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Vegetable Seed Enterprise in the
MidwestBy Erica Kempter
Nature & Nature Seeds, Ann Arbor, MI
Seed Production Resources Books
The Organic Seed Grower: A Farmer’s Guide to Vegetable Seed Production, John Navazio, 2012
The Seed Garden: The Art and Practice of Seed Saving, Jared Zystro & Micaela Colley, Seed Savers Exchange, 2015
Organic Seed Production and Saving, Bryan Connolly, NOFA, 2011
Knott’s Handbook for Vegetable Growers, Maynard & Hochmuth. Section on Vegetable Seed Production.
Online Organic Seed Alliance
Free How-to-Guides for Seed Production https://seedalliance.org/all-publications/?fwp_publication_category=how-to-guides&fwp_publication_topic=seed-production-farm-scale
Enterprise Budget https://seedalliance.org/publications/seed-enterprise-budgeting-tool/
eOrganic, online guides, webinars https://eorganic.org/menu/905
https://seedalliance.org/all-publications/?fwp_publication_category=how-to-guides&fwp_publication_topic=seed-production-farm-scalehttps://seedalliance.org/publications/seed-enterprise-budgeting-tool/https://eorganic.org/menu/905
Benefits of Growing Vegetable Seeds
Financial
$ Diversification
Seeds are easily stored & shipped which creates opportunity:
To add an enterprise in a saturated local vegetable market
If you are located far from direct markets
Seed contracts
You will have a guaranteed buyer
Winter cash flow
Save $ on seed by growing seed for yourself
Less summer hustling
No succession plantings & weekly harvesting
Hustling is in August – October with seed harvesting and cleaning
Challenges of Growing Vegetable Seeds Learning curve
Need to learn technical aspects of seed growing
Requires good observation skills and attention to detail
Midwest is a challenging climate for seed production Learn about climate challenges and grow the more reliable seed crops
Infrastructure & equipment needs
Communication with seed company – very important
Be realistic about the demands & risks of seed farming 8-10 months between planting and payment (annual seed crops); 17 months
(biennial seed crops)
Entire crop can be lost to low germination rate, seed-borne diseases, birds
Expect challenges and even failures - don’t take it personally
What does vegetable seed growing look like? Wet-seeded crops (solanums,
cucurbits)
Dry-seeded crops (brassicas, lettuce, legumes, herbs, chenopods, alliums, flowers)
Growing Tomatoes for Seed: Inspect Plants
Labeling!Label immediately: label seedlings, plants in field,
harvest crates, drying seeds, stored seeds
Growing Tomatoesfor Seed: Harvesting
Growing Tomatoes for Seed: After-ripen Seeds Inside Fruit
Ferment Seeds - 3
days at 83 degrees
Cleaning Tomato Seeds: Decanting
Spreading tomato seeds on screens
Seed Drying
Environment: Air circulation
Low humidity (ideal)
Tomato Seed Cleaning
(dry)- use
screens & winnowing
Germination Test
Growing Kale Seed
Siberian kale (B. napus)
Annual vs Biennial Seed Crops Annual – make seed in one growing season
Biennial – dig up plants in fall and store in cold storage; re-plant in spring
Growing Kale
Seed
Siberian kale (B. napus)
y.Harvestin
gKaleSeed
Drying Kale Seed
Threshing Seeds
- stomping, threshing machine, many ways to do it
Dry Cleaning Seeds – use
screens & winnowing
Germination Test
Seed Germination Testing labs Pennsylvania Dept of Ag
Maryland Dept of Ag
Do it yourself Moist paper towel
Temp
Technical aspects of seed growing Planning
Isolation distance Know the species of your crop Know the isolation distance required for your seed crop (see The Seed Garden book)
Climate considerations - Choose seed crops/varieties that are easiest to grow in our Midwest climate Yield – see books: Knott’s Handbook & NOFA Organic Seed Production and Saving Plant spacing (see The Seed Garden book)
Growing Fertility Variety maintenance/rogueing Disease considerations for each crop – seed borne diseases (see The Organic Seed Grower book) Moisture management
Use drip irrigation instead of overhead Irrigate like you would veg crops
Harvesting Seed maturity –learning this takes practice Moisture management
Post-harvest handling & drying Dry-seeded crops (seeds on plants): dry on fabric, tables or screens in dry, well-ventilated area Wet-seeded crops:
after-ripen seeds by curing fruit in dry environment above freezing temp (tomato, squash, cucumber) Wet clean seeds Dry seeds immediately after wet cleaning
Manage moisture Drying Storing Germination testing
Technical aspects of seed growing: Isolation
Flower anatomy
Technical aspects of seed growing: Isolation
Pollination
Isolation: How to Prevent Cross Pollination?Called “Isolation” or “Isolation Distance” controlling the pollen source by isolating
plants by species and variety Learn crop species (especially cucurbits &
brassicas)
Techniques
Isolation distance – separate each variety within a species by a certain distance (in feet or miles)
Caging/row cover to prevent insects
Covering flowers and hand pollinating
Isolation Technique is Determined by mode of pollination
Insect pollinated crops
Wind pollinated crops
Self pollination
Isolation Distance“Out-Crossers” – Crops that tend to Cross Pollinate
(ie crops that easily cross with other varieties within the same species) Mode of Pollination
Insects – Isolate by ½ mile Brassicas (flowering)
Radish Brassica oleracea
(cabbage, kale, cauliflower, etc) - will cross with other Brassica oleracea)
Brassica rapa (turnips, chinese cabbage, mizuna etc)
Arugula Onions Carrots Cucurbits (cucumber, squash,
melons) With these crops you will need to
know what your neighbors are growing
Mode of Pollination Wind
Chenopods – isolate by 1 mile Spinach Beets and Chard
Corn – isolate by 1-2 miles
Isolation DistanceSelf-Pollinated Crops
“Selfers”
Isolation distance :short Lettuce 10-20ft
Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), peas, & soybeans - 20 ft
Tomatoes 50 – 100ft
“Promiscious Selfers”
Isolation distance: 300ft or cover plants/flowers with row cover fabric
Peppers
Eggplant
Isolation DistanceResource: The Seed Garden book
Technical Aspects of Seed Growing: Climate Considerations
Rain, humidity & dew Can cause damage to dry-seeded crops Foliar diseases
Short growing season Choose crops/varieties that will be able to fully ripen a mature seed crop
Heat & humidity Warm nights
Lower Midwest has warm nights – this is good for the hot-weather crops! (solanums, cucurbits)
Sometimes it is too hot for good seed development in certain seed crops (lettuce, spinach, broccoli …)
Cold winters Biennial crops must be dug up and put in cold storage or over-wintered in a hoop house
Best Seed Crops for the Midwest
Field Grown Wet-seeded crops
Tomatoes
Peppers
Isolate varieties by covering with row cover fabric
Ground cherry
Tomatillo
Melon
Watermelon
Cucumber
Squash (choose early varieties)
Dry-seeded crops
Amaranth, sunflowers, other flowers
Okra
Arugula
Mustard greens (Brassica rapa – i.e. Mizuna, Brassica juncea –i.e. Ruby Streaks)
Radish (biennial types – i.e. Daikon, Watermelon)
Onions & Leeks (biennial)
Kale, collards, cabbage (biennial)
Beans (beware of viruses)
Peas (beware of viruses)
Hoophouse Radish (spring radish varieties)
More difficult seed crops for the Midwest (grow seeds for small contracts or for yourself)
Lettuce, spinach, beets, chard Field grown: Rain can damage
seeds
Hoop grown: high temp can cause low germination rates
Eggplant Choose early varieties
Grow in hoophouse
Chives, Garlic Chives Small, specialty contracts
Carrot Isolate from wild Queen Anne’s
Lace
Dill, Cilantro Can have random low germ rates
Technical Aspects of Seed Growing: Seed Borne Diseases
Seed borne diseases are those that are carried on or inside of the seed
Learn the seed borne disease for your seed crop Seed book: The Organic Seed Grower (Chapter 16)
Fungi & bacteria
Viruses
Variety Maintenanc
e
Minimum Population Size
Moisture Management
Pay attention to seed moisture! Dry-seeded crops (brassicas, lettuce, legumes,
herbs, chenopods, alliums, flowers)
Harvest when seeds/pods are dry
Dry seeds some more
Then clean and store seeds dry
Wet-seeded crops (solanums, cucurbits)
once you remove seeds from the wet fruit, get them cleaned and dry asap
Equipment
Infrastructure Somewhere to dry
plant material & seeds
Seed drying area
Equipment Tubs, bins, buckets
Box fan
Screens
Seed Cleaning: Winnowing
Winnow Wizard -http://luterra.com/winnow-wizard/
http://luterra.com/winnow-wizard/
Seed Enterprise: Budgets
Enterprise budgethttps://seedalliance.org/publications/seed-
enterprise-budgeting-tool/Download publicationWatch webinars (Part 4)
https://seedalliance.org/publications/seed-enterprise-budgeting-tool/
Seed Enterprise: Marketing & Sales
Seed contract MOU between the grower and seed company
Due dates: Progress reports, seed due
Quantity, price to be paid
Your responsibilities as a grower (isolation, crop monitoring, rogueing, cleaning, labeling, minimum germ rates)
Seed company responsibilities (germination testing, payment
Advantage of contract is guaranteed buyer
Choose seed company(s) based on your scale; start small
Practice growing seeds
Both you and the seed company are taking risk so develop a relationship
Build relationships & communicate, communicate, communicate!
Seed Enterprise: Marketing & SalesDirect marketing
Selling your own seed packets
Sell seeds to local farms
Cooperative models
Vegetable Seed Enterprise in the MidwestSeed Production Resources �Benefits of Growing Vegetable SeedsChallenges of Growing Vegetable SeedsWhat does vegetable seed growing look like? Growing Tomatoes for Seed: Inspect PlantsLabeling! �Growing Tomatoes�for Seed: HarvestingGrowing Tomatoes for Seed: �After-ripen Seeds Inside FruitFerment Seeds - 3 days at 83 degreesCleaning Tomato Seeds: DecantingSpreading tomato seeds on screensSeed Drying Tomato Seed Cleaning�(dry)�- use screens & winnowingGermination TestGrowing Kale Seed Annual vs Biennial Seed CropsGrowing Kale Seed�y.Drying Kale Seed� Slide Number 21Dry Cleaning Seeds – use screens & winnowingGermination TestTechnical aspects of seed growing�Technical aspects of seed growing: �IsolationTechnical aspects of seed growing: �IsolationIsolation: �How to Prevent Cross Pollination?Isolation Distance�“Out-Crossers” – Crops that tend to Cross Pollinate�(ie crops that easily cross with other varieties within the same species)Isolation Distance�Self-Pollinated Crops Isolation Distance�Resource: The Seed Garden bookTechnical Aspects of Seed Growing: �Climate Considerations�Best Seed Crops for the MidwestMore difficult seed crops for the Midwest �(grow seeds for small contracts or for yourself)Technical Aspects of Seed Growing: �Seed Borne DiseasesVariety MaintenanceMinimum Population Size�Moisture ManagementEquipmentSeed Cleaning: WinnowingWinnow Wizard - http://luterra.com/winnow-wizard/Seed Enterprise: BudgetsSeed Enterprise: Marketing & SalesSeed Enterprise: Marketing & SalesSlide Number 44