13 Places to Buy Heirloom and Organic Seeds

While many folks wait until after the holidays to start planning out their garden and purchasing seeds, I actually spend the winter solstice doing just that. I really enjoy spending the shortest day of the year planning what I will grow, and what seeds to start when… it brings a little bit of hope into my day.

But, where do you buy the best seeds? And what makes the best seeds? Organic? Heirloom? Read on to find out more….

What are organic seeds?

Organic seeds are grown using organic methods. This means that the farm growing the certified organic seed has to be a certified organic farm.

Certified organic farmers use more environmentally friendly, natural methods to farm. Which is fantastic. But, I cannot say we always purchase certified organic seeds. Why?

The problem with certified organic seed is the farm has to be certified organic. Which means a lot of expense and red tape in order to become certified. We prefer to find companies that grow organically and sell heirloom and open-pollinated seeds and have beliefs and values that align with our own as opposed to looking for a specific label.

Every single company we’ve listed below aligns with our values and follows methods we can get behind in order to grow and harvest the seeds we purchase from them, and that’s what truly counts.

What are hybrid seeds?

Hybrid seeds are typically the result of intentional cross-pollination of varieties (or species). While it does occasionally happen in nature, generally when we purchase a hybrid variety of seeds, the variety was intentionally created by humans.

Hybridization is not genetic modification and there are certified organic hybrid varieties available for purchase. While there is nothing inherently wrong with hybridized varieties, we tend to steer clear of them. Why?

Hybrid seeds do not typically breed true, so you have to purchase new seeds each year and cannot save the seeds.

What are GMO seeds?

Genetically modified seeds are a lot more scientifically involved than hybridization. These seeds are created in a lab by utilizing methods such as gene splicing and altering the plant’s actual DNA.

This type of seed creates a lot of controversy amongst most gardeners, but these seeds are not available to the general public. Contrary to popular belief, you cannot just go into the store and purchase a small packet of GMO seed.

There are many rules and regulations revolving around this type of seed and they’re generally purchased by commercial farms producing large amounts of crops. This purchase comes complete with signatures at the check lane and many times contract with the particular seed company they’re purchasing from.

What is open pollinated?

Open pollinated seeds are just that… they’re allowed to pollinate naturally. This could be out in the open air by wind, bees, butterflies or other pollinators, or even birds and humans.

Open pollination produces a more diverse plant population and that diversity can lend itself to stronger plant varieties in future generations when you save the seed.

However, when saving for future gardens, be sure that the plant was not allowed to cross-pollinate with other varieties as the seed produced may well be a hybrid variety, even though it was created with natural means.

What is a heirloom?

Heirloom varieties are some of our favorites. To be labeled an heirloom a variety must be at least 50 years old and either open-pollinated or self-pollinated.

I love growing heirloom varieties as some of these are hundreds of years old and some of the most important things our ancestors carried with them on their travels.

Where to buy organic and heirloom seeds

So, now you know what the different labels we commonly come across on seeds mean… where do you find the best seeds?

I’ve come up with a list of some of my favorites. These are all companies we’ve purchased from. They all sell heirloom, open-pollinated seeds and while not all are certified organic, they all utilize organic farming methods.

So, the list… in no particular order.

Heirlooms Evermore Seed Co. (Idaho)

Heirlooms Evermore Seed Co. is a small, family owned business that provides a great place to get started with heirloom garden seeds. Their goal is to provide affordable, top-notch heirloom seeds, especially suited for those in northern climates and with short growing seasons. They know how overwhelming it can be to stress for hours over pages and pages worth of seed varieties. So they’ve weeded down their selection to only the best, to make your seed shopping as stress-free as possible (they currently only offer one variety of carrot—but it’s a great choice)!

Here’s what sets their seeds apart from the rest: 

– Simple Selection

– Hand Packed with love in North Idaho

– Proven in Northern Climates

Heirlooms Evermore was started in 2006 by a family friend of the current owners, Tom and Sarah Wylie, and was the original supplier of heirloom garden seeds for Azure Standard co-op. They continue to serve their faithful Azure customers, and also sell directly through their own website since 2018. 

They’re known for having excellent germination rates, as well as providing short-season varieties of crops that are often difficult to grow in northern climates, such as corn and watermelon.”

Mary’s Heirloom (California)

Mary’s Heirloom Seeds is a small mom-and-pop shop. They’ve grown by leaps and bounds since they began their shop in 2011.

Mary’s heirloom has tons of heirloom, open-pollinated seeds available. These seeds are packed by hand and sourced from small family-run farms around the United States. They are all heirlooms and grown using methods that the company says are “beyond organic”.

Mary and her team are always happy to help and answer questions that you have, they have amazing customer service and a plethora of knowledge.

High Mowing Seeds (Vermont)

High mowing seeds began in 1996 and have blossomed into one of the most popular seed companies in the states.

High mowing offers over 600 organic, heirloom, and hybrid varieties to backyard gardeners and commercial growers alike. They source their seeds from organic farmers and from their own 40-acre farm.

This company has so many varieties and they are passionate about providing quality, organic seeds. Since they carry hybrid varieties along with heirlooms, they have a diverse lot of seeds available for your choosing.

Wood Prairie Farm (Maine)

Wood prairie farm has been raising organic seeds for over 40 years and helped found the Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association.

Wood prairie offers several varieties of organic seed potatoes as well as several varieties of vegetable seeds as well as cover crops.

Baker’s Creek (Missouri)

Baker’s creek began in 1998 and is the first heirloom seed company I heard about when I started gardening several years ago.

Baker’s Creek offers over 1200 heirloom seed varieties to backyard gardeners like you and me. They have a large selection of 19th-century heirlooms and have some of the most exotic varieties I’ve ever heard of. They also offer a free, color catalog for your viewing pleasure.

I really like this company and its mission. Definitely, a company to look at when you’re selecting your varieties for the year.

Territorial Seeds (Oregon)

Territorial seed company was purchased by the current owners from the founder in 1985 and has grown by leaps and bounds since then.

Territorial actually produces the only winter garden catalog still in production in the United States. They have a large selection of heirloom and open-pollinated seeds, hybrid varieties, organic seeds, garlic and seed potatoes, and even fruit trees and vines.

This company has an amazing story and an awesome mission along with neat catalogs… one of my favorites.

Seeds for Generations (Virginia)

Seeds for generations is a small, family-owned, and operated business that believes that gardening is a legacy we should pass down for generations.

Seeds for generations provide numerous varieties of open-pollinated, heirloom seeds. Jason and Shannon run their business alongside their 7 children and strive to provide quality, heirloom seeds and a plethora of knowledge to their customers.

Sustainable Seed Company (Utah)

Sustainable seed company is working hard to preserve our gardening history by providing future generations with heirloom, organic seeds.

Sustainable has one of the largest selections of organic, heirloom seeds available today. Many of their seeds are grown and harvested right on their very own farm. They truly believe that preserving this part of our history is one of the most important things they can do.

This company has amazing customer service and high-quality, high germination seeds. Definitely worth a look.

Johnny’s Selected Seeds (Maine)

Johnny’s selected seeds have provided organic seeds for 47 years and are 100% employee-owned.

Johnny’s mission is to provide great seeds to communities and people so that they can grow great food. They have a large variety of traditionally hybridized varieties, open-pollinated heirloom varieties, and organic seeds available.

Johnny’s offers great customer service and quick shipping. When I’m looking for something specific I can’t find elsewhere, Johnny’s usually has it.

Seed Savers Exchange (Iowa)

Seed savers exchange was founded in 1975. They began with two varieties that had been brought with their family when they immigrated in 1884.

Seed savers are an open seed exchange and maintain a collection of 20,000 heirlooms, open-pollinated plant varieties. They truly believe that if we do not keep these varieties in our gardens and on our tables, they will be lost forever and that… that would be a shame.

Seed savers have an amazing mission and are well worth a look.

Annie’s Heirloom Seeds (Michigan)

Annie’s heirloom seeds is a newer company (around a decade old) with an awesome story. Not being what they set out to do, Annie’s has become their pride and joy.

Annie’s offers a large variety of heirloom and organic seeds along with living plants and garlic. Like many of us, they didn’t start with a ton of knowledge about how to even grow a garden, they learned through a lot of trial and error and stubbornness.

Their story and pure tenacity make them well worth the look.

True Leaf Market

True leaf market has two brands Mountain Valley and Handy Pantry that have provided high-quality seeds since 1974.

True leaf offers a large variety of vegetable seeds, but they also have a large variety of microgreens, wheatgrasses, and cover crops. Many of their varieties are recommended by the Utah State University Cooperative.

This is a great place to purchase cover crops, for sure.

Victory Seeds

Victory seeds started as a family farm venture in the early 1900s and finally developed into what it is today.

Victory provides rare, heirloom, open-pollinated seeds to backyard gardeners from their own farms. They are passionate about preserving our heritage and the heirloom varieties our ancestors worked so hard to cultivate and pass down.

I love their mission and they have a fantastic variety.

There are tons of options available to purchase amazing seeds for your garden and this is not at all an exhaustive list. Where do you purchase your seeds from?

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