In the green hills of Vermont, seeds aren’t just being sown – they’re being grown. Azur Star kohlrabi, Batavian Broad escarole, Blush tomatoes – these aren’t your average plants, but this isn’t your average farm. Although 600 varieties of edible food crops are flourishing on these 60 acres, none of them are harvested for food. These are the crops of High Mowing Organic Seeds. Everything here is being grown to produce seed – organically.
Trial peppers being grown for seed at High Mowing Organic Seeds. (photo: Courtesy High Mowing Organic Seeds)
Tom Stearns grew up gardening but found himself drawn more to the source of his sustenance. He began saving seeds at 18, and his entrepreneurial nature recognized an opportunity. What he began in 1996 as a single sheet offering of 28 unusual seed varieties quickly grew into the first organic seed company in the United States.
The mission of High Mowing Organic Seeds isn’t just about business as usual. It’s about rebuilding our food system and a sense of environmental responsibility. Most in the commercial seed industry employ a wide array of chemical treatments during crop production. Committed to a more ecologically-friendly approach, High Mowing remains one of the few resources for certified organic seeds.
Early spring planting at High Mowing Organic Seeds farm in the hills of Vermont. (photo: Courtesy High Mowing Organic Seeds)
This isn’t just a story of a seed company. There’s a lesson here in how a seed – the beginning of much of what we eat – can resonate beyond the garden and into a greener world.
Additional Resources
Episode 605: Starting Seeds; A to Z
The joe gardener Show Episode 037: Starting Seeds Indoors: The Non-Negotiables for Success, Pt. 1
The joe gardener Show Episode 039: How-to Start Seeds Indoors: Digging Deeper, Pt. 3
About GGWTV
Growing A Greener World is a national gardening series on Public Television that features organic gardening, green living and farm to table cooking. Each episode focuses on compelling and inspirational people making a difference through gardening. This gardening series covers everything from edible gardening and sustainable agriculture to seasonal cooking and preserving the harvest.
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