Seeds - Vegetables

Seed Exchange - An Italian broccoli introduced to the United States in 1890. Compact 2-3' plants produce a 4" central head. After the central head is harvested, a second yield of edible side shoots will develop. It is quite variable in its maturity, which creates an extended harvest time—a quality home gardeners may appreciate. 48-85 days from transplant Organic Compact plant Heads grow to 4 inches Many side shoots/sprouts form after the central head is harvested 48-85 days from transplant 100 seeds Instructions - Sow seeds indoors ¼" deep. Plant out just before the last frost. Broccoli prefers cool temperatures and a regular supply of water. In many regions, it can be grown as both a spring and fall crop. Sow indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost Germination 3-10 days Plant apart 24"  Firefly Farm & Mercantile may substitute suppliers based on availability.  

Deer Tongue Looseleaf Lettuce - 54 days. Upright, loose heads with excellent sweet flavor and crisp texture. Has slightly savoyed, triangular, round-tipped leaves with a succulent mid-rib. Moderate bolt resistance. One of our favorites.Included in Slow Food USA’s Ark of Taste. Characteristics:  Organic Looseleaf and cut-and-come-again 55 days .5g, 400 -600 seeds   Instructions - Sow continuously for a constant supply of lettuce. Best grown in cooler weather. Plant in full sun or partial shade. Direct Seed 1" apart Plant 1/4" deep Germinate 7-14 days Thin 6-8" apart Firefly Farm & Mercantile may substitute suppliers based on availability.

The Seed Savers Exchange - This kohlrabi has it all - juicy, crunchy, and crisp stems and a slightly spicy, sweet flavor. The bulbs are light-green and round to slightly elongated, and the plants have light-green petioles with light-purple bases. The light- to dark-green leaves are mostly elliptical in shape (with the occasional obovate leaf) and have round-toothed margins. Variability occurs from plant to plant, but each plant has uniform leaves; the plants grow 12-17" tall and reach 22-28" in diameter. Stems are 2" to just over 2½" long and approximately 2¾-3½" wide, and weigh 4.7-9.5 oz. Characteristics:  Sweet, spicy flavor 250 Seeds Instructions - Best grown in cooler weather. Sow seeds outdoors as soon as soil can be worked and the danger of hard frost has passed. Can also be started indoors and transplanted out. Plant in full sun or partial shade. Kohlrabi is also an excellent fall crop. Direct Seed 1" apart Plant 1/4" deep Plant Rows 12-18" apart Thin to 4" apart Firefly Farm & Mercantile may substitute suppliers based on availability

The Seed Savers Exchange - A true French cantaloupe whose name translates as “Delight of the Table.” Ribbed dessert melons have sweet orange flesh and weigh about 1-2 pounds. Very hard to find, but alive and well in France. 85-90 days. ±900 seeds/oz. Characteristics: Fruits grow to 1-2 pounds Ribbed rinds Sweet orange flesh 85-90 days ±900 seeds/oz 25 Seeds per packet  Instructions - Melons love the heat. Sow seeds outdoors in 12" diameter hills after danger of frost has passed and soil has warmed. Space hills 6' apart in all directions. Seeds will germinate in 4-10 days. Can also be started indoors 2-3 weeks before the last frost. Plant 1" deep Plant hills, 6-8 seed Thin: To 3-4 Plants Light: Full Sun Firefly Farm & Mercantile may substitute suppliers based on availability 

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange - Superb disease resistance and these very sweet melons are excellent for areas with hot, humid, areas.  The fruit ripens in the last 2 weeks so its good to check daily in the very last part of its ripening. 88 days. Characteristics: Organic Fruits 6-7" fruits Netted Round Oval Sweet orange flesh 88 days 50 Seeds per packet, 2g Instructions - Melons love the heat. Sow seeds outdoors in 12" diameter hills after danger of frost has passed and soil has warmed. Space hills 6' apart in all directions. Seeds will germinate in 4-10 days. Can also be started indoors 2-3 weeks before the last frost. Plant 1" deep Plant hills, 6-8 seed Thin: To 3-4 Plants Light: Full Sun Firefly Farm & Mercantile may substitute suppliers based on availability 

Seed Savers Exchange - Short-statured plants with fruit averaging 2.3" long, 1.3" wide. Small, conical, bell-like shape fruit, green ripening to red. Medium-high heat, good flavor.  Characteristics  Organic Medium-high heat Short-statured plants Fruit averages 2.3" long by 1.3" wide 25 Seeds per packet Instructions - Sow seeds indoors ¼” deep. Peppers germinate best in warm soil, so gentle bottom heat may be helpful until seedlings emerge. Wait to transplant outdoors until the soil is warm. Sow indoors 8 weeks before the last frost Plant Rows 12-24” Apart Germinates in 14 days Full Sun  Firefly Farm & Mercantile may substitute based on supplier availability

The Seed Savers Exchange - Winner of SSE’s 2011 Tomato Tasting and runner-up in 2012. Donated to SSE by Missouri farmer Larry Pierce, who received his seeds from an Amish woman in Seymour, Missouri. She originally got her seeds from a doctor she worked for whose family had brought the seeds with them from Germany. Luscious pink beefsteaks weighing up to one pound. Indeterminate, 70-80 days from transplant.   Characteristics:  Organic Winner of SSE’s 2011 Tomato Tasting and runner-up in 2012 Pink fruits grow up to 1 pound Excellent flavor Beefsteak tomato Indeterminate - Fruit ripens throughout the season 70-80 days from transplant  25 Seeds in Packet Instructions - Sow seeds indoors ¼" deep. Tomatoes are sensitive to freezing temperatures, so wait to transplant outdoors until the soil is warm. Plant in full sun. Sow indoors 6 weeks before the last frost Germination 7-14 days Plant Outdoors: 24-36” Apart Support: Cage, stake, or trellis Firefly Farm & Mercantile may substitute suppliers based on availability

Seed Exchange - Great for canning and fresh eating, this variety is a good keeper, producing round, blood-red, 3"-diameter roots. This historic variety was introduced in 1892 by D.M. Ferry & Company. Original selections were made from the Early Blood Turnip beet by Mr. Reeves of Port Hope, Ontario, Canada. 60-65 days Organic Very dark red color Prolific Stores well 60-65 days 100 seeds per packet Instructions - Sow seeds outdoors as soon as soil can be worked in spring. Seeds will germinate in 5-10 days. Plant at two-week intervals for a steady harvest. All parts of the beet plant are edible. Direct Seed 2" apart Planting Depth 1/2" Thin 4-6" apart Plant Rows 20-24" apart

The Seed Savers Exchange - Delicious fresh or cooked, this Silician cauliflower grows deep purple in the garden but turns green when cooked. The voluminous variety will form side shoots after the main head is cut so be sure to space plants at least 20" apart as it will get quite large throughout the course of the growing season. A stunning addition to vegetable trays, this cauliflower retains its excellent flavor when cooked. 80 days. Deep purple heads Turns green when cooked 80 days from transplant 250 seeds your packet Instructions  Cauliflowers are cool weather brassicas and should be timed for late spring harvests or fall and winter (mild climates) harvest. They can handle frosty conditions if acclimated before transplanting. Start 4-6 weeks before planting day. In general they can be planted 6 weeks before your average last frost.  Cauliflower prefer well-drained fertile soil that is within the range of 6.0-7.5 pH. A general guideline is 2-3 lbs of 8-16-16 fertilizer over 100 sq ft of the garden area two weeks before planting or 1-2” of compost.  If boron is not present in your soils, consider adding 1 Tbs per 100 sq ft.  Consider using row covers to protect from pests such as flea beetles and moths.  Loose, well-drained fertile soils  Plant 1/2" deep  Space plants 18" apart for fresh market Dress with compost every 30-45 days or you can use your favorite fertilizer.  Firefly Farm & Mercantile may substitute suppliers based on availability We are always adding new varieties so please check back often at Seeds - Vegetables (fireflyfarmandmercantile.com)

The Seed Savers Exchange - (C. pepo) This beautifully diverse ornamental gourd mixture contains equal portions of nine Cucurbita pepo varieties of different size, shape, and color: Cou-Tors Hâtive, Orange Warted, Ten Commandments, Nest Egg, Flat Striped, Striped Pear, Orange Ball, Spinning Gourd, and Warted Mixture. Ideal for use in creative fall decorations and grown in many school gardens, this mix is also a great moneymaker for market stands. 90-100 days. Characteristics:  Diverse ornamental mix Used for fall decorations Great for market growers and roadside stands 90-100 days Instructions: Sow seeds outdoors after the danger of frost has passed in 12" diameter hills. Space hills 6' apart in all directions. In short-season areas, growth from transplants started indoors 8 weeks in advance. Gourds grow well on fences or garden trellises. Direct Seed: 1" Deep Seeds to Hill: 6-8 Seeds Thin: To 3-4 Plants Light: Full Sun Firefly Farm & Mercantile may substitute suppliers based on availability

Kids love this carrot. Hands-down winner in our storage taste tests! High Mowing Organic Seeds - Great sweet flavor, juicy crunch, and incredibly long storage life. Grown on increasingly big acreage in Europe, we are delighted with this Swiss-bred variety. Slightly tapered roots have good uniformity, bright color, and strong tops. Widely adapted and versatile for bunching or storage; rated 20-30% higher in sugars than Bolero F1 over 9 months in storage. From our friends at Swiss biodynamic seed company Sativa Seeds. Available as raw or pelleted seed. Characteristics:  Organic, non-GMO, and open-pollinated Long storing High Brix 8" Nantes-type 105 days  250 seeds Instructions - Sow seeds outdoors before 3-4  weeks of last frost or soil can be worked. Plant 1/2" apart Plant 1/4" Deep Plant Rows 16-24" apart Thin 2-4" Apart Firefly Farm & Mercantile may substitute suppliers based on availability

The Seed Savers Exchange - (C. pepo) Donated to SSE by Arthur Dostal. A variety was grown by his parents, Lewis and Mary Dostal of Tama Co., Iowa, who reportedly received it from family friends. Begins as cream-white and green, maturing to dark green. Sweet flavor with buttery smooth texture when grown as winter squash, but also delicious as summer squash. 90 days.  Characteristics:  Organic Sweet flavor with a buttery smooth texture  90 days  25 seeds per packet  Instructions - Sow seeds outdoors in 12" diameter hills after danger of frost has passed. Hills should be spaced 6' apart in all directions. Can also be started indoors 3 weeks before transplanting out.  Direct Seed: 1" Deep Seeds to Hill: 6-8 Seeds Thin: To 3-4 Plants Light: Full Sun Firefly Farm & Mercantile may substitute based on supplier availability

Seed Exchange - Lustrous kernels ranging from dark-red to deep-purple stand out on the plate and in the field. Sweet and flavorful, this variety is delicious eaten fresh from the cob but also works quite well dried and ground into cornmeal. Equally gorgeous dark-red stalks grow 5-7′ tall and produce 1-2 ears per stalk. This versatile variety was bred by Alan Kapuler, Ph.D., Seed Savers Exchange lifetime member and founder of Peace Seeds in Corvallis, Oregon. 85 days. Organic & Open-Pollinated Sweet Corn Dark-red to deep-purple 1-2 ears per stalk Plants 5-7' tall 85 days 100 Seeds per pack   Instructions - Sow seeds outdoors 1" deep after danger of frost has passed. For good pollination and full ears, plant in blocks of 3-6 rows instead of one long row. Thin seedlings to 8" apart. Corn is a heavy feeder and does best in well-drained, fertile soil with plenty of water. Direct Seed: 4" Apart Germination: 4-21 Days Rows Apart: 36-48" Light: Full Sun Firefly Farm & Mercantile may substitute suppliers based on availability We are always adding new varieties so please check back often at Seeds - Vegetables (fireflyfarmandmercantile.com)

The Seed Savers Exchange - A home garden variety grown for fresh eating or canning, this standard, late-season white corn has narrow “shoe peg” (non-rowed) kernels. Tapered 7-8" ears grow on 7-8' stalks that often produce two ears. This historic variety was introduced in 1890 by S. D. Woodruff & Sons of Orange, Connecticut. 88-92 days. Organic Uniform 6 inch long fruit When one fruit is harvested, 2 or 3 more are produced 50-60 days 25 Seeds   Instructions - When growing plants on a trellis, space seed 6-8” apart and thin as necessary; train the plants to climb the trellis with an initial guidance. Alternatively, make 12” hills at least 6’ apart. Plant 6-8 cucumber seeds per hill 1” deep. After germination, thin to 3-4 plants per hill. Plant 6-8 Seeds on a Hill Plant 1" Deep Thin to 3 or 4 plants Firefly Farm & Mercantile may substitute suppliers based on availability We are always adding new varieties so please check back often at Seeds - Vegetables (fireflyfarmandmercantile.com)

Seedsaver Exchange - Given to Seed Savers Exchange by the late Dr. John Wyche, one of Seed Savers Exchange’s earliest members. Dr. Wyche’s friend used to own Carson & Barnes Circus which overwintered in Hugo, OK. He fertilized his terraced mountaintop gardens with the elephant manure and scattered lion and tiger waste to keep out deer and rabbits. Heavy yields of one pound golden-yellow tomatoes. Meaty flesh and rich flavor. Characteristics:  75-85 days from transplant Conventional Indeterminate - Fruit ripens throughout the season Golden yellow fruits grow up to 1 pound Meaty flesh with good flavor 50 Seeds Instructions - Sow seeds indoors ¼" deep. Tomatoes are sensitive to freezing temperatures, so wait to transplant outdoors until the soil is warm. Plant in full sun. Sow indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost Germination 7-14 days Plant apart 24-36"  Plants need trellising or staking Firefly Farm & Mercantile may substitute suppliers based on availability