Why are seeds so important?
Good seed is the foundation of a good crop. Seed that is properly selected for a specific region or soil type and maintained well, will enhance the seeds resilience and productivity. Over time plants that no one thought could be major crops in certain areas become better adapted. For example, tomatoes weren’t always easy crops to grow in Canada! The Alacrity Tomato was one of the first varieties to make the tomato a popular, accessible crop in Canada.
Plant biodiversity allows us to develop plants that can handle extremes or adapt to adverse, changing conditions. Over the 20th century 75% percent of our cultivated vegetable varieties went extinct. Who knows what genes in our vegetable varieties could have been used in modern breeding trials to resist disease, shorten seasons, or increase yields!
As such, Just Food believes it is important that a extensive culture of seed saving be wholly revitalized in eastern Ontario. For millennia seeds have been saved, altered, and adapted for local use resulting in seed that is suitable for our growing conditions. Today, while there are local seed growers, most vegetable & grain seed planted in the Ottawa region comes from other regions.
Individuals can contribute to the preservation & enhancement of vegetable & grain cultivated varieties by practicing seed saving. All types & sizes of growers can save seeds & consequently enhance & preserve our agricultural heritage!
Just Food's Seed Programs and Events
This annual event happens in Ottawa the first Saturday in March each year.
Originating from Seeds of Diversity, Seedy Saturday has become a staple event to the growing community that has gardeners and farmers buzzing with excitement over the possibilities of the coming growing season!
Check out this page to learn more about the next upcoming Seedy Saturday Event.
Annual event the weekend before the long weekend in May, this event is held at the Just Food Community Farm, with space for residents to buy locally grown seedlings, swap seedlings, learn about gardening, with info tables, local food vendors and live music.
This program provides free seeds, soil, and information to grow vegetable plants in a garden, yard, or balcony. This is one way to feed your family and friends Good Food!
The Ottawa Seed Library is primarily for backyard & community gardeners to get their start on seed saving. Gardeners can borrow seeds from the library and return seeds at the end of the year to ensure that others can practice as well. Best of all these seeds are access for free! The Seed Library is a community program – that means you have a place in the Seed Library that suits your needs!
The Regional Seed Program strives to enhance seed saving skills through educational workshops, trials, and grower-led breeding projects. Trial results and germaplasm will be stored and cataloged for future use. Skilled backyard growers may also find a home in this program.
Seed Resources
Are you interested in learning how to save your own seeds? Building these skills are a major contributing factor to strengthening the resilience of your garden. By learning how to properly save and store seeds, you can further secure your food access for the future. An added bonus is that you won’t be as tempted to spend over your budget at the next Seedy Saturday event!
To ensure garden success, find seeds that are adapted to this region, either through a fellow gardener or organic seed supplier. Organic seeds are non-GMO and untreated, and they were grown under Certified Organic conditions.
Regional Seed & Seedling Producers
Seeds
Ferguson’s
https://www.fergusonorganics.com/
(613) 577-2115
fergusonorganics@hotmail.com
18803 County Rd 18,
Martintown, ON
K0C 1S0
Other: Facebook
Gaia Organics
https://gaiaorganics.ca/
(613) 219-8463
info@gaiaorganics.ca
399 River Road,
Ottawa, ON
K1V 1C9
Other: Facebook, Instagram
Make it Green Garden Centre
http://www.makeitgreen.ca
(613) 599-3419
info@makeitgreen.ca
5200 Flewellyn Rd.
Stittsville, ON
K2S 1B6
Ottawa Farm Fresh
www.ottawafarmfresh.com
info@ottawafarmfresh.com
2811 Ramsayville Rd
Gloucester, ON
K1G 3N2
Other: Facebook, Instagram
Ottawa Wildflower Seed Library
https://wildflowerseedlibrary.ca/
wildflowerseedlibrary@gmail.com
Ottawa, ON
Other: Facebook, Instagram
Ritchie Feed & Seed Inc ~ Ottawa East
https://www.ritchiefeed.com
(613) 741-4430
expert@ritchiefeed.com
1390 Windmill Lane,
Ottawa, ON
K1B 4V5
Other: Facebook, Instagram
Sweet Williams Farm
thesweetwilliamsfarm.com
(434) 989-8585
thesweetwilliamsfarm@gmail.com
139 March Rd,
Nepean, ON
K2K 2Y2
Other: Facebook, Instagram
Terra Edibles
https://www.terraedibles.ca/
(613) 961-0654
karyn@terraedibles.ca
535 Ashley St,
Foxboro, ON
K0K 2B0
Other: Facebook
Tourne-Sol Co-operative Farm
https://www.fermetournesol.qc.ca/en/
(450) 452-4271
info@fermetournesol.qc.ca
1035 Chem. Saint-Dominique,
Les Cèdres, QC
J7T 1P5
Other: Facebook, Instagram
Tucker House Renewal Centre
https://maisontuckerhouse.ca/en/seeds/
(613) 446-2117
info@maisontuckerhouse.ca
PO Box 4425, Station E
Ottawa, ON
K1S 5B4
Other: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
Seedlings
A Cultivated Art Inc.
https://www.acultivatedart.com/
(613) 899-8000
sundaura@acultivatedart.com
263 Deschamps Ave,
Vanier, ON
K1L 5Y7
Twitter, Facebook
Agricola Farm
https://fermeagricola.com/
(819) 998-7498
info@fermeagricola.com
502 QC-323,
Papineauville, QC
J0V 1R0
Instagram, Facebook
BeetBox Cooperative Farm
https://beetbox.ca/seedling-sale/
(613) 416-9171
hello@beetbox.ca
230 Davidson’s Side Road,
Ottawa, ON
K2K 2Z4
Instagram, Facebook, Twitter
Slow Roots Farm
https://slowrootsfarm.ca/
(613) 867-2377
info@slowrootsfarm.ca
1113 French Settlement Rd,
Kemptville, ON
K0G 1J0
Facebook, Instagram
Make it Green Garden Centre
http://www.makeitgreen.ca/products/plantlist.html
(613) 599-3419
info@makeitgreen.ca
5200 Flewellyn Rd.
Stittsville, ON
K2S 1B6
If you are an organic seed supplier from this region and we’ve missed you, let us know and we’ll add you to the list!
Other Organic Suppliers
To access seed from vendors further afield, check the resources from our colleagues at Seeds of Diversity. They have an extensive catalog of seed producers, and made it easy to search for the varieties that you want — and their Ecological Seed Finder includes a “Certified Organic Only” button.
https://www.seeds.ca/seedfinder/
Seeds of Change
https://weseedchange.org/
Canadian Organic Growers: Organic Seed Directory
https://www.cog.ca/organic-seed-directory/