Uprising Seeds is a small, family run seed farm in Whatcom County. Brian and Chrystine have been operating for eleven growing seasons as a retail seed company after previously growing vegetables for direct market consumers. They provide local, non-GMO, certified organic, open-pollinated seeds for flowers, herbs and vegetables.
Whether you consider yourself a green thumb or a novice backyard gardener these terms that are labeled on the outside of our seeds are packed full of meaning and further implications for your crops, soil health, and success growing food or flowers in the Pacific Northwest.
Open-pollinated
Plants can self, insect or wind pollinate. When a variety is an open-pollinated plant it means that when it cross pollinates with other plants the outcome is a virtually identical plant.
Why does that matter?
Open pollinated (OP) as it can be labeled on seed packets allows seed to be saved the seed from the crop year after year. This provides the gardener or farmer with the agency to select plants which have withstood pests pressure, temperature variation, and disease. Saving seed is not possible if the crop is a hybrid or is patented by a company that owns the seed itself. Farmers/gardeners can select for the best attributes for their specific needs and location.
An heirloom is an open pollinated crop that has been grown for 50+ years.
Certified Organic
Seeds are not usually for direct consumption, often means companies can use more chemicals for their production. Growing crops for seed means more plants are left in the field for longer periods of time, so diseases and pests can take advantage. Therefore, often the chemical use for conventional seed production is a lot higher. A seed that is intended to be grown organically, should be produced in the same way it will be grown in the future so that it stands the best success in further generations.
Grown in the PNW
Growers in the Pacific Northwest region, raise and select crops that have shared the environmental conditions that are specific to this region. When crops are grown for seed continuously here we can best prepare the seed to survive and thrive in the conditions and challenges we face.
Building a relationship to the land, to food and to seeds
Uprising Seeds generously donates their seeds to local non-profits at the end of each year. For the Community Agriculture Program at King Conservation District a drive up to Whatcom county is well worth it to be able to offer seeds from Uprising Seeds this year. Contact outreachip@kingcd.org if your community or school garden is interested in seeds! Our community garden projects will have access to seeds grown with a positive impact on the land, increased resilience, and seeds that have within them a legacy of the Pacific Northwest.