Our Vision
Produce has become an industrialized commodity. Before WWII, there were many different types of each kind of vegetable, and they were usually grown locally. These “heirloom” varieties were handed down through generations, with the seeds from the best tasting, healthiest plants being saved for next season. Today, most consumers can only buy a handful of “hybrid” varieties that are mass grown in factory-style farms. They are engineered to produce more, look better, mature uniformly, and last longer in the truck and on the shelf – in short, these varieties focus on being profitable, not tasty or nutritious.
We believe that everyone can help reclaim our agricultural heritage and grow heirlooms. But home gardening is intimidating! It takes time and effort, and beyond that, there’s a lack of good information about growing heirloom varieties. Seed packages all read more like a sales pitch than instructions. Whether a particular variety will do well in your climate and soil is anybody’s guess. And, after starting on the grow, there’s no specific information about how you can expect your heirlooms to behave, how to best lay them out relative to one another, or what to do about any problems that arise.
We're building a growing community
The Plant Dad is more than just seeds in a box. It’s an online community of home gardeners focused on helping one another and bringing heirloom vegetables back. We do that by collectively expanding our knowledge base about heirlooms and how they grow. And the best way to learn is by doing – so simply by trying the seeds that come in each year’s box and sharing your experiences back with the community, you’re helping future gardeners. This in turn means that we’re able to offer you seeds tailored to your specific situation with increasing confidence of success each year.
We work exclusively with suppliers who sign the Safe Seed Pledge, promising never to sell any GMO seed varieties, and all of our seeds are organic. Heirloom seeds are public domain and open source, so you can save some for next season. And of course, since you’re growing things yourself, you have total control over any chemicals used on or around your food.
Join Us
By growing with The Plant Dad you’re ensuring the healthiest, most delicious food for yourself and your family and helping to reclaim our rich agricultural heritage