They Might Be Rock Bands...

atmoic red carrots, lunar eclipese squarsh, humdinger peppers, queen of sheba basil, rosalita lettuce,  erbette chard, lacinato kale, osaka purple mustard greens, ameliore dandelion greens, imperial star artichoke, jersey knight asparagus, fin des bagnols  bush beans, matilda pole beans, dominator brussel sprouts, gigante cardoon, iznik cucumber, india paint eggplant, sugar baby watermelon, charentais melon, king richard leeks, walla walla sweet onions, big mama tomatoes, speckled hound winter squash, swedish peanut fingerling potatoes, and dancing spirits hot peppers.

By the names, you might think these are rock bands, but you would be wrong.  These are some  of the thousands of vegetable seeds available for purchase.  Even if you narrow it down to organic and heirloom, you are still looking at hundreds of varieties.

I can't help myself.  The names get me.  My desires are bigger than my garden.  I am entranced by the names, but also by the packaging.  Either its my training as a graphic designer or my belief that the medium is the message, these little envelopes are good salesmen.

This Christmas, I was given a special gift.  A package of seeds from The Hudson Valley Seed Library.   Never heard of it. I quickly googled. 

"The Hudson Valley Seed Library strives to do two things:

1.  to create an accessible and affordable source of regionally-adapted seeds that is maintained by a community of caring gardeners; and

2.  to create gift-quality seed packs featuring works designed by New York artists in order to celebrate the beauty of heirloom gardening.

Our Art Packs are each designed by a different artist from the greater New York region (this includes upstate New York, the Hudson Valley, the City, Northern New Jersey and Connecticut).  Each pack celebrates the beauty inherent in heirloom gardening.

Our Library Packs contain seed that was grown by member farmers and gardeners.  For 2010, the majority of the seeds were grown here at our farm in Accord, New York.  In the coming season, we hope to offer seeds grown by a network of participating farmers in the Hudson Valley and upstate New York, each of whom contributes one or two varieties of heirloom seed to the library."

Rock On! and Spread the word!

All photos from The Hudson Valley Seed Library.  Some of the Art Packs are featured in this blog.