Growing Local

Picking out seeds is one of the joys of spring, but where do those tiny seeds in the brightly colored packets come from? Oftentimes seeds are grown by farmers in California and Oregon, but some regional seed companies in the Southern Appalachians are reviving old ways of producing seeds that grow particularly well in the Southeast. Sow True Seed, based in Asheville, N.C., is one of those regional seed companies. They partner with farms like Against the Grain Farm in Zionville, N.C. to offer seeds that are adapted to the perils and promise of growing in the Southeastern United States. Farmer Holly Whitesides and Sow True Seed agriculture director Renee Fortner explain why growing regionally-adapted seeds bolsters small farms and what home gardeners can gain by seeking out seeds that thrive in our region.