Seeds vs Market Part Two

Painted Mountain Flour Corn— Awesome for corn bread!

I occasionally get asked by other farmers if seed growing is more profitable than selling at the Farmer’s Markets. I say maybe… It depends… Sort of… Its about more than just the money.

Seed growing is similar to market farming in that there are certain crops that are very profitable (carrots are a good example) and others that are mediocre money makers once you factor in labour, or trellising, etc.— but they are in demand and attract people to your stand. Beans and snap peas are a good example of this. And yet others aren’t really profitable but you grow them for other reasons. For example, we like to grow rutabagas and celeriac, neither of which are big sellers, but we like to eat them. So we grow them and sell a smattering.

One might say, “Why not just grow the most profitable crops and forget the rest?” This is one strategy, but particularly for seed growing, it is important to have as large a selection as possible to choose from so people do all their shopping with you, just like at the Farmer’s Market. And moreover, farming can get pretty dull when one is growing large amounts of just a few kinds of vegetables. This is another reason why we don’t just grow one or two varieties of seed and sell them outright to another seed company.

Aside from profitability and engagement however, there are other reasons why I decide to grow lots of varieties of seeds. When our farm is in full flower from May to July it is crazy how many pollinating insects are about. Sometimes in the main field the drone sound of buzzing wings is a little awe-inspiring. Even more than this though, we have noticed some knock-on effects. The huge array of insects attracts dragonflies which congregate above the pollinating insects and take out their meals. Insect eating birds (and later on, seed-eating birds) make themselves at home, and we regularly see predatory hawks sitting like sentries in the branches of trees waiting for an opportune time to snatch a bird. Of course, Raven comes by to see whats going on and makes mischief in some way usually sneaking into our chicken pen to steal an egg.

There is probably some natural law that states, “Diversity begets even more diversity.” Or, “Nature hates a monocrop”. The photograph is a picture of Painted Mountain corn, one of the most diverse varieties of corn there is. The man who bred it, Dave Christensen, wanted to create the toughest, most resilient variety of corn to survive where he lives, in the mountains of Montana. More than sixty varieties of traditional, indigenous corn were grown together and he selected only the ones that thrived and survived in his harsh growing conditions. So, diversity also begets resilience, which is another reason I grow many varieties of seeds.

I want to to acknowledge the Indigenous people that spent hundreds of generations developing corn into the master grain that it is. Not enough is said about their contribution to our horticultural legacy. Not just corn, but squash, tomatoes, peppers, sunflowers, potatoes, and many other vegetables come to all of us through their efforts. I won’t write on about what i know little about, except to say with gratitude and humbleness, thank you.

Until next time, farm on.