Merveille des Quatre Saisons Lettuce, 1885 Heirloom
from $2.99
$4.25
Merveille des Quatre Saisons is a lettuce that can be used in all 4 season. It loves the cool weather but was also one of the first lettuces recognized for summer production. This historic French variety was described in Vilmorin's "The Vegetable Garden (1885)" as ... a pretty reddish bibb-type rosette with a crisp texture and excellent flavori" The dark red color develops best in cool spring or autumn weather. Butterhead, 60 days. We love this lettuce and will do our best to always have it in stock.
Characteristics:
Heirloom, Open-Pollinated and Non-GMO
Leaves are tinged with red
Holds well in heat, best color in cool seasons
Bibb or Butterhead lettuce
60 days
~250 seeds per packet
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: 10-12" Apart
Firefly Farm & Mercantile may substitute suppliers based on availability.
Mesclun Mix, Organic
$3.50
Our best-selling item for the home garden!
High Mowing Organic Seeds - Our own HMOS blend of lettuce and mustard greens. The diversity of this mix will give you a great medley of flavor and color. Mustards grow quickly, shading the soil for lettuces, creating a bountiful mix of greens suitable for cut-and-come-again harvest.
Characteristics:
Organic, non-GMO, and open-pollinated
High Mowing Organic Seeds Exclusive
A complementary mix of lettuces and mustards
28 days
1/32 oz approx.
Instructions - Lettuce is cool-season annual in the Compositae family. Choose cool, well-drained, loose soil. Lettuce is sensitive to low pH. Lettuce can be seeded in the spring as soon as the soil can be worked.
Plant 1/8" deep
Plant 8-12" apart
Firefly Farm & Mercantile may substitute seed vendors from time to time because of the availability
Mexican Sour Gherkin Cucumber, Cucamleon, 1866 Heirloom
from $3.75
Arrives around 10/25 and we will ship your order when it arrives
The cucamelon is a novely cucumber that is sought after for its unique flavor. Charles Victor Naudin, a French botanist, first recorded the cucamelon in 1866. It ended up with the name cucamelon as they gained in popularity. Mexican Sour Gherkin or Mexcian Sour Cucumber are names they mostly go by. They go by mouse melon and pepquinos as well. We try to stock organic but sometimes only conventional is available.
You can eat this raw or pickle it with peppers, cucumbers, or garlic. When it easily comes off the vine it is ready to pick for tassting its on the vine pickled flavor. When it is still underripe, it tastes like cucumbers. Usually the underriped ones are what are pickled. It is found wild from Mexico to Venezeula.
Botanical Name: Melothria scabra
Fruits grow to 1-2 inches, resembling tiny watermelons
Good flavor
Taste as if they are already pickled
Grows well on a trellis
60-70 days
Instructions - Once all frosts are past, sow seeds along a trell is every 4" inches. Thin to 6-8". Plant seeds 1/2" deep.
Mexico Midget Tomato
$4.00
$4.25
The Seed Savers Exchange - Winner of SSE’s 2014 Tomato Tasting. Hundreds of ½-¾" dark red cherry tomatoes on each plant. Huge tomato flavor for such small fruits. Great for salads or selling in pints. Plants produce throughout the entire growing season. Indeterminate, 60-70 days from transplant.
Characteristics:
Winner of SSE’s 2014 Tomato Tasting
Dark red fruits grow to a ½-¾ inch
Bursting with tomato flavor
Very productive
Indeterminate - Fruit ripens throughout the season
60-70 days from transplant
50 Seeds
Instructions - You should start your tomato seeds indoors in soil trays or pots about 6 weeks before you plant them outside. Sow the seeds about 1/4 inch deep and wait 7-14 days for them to germinate. As they grow you may need to re-pot them to give their roots space to develop. When all chance of frost has passed and the soil has warmed to at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit you can plant your tomatoes out. Leave around 24-36 inches between the plants. Tomatoes should be grown with some form of support, such as staking, cages, or a trellis. This variety will be mature about 60-70 days after transplanting.
Sow indoors 6 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
Michels Cowpea, 1941 Heirloom, Organic
$4.00
$4.25
This one may not be available for 2023, we are going to close sales on this one until we know more.
The Seed Savers Exchange - Donated to SSE by Audrey (Michels) Kreutzer of Kansas. Originally collected by her brother, Vince Michels, in 1941 from a Tennessee farm field that his Army unit marched by. A family favorite in bean soup. Cream-colored seeds with brown mottling, 8-10" pods with 10-20 seeds per pod. Sprawling vines with purple flowers. 85-95 days.
Organic & Open-Pollinated
Sprawling vines with purple flowers
Green pods grow 8-10 inches long with 10-20 seeds
Cream-colored seeds with brown mottling
85-95 days
Instructions - Cowpeas thrive in hot temperatures and full sun. Sow seeds outdoors when the soil has fully warmed. Thin to 3-6" apart. Seeds will germinate in 5-7 days.
Direct Seed: 2" Apart
Direct Seed: 1" Deep
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)
Midatlantic- United States Heirloom Seeds From Your State: A State by State Collection
$9.00
Starts shipping 12/7 - Firefly Farm & Mercantile's United States Heirloom Seeds From Your State Collection- Heirlooms come from all over the world and right here in the United States we have some of hte most remarkable heirlooms. This collection focuses on providing heirlooms on a state by state basis. We do not have all states selected but we are making it our mission to find heirlooms for all 50 states to offer them here.
All your seeds (2 full packets) will be in our custom United States Artwork envelope so it is perfect for gifts. We use seeds from our various seed companies or ones we grow and pack ourselves. Also included is a summary of the history of your heirloom seed. Your seed packets may contain beans, peppers, tomatoes, flowers, herbs, greens and more, our collection is diverse! Every state offers so many wonderful unique heirlooms, start discovery yours today.
Other Heirloom State Collections with their states we offer.
Northeast: Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersy, New Hampshire
Mid-Atlantic: Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Tenessee, Kentucky
Midwest: Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, North and South Dakota
Southeast: Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina
West Coast: California, Washington
Lower Central: Texas, Missouri, Oklahoma
Our gift envelopes are being made and will be arriving first week of December, shipping starts 12/7.
Midwest - United States Heirloom Seeds From Your State: A State by State Collection
$9.00
$11.00
Starts shipping 12/7 - Firefly Farm & Mercantile's United States Heirloom Seeds From Your State Collection- Heirlooms come from all over the world and right here in the United States we have some of hte most remarkable heirlooms. This collection focuses on providing heirlooms on a state by state basis. We do not have all states selected but we are making it our mission to find heirlooms for all 50 states to offer them here.
All your seeds (2 full packets) will be in our custom United States Artwork envelope so it is perfect for gifts. We use seeds from our various seed companies or ones we grow and pack ourselves. Also included is a summary of the history of your heirloom seed. Your seed packets may contain beans, peppers, tomatoes, flowers, herbs, greens and more, our collection is diverse! Every state offers so many wonderful unique heirlooms, start discovery yours today.
Other Heirloom State Collections with their states we offer.
Northeast: Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersy, New Hampshire
Mid-Atlantic: Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Tenessee, Kentucky
Midwest: Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, North and South Dakota
Southeast: Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina
West Coast: California, Washington
Lower Central: Texas, Missouri, Oklahoma
Our gift envelopes are being made and will be arriving first week of December, shipping starts 12/7.
Mild Mustard Blend, Organic
$3.75
One of our most popular mixes, with a variety of mild mustards and other greens.
High Mowing Organic Seeds - Includes some of our favorite kales, mild-flavored mustards, and Asian greens for a tasty, diverse assortment. An attractive mix with contrasting leaf shapes, colors, and textures. Can be marketed and used as a braising mix if grown to full size.
Characteristics:
Organic, non-GMO, and open-pollinated
High Mowing Organic Seeds Exclusive
Our favorite mild brassicas, mustards, and Asian greens
21 days
1/32 oz approx.
Instructions - Most Brassica greens are moderately hardy annuals that can be sown from early spring through midsummer. Commonly grown as a baby leaf for salad mixes in the US, and also traditionally grown for full-size leaves in ethnic cuisine or stir-fry and pickled. Light cooking dispels mustard heat to reveal a very sweet and full flavor. Direct seed as soon as soil can be worked. Sow every 3 weeks into fall for a continuous harvest. Harvest leaves as desired. Use floating row cover when planting to protect from flea beetles.
Plant 1/4" deep
Plant rows apart 18"
Plant thin to 6"
Firefly Farm & Mercantile may substitute suppliers based on availability.
Miniature Chocolate Bell Pepper (Sweet), Organic
$4.00
$4.25
Seed Savers Exchange - Short stocky plants covered with lovely 2" long miniature bell peppers with an excellent fresh flavor. This arose in the garden of Ohio SSE member Lucina Cress during the 1980s in her crop of full-sized Chocolate peppers. She saved seeds from the smallest fruits. Great for salads. 90 days from transplant. Sweet. ±4,400 seeds/oz.
Characteristics
Organic
Fruits ripen to deep brown
Fruits grow to 2 inches
Plants are stocky and short
Sweet pepper
90 days from transplant
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
Miniature Red Bell Pepper, Organic
$4.00
$4.25
Seed Savers Exchange - Short stocky plants covered with lovely 2" long miniature bell peppers with an excellent fresh flavor. A friend gave the yellow and red versions to SSE member Lucina Cress of Ohio. She stuffed the peppers with cabbage, pickled and canned them to sell at her church bazaar. Great for salads. 90 days from transplant. Sweet. ±4,400 seeds/oz.
Characteristics
Organic
Fruits ripen to bright red
Fruits grow to 2 inches
Plants are stocky and short
Sweet pepper
90 days from transplant
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
Miniature White Cucumber, Organic Available, Excellent for Containers
from $2.00
The Seed Savers Exchange - Popular yellow-white miniature eating cucumber. Best eaten when fruits are less than 3" long. Mild sweet flavor, no need to peel. Productive vines rarely exceed 3' in length; suitable for container gardening. 50-55 days. ±1,300 seeds/oz.
Organic & Open-pollinated
Fruits have yellow-white skin
Fruits are best eaten at 3 inches
Vines rarely exceed 3 feet in length
50-55 days
25 Seeds per packet
Instructions - Sow seeds outdoors in 12" diameter hills after the last frost when soil is warm. Space hills 6' apart in all directions. Can also be started indoors 2-4 weeks before the last frost for an earlier harvest. Cucumbers benefit from consistent moisture. Provide support for vines to save space.
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
We are always adding new varieties so please check back often at Seeds - Vegetables (fireflyfarmandmercantile.com)
Miniature Yellow Bell Pepper (Sweet), Organic
$4.00
$4.25
Seed Savers Exchange - Short stocky plants covered with lovely 2" long miniature bell peppers with an excellent fresh flavor. A friend gave the yellow and red versions to SSE member Lucina Cress of Ohio. She stuffed the peppers with cabbage and pickled and canned them to sell at her church bazaar. Great for salads. 90 days from transplant. Sweet. ±4,400 seeds/oz
Characteristics
Organic
Fruits grow to 2 inches
Plants are stocky and short
Sweet pepper
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
Minnesota Midget Melon, 1948 Heirloom, Organic
$4.00
$4.25
The Seed Savers Exchange - Extra-early variety bred by the University of Minnesota at St. Paul in 1948; introduced by Farmer Seed and Nursery Company. Capable of producing two crops—an excellent choice for northern gardeners. Vines seldom over 3' long; suitable for growing in containers. Round 4" fruits have thick golden-yellow flesh that is edible to the rind and deliciously sweet.
Characteristics:
Organic
Short Season Superstar
Vines rarely grow over 3 feet and fruits grow to 9 inches
Juicy, super-sweet orange flesh
Resistant to fusarium wilt
60-75 days
25 Seeds per packet
Instructions - Melons love 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 last frost.
Plant 1" deep
Plant hills, 6-8 seed
Germinate 7-14 days
Thin 3-4 plants
Firefly Farm & Mercantile may substitute suppliers based on availability
Miss Annie Pearl Counselman Collard, pre-1950's heirloom
$4.00
$4.25
Seed Exchange - This storied collard checks all the boxes! Its uniform, green leaves boast a sweet flavor without a sharp brassica taste. Its leaves grow upright to moderately spreading, reaching up to 2' long and 1' wide; plants average 2' tall and 2.5-3' in diameter. Longtime steward Miss Annie Pearl Counselman received this variety in the early 1950s. In 2012, at age 94, she shared it with Tom Lambard, who donated the variety to Seed Savers Exchange in 2015. 60-80 days.
Conventional for 2026
From the Seed Savers Exchange Collection
Plants grow to 2 feet tall
Leaves grow upright to moderately spreading
Very good eating qualities
60-80 days
100 seeds
On a Mission This heirloom collard dates back to at least 1935 in Beaufort County, North Carolina where it was grown by Ellen Felton. Ellen’s son, Harrell, continued to grow and save seed of this variety every year. In 2003, Harrell shared seeds of his mother’s variety with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Recognizing that this seed-saving tradition was in decline, the USDA embarked on a collard seed search in the Carolinas. Researchers drove many hundreds of miles and met several dozen home gardeners, like Harrell, who shared treasured, family heirloom varieties.
Seed Savers Exchange is honored to bring this variety out of our bank and into the hands of gardeners.
Instructions - Sow seeds outdoors in spring after the last frost
Plant 4" apart
Plant 1/2" Deep
Plant Rows 20-24" apart
Thin 12" Apart
Missouri Pink Love Apple Tomato, 1860 Heirloom, organic
$4.00
$4.25
Sold Out
The Seed Savers Exchange - SSE member Ron Thuma of Kansas received this variety in 1992 from George and Bessie Jennings of Waverly, Kansas. They claimed that their ancestor “Grandpa Barnes” grew the variety during the 1860s but only as an ornamental plant—he thought tomatoes were poisonous. The pink beefsteak tomato is slightly sweet with a juicy, meaty texture and has 1-3 fruit per cluster. Indeterminate, 75-85 days from transplant.
Characteristics:
Organic
Pink beefsteak tomatoes grow with 1-3 fruits per cluster
Slightly sweet flavor
Flesh has a juicy, meaty texture
Indeterminate - Fruit ripens throughout the season
75-85 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
Mixed Colors Broomcorn Sorghum Heirloom Seeds
$4.00
$4.25
The Seed Savers Exchange - A type of sorghum traditionally used in broom-making. A diverse mix of varieties in many colors. Includes Apache Red, Texas Black Amber, Tennessee Red, Nicaraguan Broom, Iowa Red, Hadley Kidd, Moyer Sonnen, Sattie Museum, Moyer Jensen Gold, Hungarian Red, and Black, Ramirez South Chile, and Kepley. Gorgeous in floral arrangements. 100-110 days. ±1,200 seeds/oz.
Characteristics:
A mix of many varieties in multiple colors
Nice addition to floral arrangements
100-110 days
100 seeds per packet
This variety will grow well in most regions of the United States but prefers a long, frost-free growing season.
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
Mizuna Asian Green, Organic
$3.75
$4.25
Seed Exchange - With its narrow white stems and bright green lacy-edged leaves, this elegant Japanese green has a delicious spicy flavor and a texture similar to arugula, but with a milder taste. As a salad green, Mizuna is best eaten young and can be used as a cut-and-come-again crop, but it is also excellent in stir-fries and soups as plants mature. Harvest leaves as needed or simply pick the whole head. 21 days for baby greens, 40 days for mature heads
Organic
Bright green, lacy-edged leaves
Narrow white stems
Spicy flavor
21 days baby greens, 40 days mature
±500 seeds
Instructions - Sow seeds outdoors after danger of frost has passed to prevent bolting. Can also be planted in late summer for a fall crop. Seeds will germinate in 4-7 days. Plant in full sun to partial shade.
Direct Seed 1" apart
Planting Depth 1/4"
Rows 18" Apart
Thin 6-12" apart
Monstorpolgi Celeriac, 1600's Heirloom, Organic
$4.00
$4.25
Not available for 2024 Seed Exchange - Savored by Seed Savers Exchange members for over 20 years and reportedly by the French since the 1600s, this celery root variety has a mild, sweet celery flavor and firm, round roots that measure 3” long by 3-4” wide. Its root, stems, and leaves make a fine addition to soups and stews. Acquired from member Suzanne Ashworth, who obtained it from Redwood City (California) Seed Company. 100 days.
Organic
Mild, sweet celery flavor
Excellent for soups and stews
100 days
150 Seeds
Instructions - Sow seeds indoors 1/8" deep in warm, moist soil, 10-12 weeks before planting outdoors. Transplant outdoors spacing 6" apart in 30" rows. Note: celeriac will bolt early if exposed to cool temperatures (below 55°F).
Start indoors 10-12 weeks before the last frost
Germinate 14 days
Plant 24" apart
Firefly Farm & Mercantile may substitute suppliers based on availability
Montreal Market Melon, Almost Extinct Favorite
$4.00
$4.25
The Seed Savers Exchange - Melon lovers can thank a small group of Canadian preservationists for bringing back this incredibly flavorful variety in the 1990s. Its thick, green flesh is highly aromatic and has a sweet, complex taste. For peak flavor, harvest fruits when slightly under-ripe, before the rind turns yellow and the fruit softens. Melons are round to slightly flattened with a heavy, silvery netting and deep ribbing, measure 8" in diameter, and weigh 7-8 pounds. Organic.
Characteristics:
Organic
Fruits grow to 7-8 lbs
Flesh is green with heavy silver netting
Sweet and complex flavor
Harvest before rind yellows for peak flavor
New for 2021
From the Collection
25 Seeds per packet
Instructions - Melons love 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 last frost.
Plant 1" deep
Plant hills, 6-8 seed
Germinate 7-14 days
Thin 3-4 plants
Firefly Farm & Mercantile may substitute suppliers based on availability
Moon & Stars (Cherokee) Watermelon, 1924 Heirloom,
$4.00
$4.25
The Seed Savers Exchange - Eye-popping and scrumptious with bright pink sweet flesh and black seeds, this variety produces fruits that are about 2' long and weigh 10-16 pounds. Introduced in 1924 as Sun, Moon, and Stars by Peter Henderson & Co of New York. This strain is from Mereel Hales of Oklahoma who feels it is a pure example of the original variety Hales received from a Cherokee man in Mississippi. 95 days.
Characteristics:
Organic
Elongated fruits grow to 24 inches long
Fruits weigh up to 10-16 pounds
Sweet pink flesh
Speckled rind with "moon" and "star" markings
95 days
25 seeds
Instructions - Sow seeds outdoors in 12" diameter hills after danger of frost has passed and soil has warmed. Space hills 8' apart in all directions. Seeds will germinate in 4-10 days. Can also be started indoors 4 weeks before transplanting out. Watermelons love heat and prefer sandy or light-textured soils.
Plant 1/2" deep
Hill 6-8 seeds together
Thin to 3-4 plants
Firefly Farm & Mercantile may substitute suppliers based on availability