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 […]
Organic Seed Growers Conference Agenda & Session Details
[…] topic, or identity. We have pre-scheduled spaces and open sign-up slots for participants to self-organize and host conversations with other conference goers. Pacific Northwest Regional Seed Network Intermountain West Regional Seed Network California Regional Seed Network Open Sign-up 2:00 – 2:45p HST / 4:00 – 4:45p PST / 5:00 – 5:45p MST / 6:00 – […]
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
The best approach to building a robust supply of organic seed is by fostering seed systems that are regional, responsive, and resilient A healthy seed system is decentralized, with many decision makers at the table: farmers, breeders, consumers, chefs, and seed and food businesses. OSA convenes these and other partners to conduct regional seed assessments to identify local […]
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 […]
Research
Organic farmers need access to more organic seed, and they need that seed to be adapted to their organic farms and regional climates Join Us Sign up for our quarterly newsletter for updates on upcoming events, and visit our library of publications, which includes links to webinars and other resources to support your research in the field and classroom. Learn […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
