level, keeping the leaves dry.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTomatoes are generally self-pollinating, though we isolate different varieties by 35-50 feet, in hopes that flying insects will not cross pollinate them unexpectedly. Tomato seeds are ripe when the fruits are ready to eat! Cut the fruit at the equator and squeeze or scrape out seeds from each of the cavities. In a cup or bucket, add a little water (1\/2\" is probably plenty) to your seeds and pulp to keep them from drying out, and allow them to ferment away from direct sunlight. Ideally, you will stir the concoction every day for 3-5 days. In the end, add more water to fill the vessel, stir one final time, and allow to settle. Pour off the floating material and then strain the seeds through a strainer. Sometimes, you will need to add more water and pour off the floating material several times until the water is clear and you can see the seeds sunken at the bottom. Squeeze dry the strained seeds in a towel, and then lay out to dry on a labeled screen or paper product in a ventilated place away from direct sunlight for a week or two.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Truelove Seeds Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":899367403533,"sku":"TOM-003","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/schimmeigstooharvestbowl.jpg?v=1571609432"},{"product_id":"sehsapsing-blue-flint-corn","title":"Sehsapsing (Oklahoma Delaware Blue) Flint Corn","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eSehsapsing or Oklahoma Delaware Blue Flint Corn are breathtaking 7-inch cobs containing 8 rows of blue-black kernels that can be ground for flour, grits, and a traditional cornmeal mush called sapan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis corn is also known as Sèhsapsink, Lenape Blue Corn, and Oklahoma Delaware Black Flint and is an important variety to the Lenape people, whose original homeland covers what is now New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania, Southern New York, and Northern Delaware.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWilliam Woys Weaver received seeds of this variety in the 1970s from both Gladys Tantaquidgeon (Mohegan medicine woman and ethnographer) and Walton Galinat (a Connecticut Yankee who specialized in native corn). The USDA received seeds of this variety in 1985 from Charles Dean, the husband of Nora Thompson Dean, an Unami Delaware\/Lenape herbalist who dedicated her life to preserving the culture and traditions of her tribe. This variety was brought west to Oklahoma by her maternal line. Her mother was Sarah Wilson Thompson. Many Lenape people moved west over hundreds of years, continually pushed onward by white settlers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you are Lenape, please reach out so we can rematriate these seeds to you free of charge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 90\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 60\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 97% on 01\/22\/2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCorn requires warm soil to germinate. Wait a week or two after the last frost and sow seeds directly in the ground. Plant in rows 2-3' apart. For good pollination, it is better to plant at least 3-5 shorter rows next to each other rather than one or two long rows. Sow 1\" deep and thin to every 6-12\" within the row. Keep soil moist until germination. Consider planting successions every few weeks for continual harvest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCorn is wind pollinated and should be isolated by 2-3 miles from other varieties of corn to avoid unwanted cross-pollination. Another option is to separate your corn plantings by 3-4 weeks so they do not flower\/tassel at the same time. Allow the cobs and kernels to dry on the plants before harvesting for seed. If you are concerned about neighbor's corn plots hybridizing yours, consider only harvesting seed from the plants towards the middle of your plot, leaving the outer rows for eating. If necessary, lay out the cobs to do some final drying before removing the husks and seeds.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Pendle Hill","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":899367501837,"sku":"ZEA-001","price":6.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/Sehsapsing_1.JPG?v=1571609432"},{"product_id":"syrian-pea","title":"Syrian Pea","description":"\u003cp\u003eA tasty and prolific shelling pea that climbs tall with cascading white flowers. It was collected in 1949 in Homs, Syria, which is now the center of resistance to the Bashar al-Assad regime.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 65\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 40\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 97% on 10\/02\/2024\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeed directly in the ground as soon as the soil can be worked in the early Spring. Sow about an inch apart in rows on either side of a trellis, or in bands of 2-3 feet, with the trellis in the middle. Keep soil constantly moist until germination. No need to thin.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePeas are self-pollinating, though it is best to isolate different varieties of \u003cem\u003eP. sativum\u003c\/em\u003e by at least 25 feet (we do 75 feet to be sure) to avoid unwanted cross-pollination from flying insects. For seed saving, harvest the peas when their shells have become dried and crispy. Lay out the pods in a dry, sunny place to dry down further. Shell the peas and lay out the seeds in a well ventilated place away from direct sunlight for at least another few days to a week before storing for next year.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Truelove Seeds Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":899368747021,"sku":"PEA-002","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/Syrian_Pea.jpg?v=1571609432"},{"product_id":"thompsons-prolific-white-dent-corn","title":"Thompson's Prolific White Dent Corn","description":"\u003cp\u003eTall, productive stalks yield two heavy, 8-inch, cream-colored ears - hence the name 'prolific'! Good eating off the cob and also used as stock feed. This variety was grown by Chelsea Askew on her family's land in Peavine, GA. She says, \"I haven't exactly been able to come up with words to express what it feels like to cultivate the corn that was grown and saved by my great grandfather, Pop, on the land where he grew it for decades to feed his family, livestock, and all the microbes involved in his art of fermentation and distillation.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis corn has a long history in the South. Thompson's Prolific was offered by Diggs \u0026amp; Beadles, Inc. Seed Merchants in Richmond, VA as early as 1910. At the Virginia Corn Grower's Association's \"Corn-Day\" that year, they announced they would give a prize of up to $10 in garden seeds to the farmer who could grow the biggest yield of Thompson's Prolific on one acre. It was perhaps bred by W J Thompson of Siler City, NC, who was listed as a grower for this seed in 1915 in a Farmers Market Bulletin issued by the North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station. This corn was especially recommended for Tennessee growers by their state's experiment stations, as mentioned in a USDA Corn Improvement bulletin in 1936.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 90-110\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 60\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 99% on 06\/05\/2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCorn requires warm soil to germinate. Wait a week or two after the last frost and sow seeds directly in the ground. Plant in rows 2-3' apart. For good pollination, it is better to plant in blocks rather than in one or two long rows. Sow 1\" deep and thin to every 6-12\" within the row. Keep soil moist until germination.Consider planting successions every few weeks for continual harvest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCorn is wind pollinated and should be isolated by 2-3 miles from other varieties of corn to avoid unwanted cross-pollination. Another option is to separate your corn plantings by 3-4 weeks so they do not flower\/tassel at the same time. Allow the cobs and kernels to dry on the plants before harvesting for seed. If you are concerned about neighbor's corn plots hybridizing yours, consider only harvesting seed from the plants towards the middle of your plot, leaving the outer rows for eating. If necessary, lay out the cobs to do some final drying before removing the husks and seeds.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Chelsea Askew","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":899369205773,"sku":"ZEA-003","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/thompsonsprolific.JPG?v=1571609432"},{"product_id":"cima-di-rapa-sessantina-broccoli-rabe","title":"Cima di Rapa Sessantina (Broccoli Rabe)","description":"\u003cp\u003eRapini, Rabe, Cima di Rapa, Friarielli, or Broccoletti - whatever you call it, this flavorful spring, summer, and fall vegetable is delicious! It is widely eaten in southern Italy, as well as in parts of Spain and Portugal. Cima di Rapa Sessantina is named as a 60 day variety but you can eat it's smaller succulent thinnings sooner than that. Plants grow 12-18\" tall with thick stems and bitter-sweet foliage and florets. All plants are ready for harvest at about the same time, so plant in successions for continual harvest. This variety was made available by Seeds from Italy, the US distributor of Franchi Seeds, Italy's oldest family-owned seed company, founded in 1783. Check them out for more Italian varieties! \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.growitalian.com\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ewww.growitalian.com\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to Maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 60\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 200\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 91% on 11\/04\/2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeed every 1\" in rows 8-12\" apart, 1\/4-1\/2\" deep. Keep watered until germination. Thin to every 6\".\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIsolate by 1\/2 mile from other flowering members of \u003cem\u003eB. rapa\u003c\/em\u003e, including turnips, napa cabbage, and bok choy to avoid unwanted cross-pollination. Allow seed pods to turn brown and dry before seed harvest. Protect from birds.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Truelove Seeds Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":3016559394856,"sku":"BRA-001","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/broccolirabefloweringwithbee.JPG?v=1571609432"},{"product_id":"pois-geant-sans-parchemin-giant-snow-pea","title":"Pois Geant Sans Parchemin (Giant Snow Pea)","description":"\u003cp\u003eA deliciously sweet, gorgeous, and bountiful snow pea with gigantic, thin pods. Harvest when pods are thin and seeds are barely showing, and eat fresh or as a sauteed delicacy. The plants are about 4 feet tall with striking violet and maroon blooms.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis French heirloom was described by Charles Darwin in his book “The Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication” in 1868 and by Vilmorin in \"The Vegetable Garden\" in 1885. This particular strain was given to the USDA in 1960 under the name Mangetout Carouby, and later given to William Woys Weaver by Will Bonsall. Both curate historically important seed collections and have inspired countless others to follow in their footsteps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to Maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 65\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 40\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 88% on 11\/04\/2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeed directly in the ground as soon as the soil can be worked in the early Spring. Sow about an inch apart in rows on either side of a trellis, or in bands of 2-3 feet, with the trellis in the middle. Keep soil constantly moist until germination. No need to thin.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePeas are self-pollinating, though it is best to isolate different varieties of \u003cem\u003eP. sativum\u003c\/em\u003e by at least 25 feet (we do 75 feet to be sure) to avoid unwanted cross-pollination from flying insects. For seed saving, harvest the peas when their shells have become dried and crispy. Lay out the pods in a dry, sunny place to dry down further. Shell the peas and lay out the seeds in a well ventilated place away from direct sunlight for at least another few days to a week before storing for next year.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Truelove Seeds Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":3016831631400,"sku":"PEA-001","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/poisgeantpeahand.jpg?v=1571609432"},{"product_id":"white-velvet-okra","title":"White Velvet Okra","description":"\u003cp\u003eLoaded with long, white, velvety, and spineless fruits, this is a gorgeous and delicious variety eaten fresh off the plant, cooked, or canned. White Velvet Okra has been an important part of Southern foodways (particularly in Alabama) for over 100 years. It was made commercially available in 1890 and was widely popular due to its tender fruit lacking spines, and beautiful contrast to the colors of tomato based soups, or sometimes in fresh salads, pickles, gumbos, or by itself. Like many important regional food plant varieties, the scaling up of globalized agriculture brought a flooding of the market of cheaper, more standard and generic green okra varieties being grown farther away, and so tender heirloom is extremely rare these days.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis variety was given to William Woys Weaver in the mid-1990s. White Velvet Okra has been designated by Slow Food as an outstandingly tasty, culturally important, and endangered heirloom from Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana, and is listed in their \u003ca rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/trueloveseeds.com\/collections\/ark-of-taste\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eArk of Taste\u003c\/a\u003e as a way to invite everyone to take action to help protect it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to Maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 65\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 40\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 85% on 10\/01\/2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSow seeds of this heat-loving plant indoors 2-3 weeks before transplanting, which should happen several weeks after the last frost, or when soil temperatures stay above 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Soak seeds overnight for quicker germination, and plant 3\/4\" deep. Space 18\" in rows 12-18\" apart. Beds should be at least 3' apart as plants tend to bush out widely. Okra likes fertile, well-drained soil with added compost.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOkra is insect pollinated. Isolate different okra varieties by at least 1\/8th of a mile (or up to 1\/2 mile if you are truly concerned about seed purity) to avoid unwanted cross pollination. Allow pods to grow large and turn brown and woody (your neighbors may look at you funny). When you can hear the seeds rattle, harvest the pod and allow it to dry further on trays in the sun in a dry place. Remove seeds and use breath, wind, or fans to remove bits of chaff.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bear Bottom Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":3016913879080,"sku":"OKRA-002","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/IMG_7412.JPG?v=1571609432"},{"product_id":"beaver-dam-pepper","title":"Beaver Dam Pepper","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis mild to medium hot pepper is crunchy, rich, and fruity with a sweet intro and a surprise spicy finish. 5-8\" goat horn-shaped fruits ripen from bright lime-green to red, and are good for slicing fresh onto a sandwich, stuffing, or pickling. Be prepared for a plentiful harvest! Beaver Dam’s Scoville Heat Unit ranking is a scant 500-1,000, giving it a flavor more akin to a slightly spicy ripe bell pepper than even a mild Poblano.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese seeds came to the US originally with the family of Joe Hussli, Hungarian Immigrants, who arrived in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin in 1912. Though generally eaten fried, stewed, pickled or roasted in the US, pimento type peppers are often dried and powdered in Hungary for zesty paprika. The Beaver Dam Pepper Festival turns up the heat in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin on the second Saturday of September! The Beaver Dam Pepper has been designated by Slow Food as an outstandingly tasty, culturally important, and endangered heirloom and is listed in their \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/trueloveseeds.com\/collections\/ark-of-taste\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eArk of Taste\u003c\/a\u003e as a way to invite everyone to take action to help protect it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 70-80\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 25\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 85% on 04\/15\/2026\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStart seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before the last frost and transplant into garden well after the danger of frost. Keep seedlings moist but do not overwater. Transplants should be initially watered in well, and plants will be most productive with regular irrigation and full sun. With a leafy growth habit and a heavy yield, Beaver Dam can benefit from staking.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePeppers are generally self-pollinating, though we isolate different varieties of the same species by at least 50 feet, in hopes that flying insects will not cross pollinate them unexpectedly. There are several important species of peppers, so check your scientific names! Pepper seeds are ripe when the fruits have turned their final fiery color - in this case, red. Cut the fruit (consider wearing gloves), scrape out seeds, and lay them out to dry on a labeled screen or paper product in a ventilated place away from direct sunlight for a week or two. Drying the peppers before seed extraction can slightly lower your germination rates, but works fine for home seed saving as long as the peppers do not rot.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cultivating The Commons","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":3105084768296,"sku":"CAP-005","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/BeaverDamPepper_d2ed203a-d755-4b6e-a095-e68352516637.JPG?v=1571609432"},{"product_id":"pippins-golden-honey-pepper","title":"Pippin's Golden Honey Pepper","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis colorful sweet pepper ripens from a deep dark purple to a bright honey-mustard, to a cheerful golden orange. The 3-4\" fruits have thin walls, making it great for stuffing, pickling, or eating fresh. This is one of the many peppers traded by Philly Area folk artist Horace Pippin for bee stings from H Ralph Weaver's hives in West Chester in the early 1940s. In a deep freezer, nearly half a century ago, William Woys Weaver found these seeds (as well as those of the Fish Pepper and many others) in labeled baby food jars.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 80\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 25\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 91% on 11\/27\/2024\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStart seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before the last frost and transplant into garden well after the danger of frost. Keep seedlings moist but do not overwater. Transplants should be initially watered in well, and plants will be most productive with regular irrigation and full sun.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePeppers are generally self-pollinating, though we isolate different varieties of the same species by at least 50 feet, in hopes that flying insects will not cross pollinate them unexpectedly. There are several important species of peppers, so check your scientific names! Pepper seeds are ripe when the fruits have turned their final fiery color - in this case, sunset-orange. Cut the fruit, scrape out seeds, and lay them out to dry on a labeled screen or paper product in a ventilated place away from direct sunlight for a week or two. Drying the peppers before seed extraction can slightly lower your germination rates, but works fine for home seed saving as long as the peppers do not rot.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ucandoit Farms","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":3105491943464,"sku":"CAP-004","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/pippinsgoldenhoneybasket.jpg?v=1571609432"},{"product_id":"shishito-pepper","title":"Shishito Pepper","description":"\u003cp\u003eEarly and prolific classic Japanese pepper has 3-4\" thin-walled fruits with a very subtle heat. Usually eaten green and unripe, they are also delicious when red. Grill or stir-fry in oil until they just begin to blister and serve with sea salt, or batter and fry as tempura. Every 10 or 20 peppers will be a little hotter, though the vast majority have a Scoville heat rating of 50-200: only a bit spicier than a bell pepper.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe name \u003cem\u003eShishito\u003c\/em\u003e is a Japanese abbreviation for the combination of \u003cem\u003eshishi\u003c\/em\u003e or \u003cem\u003ejishi\u003c\/em\u003e (lion's head) and \u003cem\u003etōgarashi\u003c\/em\u003e (tip of the chili pepper), as the tips look like lion's heads. It is known as \u003cem\u003ekkwari-gochu\u003c\/em\u003e or ground cherry chili in Korean. One theory is that shishitos are a Japanese selection of the Padrón pepper from Spain. Chili peppers originate in what is now Mexico and have been adapted to various soils, cultures, and tastes throughout the world. We received seeds from this variety from \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.kitazawaseed.com\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eKitazawa Seed Company\u003c\/a\u003e, the oldest seed company in America specializing in Asian vegetable seeds, founded in 1917. We recommend checking them out for more Asian varieties!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 60\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 25\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 83% on 02\/24\/2026\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStart seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before the last frost and transplant into garden well after the danger of frost. Keep seedlings moist but do not overwater. Transplants should be initially watered in well, and plants will be most productive with regular irrigation and full sun. Traditionally harvested green, though red fruits are also tasty.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePeppers are generally self-pollinating, though we isolate different varieties of the same species by at least 50 feet, in hopes that flying insects will not cross pollinate them unexpectedly. There are several important species of peppers, so check your scientific names! Pepper seeds are ripe when the fruits have turned their final fiery color - in this case, sunset-orange. Cut the fruit, scrape out seeds, and lay them out to dry on a labeled screen or paper product in a ventilated place away from direct sunlight for a week or two. Drying the peppers before seed extraction can slightly lower your germination rates, but works fine for home seed saving as long as the peppers do not rot.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Milkweed Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":3105613185064,"sku":"CAP-006","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/Shishito_square_e99e1662-4bc0-4b66-b4e3-0546d303bb77.jpg?v=1639763243"},{"product_id":"sugar-drip-sweet-sorghum","title":"Sugar Drip (Sweet Sorghum)","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis sweet sorghum cane grows up to 12' tall with seed heads that turn amber red when mature. Thick, juicy stalks make for mighty fine sorghum syrup once squeezed and boiled down over a wood fire. Thrives in the heat. Drought tolerant. This is a relatively early-maturing variety that can often be helpful in beating the sugarcane aphid that tends to arrive later in the season.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis crop, originally from Africa, has a deep history in Southern Appalachia as a self-sufficient sweetener as well as a multipurpose, low maintenance, and high yielding plant that grew well with the animal-powered holler farming typical of the area. The cane is great for making wood-fired sorghum syrup, which has many delicious culinary applications including stack cakes and molasses cookies, but I most enjoy it atop a warm and buttered slice of cornbread. The seed heads can be used as a gluten-free grain for humans (I'm furthering my experiments with milling it this winter!) The leaves, stripped prior to juicing the cane, as well as the seed heads also make great fodder for animals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 120-140\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per normal packet:\u003c\/strong\u003e 475-500\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per bulk packet:\u003c\/strong\u003e approx. 3000 (2 oz)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 75% on 01\/15\/2026\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNeeds full sun and thrives in warm climates. Direct seed 1\/4\" into well-drained soil once the danger of frost has passed. Chelsea Askew has seeded this several ways: by hand; using an Earthway seeder with a spinach plate; and using a tractor mounted Covington single-row planter with a sorghum plate. All methods require thinning. Thin to 8\"-12\" in row. Best to harvest cane for molasses when seed head has turned from the milk stage to soft dough and the external color from green to an amber red.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile sorghum is generally self pollinating, people concerned with unwanted cross pollination should isolate various varieties of \u003cem\u003eS. bicolor\u003c\/em\u003e (including Johnson grass) by 990 feet. Alternatively, you can plant your different sorghums closer together and bag the plants' tassels when they emerge with weather resistant corn tassel bags, or with paper bags in drier climates. Allowing the seed heads to reach the hard dough stage is best when harvesting for seed.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Chelsea Askew","offers":[{"title":"Regular packet: 475-500 seeds","offer_id":42479454257390,"sku":"SORG-001","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"BULK PACKET: 3000 seeds (2 oz)","offer_id":42479454290158,"sku":"SORG-001-BULK","price":20.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/IMG_2097.JPG?v=1571609432"},{"product_id":"polish-watermelon","title":"Polish Watermelon","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis ridiculously good tasting melon has a diverse gene pool, which gives it hybrid vigor while being an open pollinated landrace. Fruits come out in two types: the standard red icebox type as well some lighter-colored types. Many people have told Bryan O'Hara of Tobacco Road Farm that this is the best tasting watermelon they have eaten in their life, which has a lot to do with the soil it was grown in, but you will get a similar result in other natural farming systems. The original seed was from his Polish neighbor's father who had raised these watermelons for many years. Each year for the past 15-20 years, Bryan has been selecting from this crop for the most vigorous, earliest, biggest, and best tasting watermelons.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWatermelons originate in West Africa, where they have been cultivated for at least four thousand years. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 75-80\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 20\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 91% on 05\/20\/2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDirect sow in warm soil after the last frost, or seed indoors 3-4 weeks beforehand and transplant. Space 12-18\" apart in rows that are 6-8' apart. Keep ground slightly moist until germination, but do not overwater. Watermelons love heat and well drained soils.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWatermelons are insect pollinated and need 1\/2 mile between different varieties of \u003cem\u003eC. lanatus\u003c\/em\u003e to prevent unwanted cross-pollination. It is difficult to know when a watermelon is truly ripe. In \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.chelseagreen.com\/seed-to-seed\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eSeed to Seed\u003c\/em\u003e by Suzanne Ashworth\u003c\/a\u003e, she recommends waiting until the small tendril opposite the melon's \"peduncle\" (stem attachment) changes from green to brown and dries out. You can also look for color changes in the skin, and listen for a thud when the fruit is tapped. Seeds are ready for harvest when the melon is ready to eat. Dry them out in a ventilated place away from direct sunlight.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tobacco Road Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":3105829716008,"sku":"CUC-004","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/PolishWatermelonTRFsquare.jpg?v=1571609432"},{"product_id":"buena-mulata-pepper","title":"Buena Mulata Pepper","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlease also check out the \u003ca title=\"AFRICAN DIASPORA COLLECTION SEED PACKETS AND POSTCARDS\" href=\"https:\/\/trueloveseeds.com\/collections\/print-shop\/products\/african-diaspora-collection-seed-packets-and-postcards-regular-size\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAfrican Diaspora Collection Seed Packets and Postcards\u003c\/a\u003e bundle.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeautiful, spicy, and flavorful cayenne pepper that starts purple and then passes through salmon and orange on the way to turning a gorgeous red. The tall striking plants are laden with 4-5 inch fruits, which are tasty at all stages, but we prefer the added sweetness of the fully red fruit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBuena Mulata Pepper was the name on the baby food jar next to the name \"Pippin\" in the bottom of the deep freezer in William Woys Weaver's grandmother's basement, a decade after his plant-loving grandfather's untimely death. If you've heard of the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/trueloveseeds.com\/products\/fish-pepper\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eFish Pepper\u003c\/a\u003e, this story probably sounds familiar. There were many other seeds besides those of the beautiful, delicious, and now widely-available Fish Pepper in that frozen trove, and many that passed through Horace Pippin's hands, including this Buena Mulata. Horace Pippin is now a well-known artist who beautifully depicted everyday life, landscapes, religion, WWI, and themes of the injustices of slavery and segregation. In the 1940s, he traded seeds from his friends in the Black catering communities of Philly and Baltimore in exchange for bee sting therapy for WWI arm injury from William Woys Weaver's grandfather H. Ralph Weaver's hives. Seeds stay viable longer in the freezer; our heirlooms only survive if someone removes them from storage and places them in soil; and stories only live when they are told.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 75-80\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 25\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 81% on 12\/17\/2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStart seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before the last frost and transplant into garden well after the danger of frost. Keep seedlings moist but do not overwater. Transplants should be initially watered in well, and plants will be most productive with regular irrigation and full sun.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePeppers are generally self-pollinating, though we isolate different varieties of the same species by at least 50 feet, in hopes that flying insects will not cross pollinate them unexpectedly. There are several important species of peppers, so check your scientific names! Pepper seeds are ripe when the fruits have turned their final fiery color - in this case, fully red. Cut the fruit, scrape out seeds, and lay them out to dry on a labeled screen or paper product in a ventilated place away from direct sunlight for a week or two. Drying the peppers before seed extraction can slightly lower your germination rates, but works fine for home seed saving as long as the peppers do not rot.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Truelove Seeds Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":3105978023976,"sku":"CAP-003","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/buenamulata2_17d694bf-4d30-43ef-a1f3-5b5b31bd6365.jpg?v=1614107837"},{"product_id":"turkey-craw-bean","title":"Turkey Craw Bean","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis dual purpose pole bean produces 4-6\" pods that are delicious when young, green, and snappy. When used as a dry bean, they are sweet, rich, buttery, and meaty in taste and texture. The seeds are a beautiful frosted brown and tan. The vines are often grown in corn fields.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe story goes: in the 1800s, this seed was found in the craw of a turkey brought home in by a hunter that many report to have been an enslaved African American man. We would love to know more about his story.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Turkey Craw Bean has been designated by Slow Food as an outstandingly tasty, culturally important, and endangered heirloom from Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee, and is listed in their \u003ca rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fondazioneslowfood.com\/en\/ark-of-taste-slow-food\/turkey-craw-bean\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eArk of Taste\u003c\/a\u003e as a way to invite everyone to take action to help protect it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 80-100\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 32\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 91% on 10\/31\/2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlant in warm soil at least a couple weeks after the last danger of frost has passed. Sow directly in the ground at a depth of 1 inch, spaced every few inches in rows 12 inches apart. Thin to one plant every 2-4 inches. Provide a sturdy trellis as the vines can grow six to eight feet tall. Needs ample sun and good airflow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeans are self-pollinating, though it is best to isolate different varieties of \u003cem\u003eP. vulgaris\u003c\/em\u003e by at least 25 feet (we do 75 feet to be sure) to avoid unwanted cross-pollination from flying insects. For seed saving, harvest the beans when their shells have become dried and crispy on the plants. Lay out the pods in a dry, sunny place to dry down further. Shell the beans and lay out the seeds in a well ventilated place away from direct sunlight for at least another few days to a week before storing for next year.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bear Bottom Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":3106006269992,"sku":"BN-004","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/TurkeyCrawBean_5c04db8f-51cc-410c-a93f-715b2c1b3a9e.JPG?v=1571609432"},{"product_id":"ashwagandha","title":"Ashwagandha","description":"\u003cp\u003eAshwagandha is a Solanum native to the drier regions of India, Northern Africa, and the Middle East. This plant has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for at least 3000 years. Its dried, powdered root is used as an adaptogen that helps you adapt to stress, build your immune system, and beat insomnia. Its berries are used as a substitute for rennet in cheesemaking!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 200\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 100\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 91% on 05\/22\/2026\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSow seeds indoors 8-12 weeks before the last frost and transplant into garden well after the danger of frost. 1\/4\" deep. Keep seedlings moist but do not overwater. Transplants should be initially watered in well, and plants will be most productive with regular irrigation and full sun.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAshwagandha seeds are ripe when the fruits have turned another red. We remove ashwagandha seeds like those of ground cherries, cape gooseberries, or tomatillos. You can remove seeds by hand, rinse, and dry. We pop the berries by hand in a bucket of water, so that the water will help extract the seeds, which will sink to the bottom. We have also used a blender on the lowest setting with plenty of water. When the fruits have been broken open, pour the mixture into a large container and add water. Allow the fruits to float and the seeds to sink. Pour off everything except the seed (you may have to add more water and repeat this process a few times) and then strain and rinse the seeds, and dry.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Truelove Seeds Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":3345145331752,"sku":"HERB-005","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/ashwaghandafruit_a1e07189-ef18-40a5-9f07-a90d388e9ee6.JPG?v=1571609433"},{"product_id":"fagiolina-del-trasimeno-bean","title":"Fagiolina del Trasimeno (Cream-Colored)","description":"\u003cp\u003eSmall Bean of Lake Trasimeno. Fagiolina del Trasimeno is a small, savory, black-eyed pea that has been grown by home gardeners in the hills and fields around the Lake Trasimeno area of Umbria, Italy for centuries. These creamy and delicious peas cook quickly without soaking because they are so small. You can add them to rice or risotto and both will be ready at the same time, with much added flavor, texture, and nutrition. It requires harvest almost everyday and so it has been threatened with extinction as the world moves towards mechanized agriculture. The Provincia di Perugia funded an exploration of the various cowpeas grown in this region, and the University of Perugia created a seed bank of the findings, helped multiply the available seed, and facilitated taste tests, field tests, and workshops to promote the varieties to the regional growers. Since then, other local organizations, governmental bodies, Slow Food, and even gourmet academies have taken on the efforts to preserve and promote this particularly delicious local heirloom through recipe and meal sharing, agri-tourism, and protective status. This variety is cream-colored with a black eye. We also offer the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/trueloveseeds.com\/products\/fagiolina-del-trasimeno-multi-colored\"\u003emulti-colored selection of Fagiolina del Trasimeno\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOf course, this species was domesticated in West Africa. It was first documented in Greece in 300 BC, and must have spread through Southern Europe from there, taking on new forms as it traveled over the centuries from village to village.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 85\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 40\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 95% on 12\/01\/2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDirect sow black-eyed peas safely after frost, any time between late May and mid-July. This is a climbing vine crop, so it needs to be planted next to a structure or trellis. Plant 1\" deep with 3-4\" spacing, either in 1 row on each side of the net trellis or in another arrangement if using a different kind of trellis, like a pole or garden sculpture. Being a legume, it does fairly well in and adds nitrogen to poor soil.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBlack-eyed peas are self-pollinating, though it is best to isolate different varieties of \u003cem\u003eV. unguiculata\u003c\/em\u003e (including black-eyed peas, southern peas, cowpeas, and long beans) at least 20 feet, if not much farther to avoid unwanted cross-pollination. Allow beans to dry fully into a brown crispy state. This is when they are ready to harvest for seed. If necessary, lay them out to dry a little longer in their pods.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Truelove Seeds Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":3345449812008,"sku":"VIG-004","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/fagiolinadeltrasimenoupclose_399ab4d4-7d33-4107-999f-44ebec81d428.JPG?v=1571609433"},{"product_id":"frijol-rojo-de-seda-red-silk-bean","title":"Frijol Rojo de Seda (Red Silk Bean)","description":"\u003cp\u003eFrijol Rojo de Seda is a silky, smooth, sweet red bean just like the name says. It is super important in kitchens throughout Central America as it is sweet and considered one of the tastiest beans.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is also called Salvadoran Red Bean, y cuando yo preguntè a mi amiga Salvadoreña Nadia, she said it's her favorite, and one of the only foods she cooks. Here is her recipe:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003eCook the dry beans overnight in a crock pot with 'consume de pollo,' half a red onion, and half a head of garlic. Serve with 'Crema Salvadoreña.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrow this variety on tall trellises - it loves to climb. Many of the seeds available for this variety have been grown in El Salvador. This seed stock has been acclimated to Pennsylvania for the last couple decades, first by William Woys Weaver, and now by Owen for Truelove Seeds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 85\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 40\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 93% on 12\/03\/2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlant in warm soil at least a couple weeks after the last danger of frost has passed. Sow directly in the ground at a depth of one inch, spaced every few inches in rows 12 inches apart. Thin to one plant every four to six inches. Provide a sturdy trellis as the vines can grow six to eight feet tall. In my hoop house with drip irrigation and constant summer heat, they grew at least 12 feet tall on strings to the ceiling!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeans are self-pollinating, though it is best to isolate different varieties of \u003cem\u003eP. vulgaris\u003c\/em\u003e by at least 25 feet (we do 75 feet to be sure) to avoid unwanted cross-pollination from flying insects. For seed saving, harvest the beans when their shells have become dried and crispy on the plants. Lay out the pods in a dry, sunny place to dry down further. Shell the beans and lay out the seeds in a well ventilated place away from direct sunlight for at least another few days to a week before storing for next year.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Truelove Seeds Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":3345634590760,"sku":"BN-010","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/frijolrojodesedaarranged_e41ee32a-54e5-4296-86ed-3b5e1d166fac.JPG?v=1571609433"},{"product_id":"orange-banana-plum-tomato","title":"Orange Banana Plum Tomato","description":"\u003cp\u003eApricot orange is an unusual color for a paste tomato! These 3'' plum-shaped fruits are deliciously sweet and meaty when eaten fresh, dried, juiced, made into sauce, salsa, or paste. Very prolific! This tomato was first offered in the Seed Savers 1994 Yearbook by Seed Savers Heritage Farm, Decorah, Iowa. Their seed came from Russian seedswoman Marina Danilenko, who is also the source for the famed \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/trueloveseeds.com\/products\/paul-robeson-tomato\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ePaul Robeson Tomato\u003c\/a\u003e (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/trueloveseeds.com\/products\/paul-robeson-tomato\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eavailable here\u003c\/a\u003e).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 75\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 25\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 93% on 02\/23\/2023\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStart seeds 6-8 weeks before the last frost and transplant into garden well after the danger of frost. We recommend you prune the suckers that form in the crotches of the branches by the main stem. Water tomatoes at the soil level, keeping the leaves dry. Stake tomatoes so that their leaves and branches are kept off the ground, for good airflow between plants, and for easier harvest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTomatoes are generally self-pollinating, though we isolate different varieties by 35-50 feet, in hopes that flying insects will not cross pollinate them unexpectedly. Tomato seeds are ripe when the fruits are ready to eat! Cut the fruit at the equator and squeeze or scrape out seeds from each of the cavities. In a cup or bucket, add a little water (1\/2\" is probably plenty) to your seeds and pulp to keep them from drying out, and allow them to ferment away from direct sunlight. Ideally, you will stir the concoction every day for 3-5 days. In the end, add more water to fill the vessel, stir one final time, and allow to settle. Pour off the floating material and then strain the seeds through a strainer. Sometimes, you will need to add more water and pour off the floating material several times until the water is clear and you can see the seeds sunken at the bottom. Squeeze dry the strained seeds in a towel, and then lay out to dry on a labeled screen or paper product in a ventilated place away from direct sunlight for a week or two.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Zoe Jeka \u0026 Wren Lansky","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":3345979867176,"sku":"TOM-010","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/OrangeBananaTomato_square_a091fb9b-030c-4917-8560-1d63b38782f5.jpg?v=1571609433"},{"product_id":"purple-calabash-tomato","title":"Purple Calabash Tomato","description":"\u003cp\u003eDeep ridges and ruffles carve this squat, dark burgundy to pink heirloom. The flavor is excellent and complex with hints of citrus tang. In a taste test of 25 varieties at Truelove Seeds this year, Purple Calabash was in the top three! This variety is similar to tomatoes grown before colonization in what is now Mexico. This variety comes from William Woys Weaver, who got his seed stock from Peace Seeds in the early 1990s.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 85\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 25\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 99% on 05\/01\/2026\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStart seeds 6-8 weeks before the last frost and transplant into garden well after the danger of frost. We recommend you prune the suckers that form in the crotches of the branches by the main stem. Water tomatoes at the soil level, keeping the leaves dry. Stake tomatoes so that their leaves and branches are kept off the ground, for good airflow between plants, and for easier harvest. Do not overwater this variety as it will crack.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTomatoes are generally self-pollinating, though we isolate different varieties by 35-50 feet, in hopes that flying insects will not cross pollinate them unexpectedly. Tomato seeds are ripe when the fruits are ready to eat! Cut the fruit at the equator and squeeze or scrape out seeds from each of the cavities. In a cup or bucket, add a little water (1\/2\" is probably plenty) to your seeds and pulp to keep them from drying out, and allow them to ferment away from direct sunlight. Ideally, you will stir the concoction every day for 3-5 days. In the end, add more water to fill the vessel, stir one final time, and allow to settle. Pour off the floating material and then strain the seeds through a strainer. Sometimes, you will need to add more water and pour off the floating material several times until the water is clear and you can see the seeds sunken at the bottom. Squeeze dry the strained seeds in a towel, and then lay out to dry on a labeled screen or paper product in a ventilated place away from direct sunlight for a week or two.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Meadowhawk Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":3346039177256,"sku":"TOM-008","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/PurpleCalabashTomatoJoRosen.jpg?v=1639763543"},{"product_id":"thorburns-terra-cotta-tomato","title":"Thorburn's Terra-Cotta Tomato","description":"\u003cp\u003eAmazing flavor and flair. A real winner! With a rich and sweet flavor, Terra-Cotta is great as a slicer or cooker. It is also a looker: copper brown skin, pink flesh, and shimmering green innards. A big producer in the early season, this was one of the first slicing varieties to ripen in the field. This beautiful heirloom was first introduced in 1893 in full color on the cover of the J.M. Thorburn \u0026amp; Company seed catalog in New York. This variety was revived by William Woys Weaver after he received seed from a lecture attendee in South Jersey in the early 1990s.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 75\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 25\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 91% on 12\/17\/2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStart seeds 6-8 weeks before the last frost and transplant into garden well after the danger of frost. We recommend you prune the suckers that form in the crotches of the branches by the main stem. Water tomatoes at the soil level, keeping the leaves dry. Stake tomatoes so that their leaves and branches are kept off the ground, for good airflow between plants, and for easier harvest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTomatoes are generally self-pollinating, though we isolate different varieties by 35-50 feet, in hopes that flying insects will not cross pollinate them unexpectedly. Tomato seeds are ripe when the fruits are ready to eat! Cut the fruit at the equator and squeeze or scrape out seeds from each of the cavities. In a cup or bucket, add a little water (1\/2\" is probably plenty) to your seeds and pulp to keep them from drying out, and allow them to ferment away from direct sunlight. Ideally, you will stir the concoction every day for 3-5 days. In the end, add more water to fill the vessel, stir one final time, and allow to settle. Pour off the floating material and then strain the seeds through a strainer. Sometimes, you will need to add more water and pour off the floating material several times until the water is clear and you can see the seeds sunken at the bottom. Squeeze dry the strained seeds in a towel, and then lay out to dry on a labeled screen or paper product in a ventilated place away from direct sunlight for a week or two.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Winnetuxet Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":3346301616168,"sku":"TOM-007","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/Thorburn_s_Terra_Cotta_3.jpg?v=1571609433"},{"product_id":"smooth-bitter-melon-1","title":"Smooth Bitter Melon","description":"\u003cp\u003eMướp đắng, or Bittermelon, is one of our most important medicinal foods packed full of nutrition and ancestral magic. It is a staple in Southeast\/South Asian cuisine and has its roots in Africa. In our garden, we grow a long smooth variety and a smaller spiky kind. We do not isolate the different varieties far enough to prevent cross-pollination - we are OK with this as it creates our own Resilient Roots bittermelon. These were taken from our long, smooth ones.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 60-70\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 13-15\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 100% on 03\/02\/2026\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDirect sow outdoors after the last threat of frost has passed, or get a head start and sow indoors a couple weeks beforehand. For better germination, soak seeds overnight before planting. The plant will use as much trellising as you give it!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeeds are ripe when the fruits turn a fiery orange-red. If you wait too long to harvest, they will pop open and drop their seeds, which are covered in a sweet, red gel. Remove the seed coat and dry the seeds in a well ventilated place away from direct sunlight. I have found that smooshing the seeds in a cloth bag will help remove the seed coat more efficiently.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Truelove Seeds","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":3357360848936,"sku":"MOM-002","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/Photo_Dec_19_5_25_55_PM.jpg?v=1571609433"},{"product_id":"golden-red-amaranth","title":"Golden Red Amaranth","description":"\u003cp\u003eGolden Amaranth was gathered in 1978 in a door-yard garden near Rinconada, New Mexico by \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.nativeseeds.org\/\"\u003eNative Seeds\/SEARCH\u003c\/a\u003e and I received seed from Miguel Santisteven when I was visiting him and his family in Taos a few years back. We wanted to see how it would adapt to Philly. It is gorgeous, and has spinach-like young greens as well as protein-packed golden seeds, which are great as porridge and incorporated into tortillas. It turns out his variety had some crossing with Hopi Red and\/or Elephant Head amaranths giving the flowers maroon tips. Miguel says: \"I like promiscuity in plants, I believe that gives Nature a chance to express herself as she wants.\" Rowen White of the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/nativefoodalliance.org\/indigenous-seedkeepers-network\/\"\u003eIndigenous Seed Keepers Network\u003c\/a\u003e adds that \"Landraces that are full of different expressions is where our resilience is at\". Grow this variable beauty in your garden and allow it to adapt to your soil and climate. In addition to great culinary uses, amaranth is a great distraction for cucumber beetles - they prefer it. I plant it throughout my squash and cucumber patches, and in turn, it also makes a beautiful backdrop to the seed garden.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 100-110\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 400\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 93% on 05\/16\/2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmaranth is an extremely self-sufficient crop. Expect germination between 10-20 days, and fast growth after that. At this point on our farm, amaranth has seeded itself enough that we harvest many young, tender plants whole at 12\" as a way of thinning, but the plants we allow to mature are given about 2' space in each direction. Mature plants have deep pink taproots that allow them to go long periods of time without watering, and shoot up thick, bushy branches.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmaranth is wind pollinated. Isolate by a minimum of 500 feet or cover the flowers with corn tassel bags to prevent unwanted cross pollination with other amaranths. Seeds are ready when they start dropping from the seed head, which matures after the flower dies back. You can cut the whole seed head and hang it to dry and mature further in a dry, ventilated place, or you can shake it while still on the plant every day or two, as the seeds ripen at different times starting from the bottom to the tip. Either way, shake the plant in a bucket to release the seeds. Use a strainer to sift out the larger chaff. Use your breath, wind, or fans to winnow off lighter weight chaff.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Fugitive Seed Project","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":3441702928424,"sku":"AMAR-002","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/goldenredamaranthfloweringSQUARE_1c5ddd78-edd3-48fa-95a2-d552909db498.jpg?v=1571609433"},{"product_id":"mizuna-landrace","title":"Mizuna Landrace","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis is a sweet and spicy, wide-leafed, and winter-hardy mizuna landrace. Tobacco Road Farm initially crossed their mizuna with flowering maruba and tatsoi pollinator plants in order to increase the genetic diversity and vigor of the mizuna population. They then saved seeds from the mizuna mother plants and have been selecting for winter hardiness in this now-stable crop for the past 20 years. It plays a starring role (alongside Ice Bred Arugula) in their ever popular spicy salad mix. With these varieties, you can have delicious greens in fall, winter, and spring with little effort. In cooler climates, we plant in November and cover with hoops and plastic row covers until the warmth of spring. Roughwood Seed Collection offered this variety a couple years back under the name \"Mizunarubasoi.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePhotos of the young mizuna landrace courtesy of Rise \u0026amp; Root Farm where farmer Jane Hodge says \"it's my favorite green of all time\".\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 21-40 (see below)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 200\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 93% on 11\/04\/2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeed every 1\" in rows 8-12\" apart, 1\/4-1\/2\" deep. Keep watered until germination. Thin to every 6-12\" for full heads, or treat as cut-and-come-again baby greens. Harvest baby greens after 21 days, or allow plant to mature in 40 days.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIsolate by 1\/2 mile from other flowering members of \u003cem\u003eB. rapa\u003c\/em\u003e, including turnips, napa cabbage, and bok choy to avoid unwanted cross-pollination. Allow seed pods to turn brown and dry before seed harvest. Protect from birds.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tobacco Road Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":3441731567656,"sku":"BRA-003","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/image_21f243cc-e673-449f-9e8b-f841a77b750c.jpg?v=1571609433"},{"product_id":"speckled-brown-butterbean","title":"Speckled Brown Butterbean","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Speckled Brown Butterbean is a plump and creamy bean, with a mild earthy flavor that satisfies the soul on cold winter evenings or on any bright summer day. The beautiful tan bean, when mature, sports mocha colored streaks and freckles that melt into a smooth light brown bean when cooked. Speckled Brown Butterbeans are a traditional delicacy in much of the American South and nowhere more so than in Mississippi. In Mississippi these beans are generally cooked fresh shelled or fresh frozen usually with hamhock or other pork, butter, a chopped onion, garlic and salted when finished. For dried beans, pre-soak in cold water at least 4 hours. In our house, we substitute butter, olive or palm oil, and sweet smoked paprika for a delightful meal. Serve with cornbread or rice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur Speckled Brown Butterbeans are semi-runner beans (may benefit from a low trellis or pen), hardy to zone 7 and mature in 65-70 days. Plants set pods when day temperatures are reliably 85 degrees or more. Pole varieties take longer, between 80 to 100 days, depending on consistent hot days. The pods, grass green and thick, are similar in appearance to most Lima beans though they are smaller containing between three to four seeds that ripen from pale green to speckled brown.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis species is originally from South America, hence the name “Lima.” In much of the South, these beans are referred to generally as Butterbeans. Each cultural region of the South boasts it’s own favorite though in Mississippi the Speckled Brown reigns over all legumes. This variety, of unknown origins, has been grown and eaten in Mississippi since before God remembers. We received the seed stock in 2017 from Duck and Earl of Shaw, MS. Duck is the sister of Sankofa Farm friend and community elder Ms. Pearl Trotter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to Maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 65-70\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 32\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 88% on 04\/16\/2026\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlant in warm soil at least a couple weeks after the last danger of frost has passed. Sow directly in the ground at a depth of one inch, spaced every few inches in rows 12 inches apart. Thin to one plant every four to six inches.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLima beans are self-pollinating, though it is best to isolate different varieties of P. lunatus by at least 150 feet to avoid unwanted cross-pollination from flying insects. For seed saving, harvest the beans when their shells have become dried and crispy on the plants. Lay out the pods in a dry, sunny place to dry down further. Shell the beans and lay out the seeds in a well ventilated place away from direct sunlight for at least another few days to a week before storing for next year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAdditional search terms: Brown Speckled Butter Beans, Brown Speckled Butterbeans.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sankofa Farm at Bartram's Garden","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":3441777279016,"sku":"BN-006","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/brownspeckledbutterbeanhands_82aa2814-da5a-4355-a934-ba80ca707049.JPG?v=1571609433"},{"product_id":"pink-eye-butter-bean","title":"Pink Eye Butterbeans (Pole)","description":"\u003cp\u003eThese are beautiful, creamy off-white butter beans with pinkish purple eyes. This is a vigorous grower, and so even when planted late, it was very productive. The beans turn brown when cooked (making a dark pot liquor) and have a creamy texture and flavor. One kindergartner at \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/trueloveseeds.com\/collections\/garrett-williamson\"\u003eGarrett Williamson\u003c\/a\u003e said they were her favorite dish at their annual Thanksgiving meal! It is difficult to trace the history of this very rare bean.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMuch of our seed came from Mike Bland of Valley Park, Mississippi, and he received them from Karen Faulk Williams of Faulk's Farm and Garden Supply in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Karen got them from someone named Frank Smith, also of Vicksburg. Some of our stock was multiplied from a single seed shared with us last year by Brendan Stehman, a rooftop farmer from Lancaster, Pennsylvania.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 70\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 32\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e 86% on 02\/18\/2025\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlant in warm soil at least a couple weeks after the last danger of frost has passed. Sow directly in the ground at a depth of one inch, spaced every few inches in rows 12 inches apart (or on either side of a trellis). Thin to one plant every four to six inches. Provide a sturdy trellis as the vines can grow eight feet tall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLima beans are self-pollinating, though it is best to isolate different varieties of P. lunatus by at least 150 feet to avoid unwanted cross-pollination from flying insects. For seed saving, harvest the beans when their shells have become dried and crispy on the plants. Lay out the pods in a dry, sunny place to dry down further. Shell the beans and lay out the seeds in a well ventilated place away from direct sunlight for at least another few days to a week before storing for next year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Justevia","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":3449178751016,"sku":"BN-012","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/files\/WhatsApp_Image_2024-09-06_at_10.24.55_AM_1.jpg?v=1725632857"},{"product_id":"landreth-stringless-bush","title":"Landreth Stringless Bush Bean","description":"\u003cp\u003eA historic variety that stands up to the test of time! Reliable, productive, fast-growing bush bean produces 5\" green beans without stringy parts. Delicious meaty flavor in a hearty bean that is great for canning and freezing. This old heirloom variety was first offered by David Landreth \u0026amp; Sons in 1885. David Landreth was an Englishman from near the Scottish boarder who moved his nascent seed company from Canada to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1784. His first building was on the spot of what is now 1210 Market Street in Center City, and he and David Landreth Jr. were among the founders of the still-important Pennsylvania Horticultural Center. Other Landreth varieties that have become important heirlooms include Green Glaze Collards, Jackson Wonder Bush Limas, and Bloomsdale Spinach. This heirloom bean is part of the Roughwood Seed Collection of William Woys Weaver.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 55\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 40\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 93% on 01\/16\/2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlant in warm soil at least a couple weeks after the last danger of frost has passed. Sow directly in the ground at a depth of one inch, spaced every few inches in rows twelve inches apart. Thin to one plant every eight to twelve inches.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeans are self-pollinating, though it is best to isolate different varieties of P. vulgaris by at least 25 feet (we do 75 feet to be sure) to avoid unwanted cross-pollination from flying insects. For seed saving, harvest the beans when their shells have become dried and crispy on the plants. Lay out the pods in a dry, sunny place to dry down further. Shell the beans and lay out the seeds in a well ventilated place away from direct sunlight for at least another few days to a week before storing for next year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePhoto used with permission from Dickinson Farm, National City, California.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Winnetuxet Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":3449754812456,"sku":"BN-009","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/landrethstringlessbyDickinsonFarm.jpeg?v=1571609433"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/collections\/21827210_352565951850116_7953631179893112832_n.jpg?v=1510382129","url":"https:\/\/trueloveseeds.com\/collections\/all-seeds\/family_talinum-talinaceae+a-z-type_bean-lima+a-z-type_root.oembed","provider":"Truelove Seeds","version":"1.0","type":"link"}