From mid-May through fall and into winter, we collect seeds on our 80-acre farm as well as from forested and waterfront land we steward on the Canadian Shield. Over the years, we’ve cultivated seed production areas across the farm to ensure that what we grow in our nursery thrives here and to facilitate easier seed collection. We also collect from other sites to ensure genetic diversity and to obtain seeds from species that don’t grow well on our propagation sites. This often takes us off our land and into the wild for seed collection.
Wherever we collect, we carefully adhere to ethical practices:
Sustainable Collection:
We only collect what we need—usually far less than 10% of the seeds produced by the local population. If a population is small, we leave it to propagate naturally and support the wildlife that depend on it.
Timing and Care:
We collect seeds at the optimal time, when they are fully mature, to ensure high germination rates. We handle plants gently to avoid causing damage.
Record Keeping:
Detailed records are maintained for each collection trip, along with germination requirements. This can involve immediate seeding for extended stratification or storing the seeds for seeding later in the winter.
Minimal Disturbance:
We handle plants with care and navigate the land under the principle of “leave no trace.”
Healthy Practices:
We avoid using chemicals on our propagation beds and potted stock to prevent adverse effects on the environment and wildlife. Occasionally, this means there are no seeds to collect in a given year. There’s always next year.
Pollinator Support:
Our farm is a haven for pollinators. We’ve planted thousands of flowering plants to provide a continuous food source for bees and butterflies throughout the growing season and to ensure good cross-pollination for optimal seed production.
Though we collect most of our seeds ourselves, we do supplement with seeds from other reputable sources, mostly south of here. We are grateful to those with abundant seed sources who share with us.
We are committed to maintaining the health of our farm and the surrounding ecosystems and are pleased to supply a diversity of plants to help others do the same with the land they steward.
Every seed has the potential to add biodiversity to someone’s yard. It is a small but important step toward helping the planet heal. Humans have demonstrated their fearsome power to severely alter fragile ecosystems, but with humility, we also have the power to gently facilitate their recovery.





One response
Wonderful, thank you for sharing.