A Flurry of Seed Catalogs

As the snow deepens here in Central Minnesota, a flurry of seed catalogs hits my mailbox. I am definitely not complaining. I love the bright, cheerful colors and the possibilities that each catalog represents. I, too, can have a garden full of healthy produce and a rainbow of lovely flowers.

One complaint I have is the high shipping costs. I will pay more for certain varieties that I want, but I used to buy from several catalogs. Now I choose the seeds I most want, figure out what other packets I can buy, and then cut myself off before the next tier of shipping costs rises. So, catalog companies, your shipping and handling fees are limiting my purchases and limiting the number of catalogs from which I buy. Some things that I consider are if the seed is Northern grown, if the company is mindful of the environment (sometimes that means organic), and if the company is family owned or non-profit or independent of large agribusiness (such as Cargill). I like to vote with my money.

What will I order? I'm not sure. I still have some seeds from last year, and I saved some seeds, too, so my order will probably be smaller this year as compared to last year. Yet I still enjoy perusing the catalogs and dreaming of spring.