I can’t believe it’s been almost two months since I last posted. For those who wonder, I’ve been traveling all over the eastern part of the US, visiting old and dear friends, enjoying the weeks before my youngest daughter’s wedding in St. Louis, MO and then following my bliss…..to the East coast, where I am now, inhaling sea air, the changing of the seasons, allowing my life to change direction even if the compass is moving ever so slowly. But something very important needs to be communicated in as many ways and forums as possible and I’m just doing my part.
Anyone even remotely interested in or connected to the organic agriculture movement or sustainability has registered the importance of saving their own seeds as much as possible. Learning that skill will become even more critical before too many more seasons pass. But saving seed is also about saving the heirloom organic seed companies that provide us with our plant material. We take for granted that when we want to buy some seeds from one company of another we’ll just pick up the phone, send an email, order. Those days may be limited for one of the oldest seed companies in the world.
You may not know D. Landreth Seeds in New Freedom, PA, by name but you are quite aware of zinnias, white potatoes and Bloomsdale spinach–all introduced by Landreth Seeds. And if you’re asking how old can that be, how about since 1784. George Washington purchased seeds from Landreth. Listen in to a recent Living on Earth interview with the current owner of Landreth Seeds to learn more about the financial crisis facing them.
And to fully understand the importance to the region and to our American way of agriculture, take a gander at the timeline for the Landreth Seed Company. Impressive!
So what can you do to help preserve this historic establishment? Chip in on Facebook! It’s not JUST a seed catalogue, it’s our future wrapped inside our past. Order several for gifts for those special gardeners, then plant to order your seed for next season. It’s not just good karma and you are not just saving one small seed company.
You may in fact be part of something larger: saving our gardening future.
(I’m sorry it took me so long to learn about this wonderful establishment. I may just have to mosey down to New Freedom myself!)
Remember your cold frames and plastic row covers give you an extended season. Here are your best gardening dates from Farmers Almanac Garden Planner:
October 2011
1st-3rd Do Clearing And Plowing, But No Planting.
4th-6th Plant Tomatoes, Peas, Beans And Other Aboveground Crops, Indoors In The North, Outdoors In Lower South.
7th-8th Poor Planting Days. Kill Poison Ivy, Weeds, Clear Land, But Do No Planting.
9th-10th Good Days For Planting Aboveground Crops, Extra Good For Vine Crops, Where Climate Is Suitable.
11th-12th A Barren Period.
13th-15th Good Days For Planting Beets, Carrots, Onions, Turnips And Other Hardy Root Crops, Where Climate Is Suitable. Good Days For Transplanting.
16th-17th Poor Days For Planting, Seeds Tend To Rot In The Ground.
18th-19th Best Planting Days For Fall Potatoes, Turnips, Onions, Carrots, Beets And Other Root Crops, Where Climate Is Suitable. Also Plant Seedbeds, Flower Gardens. Good Days For Transplanting.
20th-23rd Grub Out Weeds, Briars, And Other Plant Pests.
24th-25th Good Days For Planting Root Crops, Fine For Sowing Hay, Fodder Crops, And Grains. Plant Flowers.
26th-28th Good Days For Planting Aboveground Crops And Leafy Vegetables Such As Lettuce, Cabbage, Kale And Celery, Where Climate Is Suitable. Start Seedbeds.
29th-30th Do Clearing And Plowing, But No Planting.
31st
