Cleveland Seed Bank Resources
Milkweed is an Ohio native that is the sole host of the Monarch caterpillar. Monarchs are increasingly threatened due to habitat loss, which is why the Cleveland Seed Bank hosts a milkweed seed pod collection each year in the community. We sow, save, and share the seeds year-round in an effort to restore habitat. Volunteer to collect milkweed pods in your neighborhood today!
One of our favorite seed saving resources! Isolation is a practice in seed saving to make sure seed stays true to type and to prevent species from cross pollinating. The isolation distances and plant populations listed on this chart are the optimal numbers for garden-scale seed saving. As always, we recommend that you experiment with your own approach.
We partnered with Cuyahoga Arts & Culture and a group of local artists to build a custom zig-zag seed cleaning tool using a design released for the benefit of small-scale independent seed growers by Real Seeds.
What are we reading?*
The Organic Seed Grower — A Farmer’s Guide to Vegetable Seed Production, John Navazio
The Seed Underground — A Growing Revolution to Save Food, Janisse Ray
Seedtime — On the History, Husbandry, Politics, and Promise of Seeds, Scott Chaskey
Seeds of Resistance — The Fight to Save Our Food Supply, Mark Shapiro
*We have linked the above books to sites where they can be purchased, but most books can be found all over the internet or at your local bookstore.
Seed Growers in the Midwest
Our regional seed growers are our heroes. These small companies work hard to grow hundreds of different varieties and regionally adapt the seed to meet the needs of our changing climate in the Midwest. We want to share what they’re doing and we hope that you will support them when you plan your garden next season.
OHIO PRAiRIE NURSERY Seed
OPN Seed was founded in 1998 as a native seed grower and producer in Hiram, Ohio. For the past 26 years, they’ve provided high-quality native wildflower and grass seed to homeowners, park districts, municipalities, and for commercial projects. Their native seeds and seed mixes support sustainability, provide habitat and foraging for bees, birds, butterflies and more and help increase biodiversity. Services include free custom seed mix design, mix matching and remote consultations. The decision to plant native should be an easy one. So should picking a seed mix. Whether you’re new to planting native or a seasoned pro, they’ve got you covered.
Located in HIRAM, Ohio
Western reserve heritage seed co.
The Western Reserve Heritage Seed Co. was established on January 1, 2017 with the mission to offer an abundant variety of non-GMO, non-hybrid, open pollinated heirloom and heritage seeds and plants. With the mission to preserve, celebrate, and foster the rich diversity of our agriculture heritage, the Western Reserve Heritage Seed Co. is a proud supporter and signer of the Safe Seed Pledge.
Located in akron, ohio
NATURE & NURTURE SEEDS
Nature & Nurture Seeds is a nurturing, vibrant community that tend the Earth, enrich lives, and believe in healthy food for all. They are a farm-based seed company offering heirloom vegetable, flower, and herb seeds and they are a partner of the Open Source Seed Initiative (OSSI) which seeks to maintain fair and open access to seeds. Some of their goals are to increase organic seed growing in the Great Lakes region, bring back food biodiversity, foster public domain plant breeding via grower-breeders, and preserve place-based foods, cultural knowledge, and traditional foodways. Here is a copy of their free seed saving guide!
Located in ann arbor, Michigan
The Buffalo Seed Company
The Buffalo Seed Company supplies growers in the Midwest with locally adapting horticulture and crop seeds to increase the resiliency and sustainability of our local food systems. They have taken on the task to push Midwest local food production into the next level of local: locally grown crops from locally grown seeds. The seeds they offer in their catalog were grown in the greater Kansas City area for at least one season in soil tilled once, minimal organic chicken manure fertilizer, mulched with straw, no chemicals, and unless specified, no irrigation. The Buffalo Seed Company was launched by Matthew & Nancy Kost in October, 2018.
Located in Kansas City, MO
Seed Organizations in Our Network
Our partners across the country are working together to preserve and grow regionally adapted seeds. We work together and draw inspiration to create a stronger, more stable seed network from coast to coast. Below is a list of organizations that we rely on and work with to foster the movement in our region.
Seed Savers Exchange, Decorah, IA
The mission at Seed Savers Exchange is to conserve and promote America’s culturally diverse but endangered garden and food crop heritage for future generations by collecting, growing, and sharing heirloom seeds and plants. Here is a link to their virtual exchange which allows community members the opportunity to share and swap rare seeds you might not find anywhere else. They also sell individual seed packets available each year in their catalog.
Rocky Mountain Seed Alliance, Cornville, AZ
RMSA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening seed and food security in their region and their mission is to assure a diverse and abundant supply of locally grown seeds for the Rocky Mountain West through networking, education and helping establish community-based models of seed stewardship. We partner with RMSA to host Seed School workshops in the Greater Cleveland area.
Organic Seed Alliance, Port Townsend, WA
The Organic Seed Alliance advances ethical seed solutions to meet food and farming needs in a changing world. Teaching farmers and home gardeners to produce and save their own seed is an important component of that work. Here is a copy of their seed saving guide that outlines the basics of seed growing from choosing appropriate varieties for seed saving to harvesting, processing, and storing seed.
Sierra Seeds, Nevada City, CA
Sierra Seeds seeks to reseed imaginations of a more beautiful and nourishing world through uplifting and mentoring emerging mentors, changemakers, visionaries, creative humans who are making nourishing contributions at the intersections of the landscape of food and seed sovereignty and cultural revitalization, who are cultivating foodways that grow from a foundation of belonging, connection, and culture
