Sitting behind a desk! (Well, that and going to the grocery store, but that’s a story for another day!)
He would so much rather be working in the field, taking care of the crops or fixing equipment. But this time of year, time in the office is needed.
It’s time to place our seed orders. He spends countless hours poring over five different seed catalogs. When choosing seeds, there are several important factors to consider:
Day Lengths: Different varieties mature at different times. For instance, this year we’re growing three types of white cauliflower. Twister takes 77 days, Freedom takes 70 days, and Carlota takes just 55 days. This difference is significant, especially early in the season when we eagerly anticipate fresh cauliflower. So, when you see the first white cauliflower at our market tables next summer, you’ll know it’s the 55-day Carlota!
Features: We consider various qualities like color, size, disease resistance, and other characteristics. For example, Twister Cauliflower is self-wrapping, meaning the leaves naturally twist around the head, keeping it that beautiful white color. We love this feature because it saves us the effort of tying the leaves around each head.
New Varieties: Each year, seed companies introduce new varieties with improved features. It’s essential for us to evaluate these and decide whether to incorporate them into our crops. Additionally, trying new seeds is crucial as a backup plan in case of crop failures, which can sometimes prevent us from getting our usual seeds. For instance, last season, there was a seed crop failure of our favorite greenhouse slicer tomato, leaving us without seeds. Thankfully, we had tested a few other varieties and knew which ones we liked, providing us with backup options.
Cost: Seed costs can vary significantly between companies. Given the volume of seeds we order, comparing prices is crucial. This practice saves us thousands of dollars each year.
Changes: We also consider whether there are crops we want to reduce or increase in quantity. For example, we plan to plant more rutabaga this year, so he needs to order more seeds than last year.
Once Mitch decides on the varieties, it’s time to create a seeding schedule. We plan week by week, determining which varieties of each crop to plant. As a planner, I love having the entire year’s seeding schedule mapped out.
Each seed variety has a unique name. Some of my favorites this season are Jwingma Cabbage, Box Fish Spinach, and Sparkle Cherry Tomatoes. Then there are names like SV2146VB Spinach, which make me wonder how they come up with these names!
Anyway, I hope that you enjoyed this behind the scenes look at ordering seed. It’s a pretty big deal around here. And my farmer is VERY thankful to have it done so he can move on to more fun winter projects. 🙂
PS: We will be at the Kalamazoo Winter Market & Muskegon Farmers Market again starting January 11. If you need any veggies before then stop out at the 
Market at the Farm!
Market at the Farm!