Jere's Annual Letter

Welcome to our 29th Rare Seed Catalog! Can you believe it? Almost 30 years of sharing seeds with gardeners around the world. Back when we started, the seed world looked very different—many old companies have since faded away, and countless new ones have popped up online. Through all the changes, we’re so thankful to still be able to mail you a real paper catalog. There’s nothing quite like sitting in a cozy chair by the fire, flipping through the pages, and dreaming of spring the old-fashioned way.

This year’s catalog is packed full of exciting new varieties—and plenty of old treasures too. We’ve searched far and wide to bring you the best of the best. At our trial gardens in Mansfield, Missouri, we test nearly 3,000 varieties every year. Each season, something new and amazing grabs our attention, and we can’t wait to share those discoveries with you. We’ve even started our own plant breeding and selection program—keeping historic heirlooms true, while also developing the heirlooms of tomorrow.

Our mission has never changed: to offer the most fascinating, best-producing, and highest-germinating seeds on the planet. Every seed is tested twice a year, and nearly everything you see in this catalog has been grown in our fields in Missouri, or at our sister projects in Jamaica and Kenya. Behind the seeds is a team of passionate horticulturists and seed lovers, who work year-round to bring you the widest and most diverse collection possible. We study flavor, vigor, nutrition, and growing methods—all to make sure you’re getting seeds you can count on, with stories worth sharing.

This catalog is more than just pages of seeds. It’s a celebration of diversity, culture, and history—past, present, and future. We are blessed to work in a business that connects people, places, and plants in such a beautiful way. We’d love for you to visit our family farm in Mansfield, Missouri. It’s open year-round for tours, and you can also join us at one of our three annual festivals—a true back-to-the-land celebration filled with gardening, community, and of course, seeds! From our family to yours, thank you for being part of this journey. Your support has kept this dream alive for nearly three decades. We wish you a joyful spring and a bountiful harvest.