Seed Company Information Guide
Where to buy Colorado locally- and regionally-adapted seeds:
Like Seed Saver’s Exchange, MASA is a non-profit and strives to educate folks while also building a bioregional seed bank. They have formed a Seed Growers Cooperative and facilitate volunteer programs in agriculture, horticulture and permaculture.
Pueblo Seed and Food Company is based in Pueblo County, in Cortez, CO. Their mission is “to renew and strengthen communities by stewarding the land and guiding the health of seed, food and people.” They use regenerative, biodynamic agriculture practices and donate seeds annually to the Native American Farmer’s Association.
Vibrant Earth Seeds is a grassroots, small-scale family seed company focused on seed stewardship and regenerative agriculture. Their seed farm is in the Four Corners region (the intersection of Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona) outside of Cortez, CO.
At High Desert Seed+Garden they believe growing and saving seed builds connection — connection with land, soil, water, life, death, and culture. “Seed helps us become self-sufficient, provides nourishing food, and connects us to our ancestors, who carefully cared for the plants that sustain us today.”
Penn Parmenter of, Miss Penn’s Mountain Seeds saves seeds at 8,120 ft in elevation. Located in the Wet Mountains about 3 hours away from Denver, they grow in both their forest and bio-intensive gardens. She has succeeded in growing 120 varieties of tomatoes, pumpkins, corn, medicinal and culinary herbs and many varieties of perennial natives.
Want to convert your lawn to a native landscape? Check out Otherworlds Seed Co. Michelle will give you the guidance you need with her years of expertise working with the Botanic Gardens, Denver Parks and Rec and growing up with a trowel in her hand.
Wild Mountain Seeds in the Roaring Fork Valley, a 6th generation-owned former potato farm. Brothers, Alex and Jason Sewell are running their operation, Sunfire Ranch, at the base of Mt Sopris and are using holistic practices to create a more resilient food system for their community.
Seeds Trust is a 30-year old, women-owned Denver business committed to providing seed-saving resources and workshops and helping foster seed libraries in our community. Their Seed Buckets for High Altitude gardening are pretty sweet. They are also a member of the Global Seed Alliance.
Also check out…
Botanical Interests, BBB Seed, Lake Valley are reputable Colorado seed companies but do not source all of their seeds locally. Johnny’s Seeds, Territorial Seed and Renee’s Garden Seed are also highly recommended for quality of seed and ethical practices. Green Cover Seed located in my home state of Nebraska, is a great resource for cover crop seed, mixes and information.
Seed Companies with an intention to offer culturally-relevant seeds, support small and BIPOC growers and to promote diversity within the 15 billion dollar U.S. seed industry.
True Love Seeds is a farm-based seed company offering culturally important and open pollinated vegetable, herb, and flower seeds. Seeds are grown by more than 50 small-scale urban and rural farmers committed to community food sovereignty, cultural preservation, and sustainable agriculture.
Alliance of Native Seed Keepers is a Native American led seed company and the first seed company to become a Benefit Corporation. Seed purchases help fund the work of indigenous people, tribes, and native seed keepers.
I first read about SESE when the NY Times did a feature on Ira Wallace, “The Godmother of Southern Heirloom Seeds.” She celebrated her 75th birthday last year and was awarded a James Beard Foundation Leadership Award. She and her fellow SESE colleagues support Ujamaa Seeds, Pueblo Seed and Feed (of Cortez, CO) a Though more specific to the Mid-Atlantic region (you will find peanuts and cotton) many of their seeds can be planted across U.S regions. On their site you will find book recommendations, a list of small growers-that provide 60% of SESE’s inventory-and a blog on all kinds of garden topics.
Kitazawa Seed Company Gijiu Kitazawa started Kitazawa Seed Company in 1917. Kitazawa Seeds offers over 500 seed varieties that produce dento vasai or traditional heirloom vegetables of Japan. As of January 2024 the complete Kitasawa Seed Collection is being offered by True Leaf Market.
Eloheh Farm, where Eloheh Seeds are grown, is a charitable non-profit, teaching-farm and organization in the Willamette Valley. "Eloheh" is a Cherokee Indian word representing harmony, wholeness, abundance, and peace.
Seed Saver’s Exchange based in Decorah, Iowa, states their mission is to: “steward America’s culturally diverse and endangered garden and food crop legacy for present and future generations. We educate and connect people through collecting, regenerating, and sharing heirloom seeds, plants, and stories.” I love that they provide a platform in which to share and request seeds. They also offer a steep discount on a pack of 50 seeds to schools, non-profits and community groups through their Herman’s Garden Seed Donation progam.
Native Seeds/SEARCH is a nonprofit seed conservation organization that seeks to conserve and promote the arid-adapted crop diversity of the Southwest in support of sustainable farming and food security.
Ujamaa Seeds is the entrepreneurial program of the Ujamaa Cooperative Farming Alliance. The UCFA is committed to providing increased opportunities and support for growers from historically marginalized communities in the area of seed farming. To this end, the UCFA is working to bridge the gap between prospective BIPOC seed growers and seed companies.