Organic acreage in the Intermountain West continues to increase alongside the national demand for organic food. For example, in a five-year period, organic vegetable acreage in Montana experienced a five-fold increase. Although the organic seed trade is growing, the supply is still insufficient to fully meet the diverse and regional needs of all growers — including […]
Understanding Best Practices for Seed Production and Handling in Montana
[…] competitive state in the world of organic seed growing,” says Tessa Peters, lead author of Seed Quality and who also manages OSA’s research and education programs in the Intermountain West. “The resources released today will help Montana’s vegetable seed growers support the burgeoning organic seed industry by filling regional supply gaps.” “The quality assurance manual addresses […]
Regional Seed Systems
[…] OSA also supports regional seed systems by delivering organic seed education and supporting grower networks across the US. We also have active research projects in California and the Intermountain West, Midwest, Pacific Northwest, and Southeast. Get Involved To get involved in our research and education projects in these regions, contact: California: Jared Zystro Midwest: Michael Lordon Pacific Northwest: Micaela […]
Broccoli Seed Production: Quick Reference
[…] of growth is attained before the onset of winter. For both types, seed should be started in a greenhouse (more common for colder climates, such as the Intermountain West) or nursery bed and transplanted after 4-6 weeks, ensuring that seedlings do not experience temperatures lower than 50°F for extended periods. Cold temperatures cause “buttoning” or […]
Winter Squash Seed Production: Quick Reference
Cucurbit Seed Production
Cucurbits of the same species will intermate, even if they seem to be disparate types. Isolation distances must be increased for cucurbits of the same species, especially if they produce different fruit types.
Cucurbita species Common varieties C. pepo Acorn, spaghetti, crookneck, delicata, gourds, zucchini, scallop C. moschata Butternut, golden, orange and orange striped cushaw, cheese C. maxima Hubbard, buttercup, marrow, turban C. mixta Cushaws except golden, orange, and orange striped C. » Read more about: Winter Squash Seed Production: Quick Reference »Kale Seed Production: Quick Reference
[…] some other Brassicas. Kale can flower and set seed at temperatures up to 85°F. The cold hardiness of kale makes it particularly interesting to growers in the Intermountain West. Some Siberian varieties can survive below 14°F while most kales can tolerate 18-25°F. Lacinato types are the least tolerant of cold. To grow kale, fertile, well-balanced […]
Research
[…] and others. OSA regularly delivers organic seed education across the US to support regional seed systems, and we have active research projects on the ground in California and the Intermountain West, Midwest, Pacific Northwest, and Southeast. OSA collaborates with farmers and universities in cutting-edge organic plant breeding projects across the US. Our national projects include: Carrot Improvement for Organic Agriculture (CIOA), […]
Best Practices for Vegetable Seed Handling in Montana
[…] competitive state in the world of organic seed growing,” says Tessa Peters, lead author of Seed Quality and who also manages OSA’s research and education programs in the Intermountain West. “The resources released today will help Montana’s vegetable seed growers support the burgeoning organic seed industry by filling regional supply gaps.” Seed production requires knowledge and […]
Meet Your Seed Grower: Judy Owsowitz, Terrapin Farm
[…] Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Block Grant program. The long-term goal of both projects is to ensure that Montana grown seeds are available for farmers and gardeners across the Intermountain West. Last year OSA partnered with eight Triple Divide growers, including Owsowitz, to coordinate on-farm variety trials and deliver trainings on seed production. This coming year Owsowitz […]
Talking Seed Economics with Homestead Organics
[…] as growers.” Since that time, Triple Divide has grown into a thriving collective of growers dedicated to the resilience and availability of organic, open-pollinated seed for the Intermountain West. The co-op owns and shares seed cleaning equipment and manages final cleaning, packing, storage and sales. Vending through Triple Divide has the additional benefit of receiving […]
OSA Featured on PBS’s Farm to Fork Wyoming
[…] ingenious growers, ranchers and experts about food and agriculture trends. The latest episode, “Seed Savers,” features OSA’s Tessa Peters, who leads our research and education in the Intermountain West. While attending the High Plains Organic Conference in Cheyenne this past February, Tessa sat down with Farm to Fork Wyoming producers to talk about seed saving […]
Sowing Knowledge and Swapping Seeds: Winter Conference Wrap-up
[…] Conference in Saratoga Springs, NY The Ecological Farming Association Conference in Asilomar, CA The Northern Plains Food and Farming Conference in Fargo, ND Organicology, Portland, OR Mid west Organic & Sustainable Education Service (MOSES) Winter Conference in LaCrosse, WI Mountain West Seed Summit in Santa Fe, NM Free the Seeds in Kalispell, MT Along […]
