“I knew I would get high quality seeds that were appropriate for the region and season.” -Margaret (Small Seed CSA 2023)

Do you want to get more involved with your source of sustenance - with a little help from your friends? In 2017, Siskiyou Seeds began to offer a Seed CSA program inspired by seedkeeper, Rowen White, who had a similar program at Sierra Seeds years ago.

CSA stands for “Community Supported Agriculture” and was introduced by Booker T. Whatley, a Black horticulturist and agricultural professor at Tuskegee University in Alabama in the 1960’s (Modern Farmer). Further, much of the current expression of the Community Supported Agriculture concept emerged from, "the first two American CSAs were articulated in the 1920s by Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925), and then actively cultivated in post-WW II Europe in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. The ideas crossed the Atlantic and came to life simultaneously but independently in a new form, CSA, in 1986 at both Indian Line Farm in Massachusetts and Temple-Wilton Community Farm in New Hampshire." According to the Rodale Institute.

Siskiyou Seeds is practicing ways to build a deeper sense of community around seeds. At the core, the Seed CSA is striving for that. It has evolved to embody our effort to de-commodify seed, which we strongly believe is a resource that belongs in the commons (like air, or water). Seeds, however, while in many ways grow themselves, they can benefit from a helping hand. For us here at Siskiyou Seeds our North Star guiding the evolution of our farm business is that one day we become obsolete, as seed saving has resumed its centrality to regenerative agriculture and Agrarian communities value and prioritize locally grown, bioregionally adapted seed as we did in the not too distant past. 

Meanwhile, most gardeners and farmers grown little to none of their own seeds, so we have a role facilitating a mutually beneficial relationship between seed growers and seed planters. In this spirit, we would like to invite you into a deeper relationship with seeds that will perform and produce well in your region. We only sell seeds that we have grown successfully in our region. If we can't grow it, we won't sell it. 

“My best friend and I went in on the Seed CSA together as a way of expanding our seed collection. It was so fun meeting up to review every delivery and check in with each other on how the plants were doing in our different microclimates. It was like Christmas every time an installment came in the mail!” - Eloise (Small Seed CSA 2023)

In the spirit of seed stewardship, we invite you to join our Seed CSA program. Membership opens each year on November 1st and remains open while supplies last until January 31. We have 4 different options to suit garden size, ambition and interest. If you are wanting to include plants that offer beauty and support pollinators we have a Flowers CSA that can be added to any of the 3 garden CSA’s or enrolled in independently. 

Perks of the Seed CSA include receiving seeds that are seasonally appropriate. You will receive successional seeds to plant, helping you to stay in a continuous supply of crops like lettuce and carrots. We have received feedback that the CSA extends gardening seasons as we send seeds in time to get fall food planted. You can expect to receive reserve limited quantity varieties that we are researching on our home farm to share with this small circle, including unreleased breeding projects, rare landraces sourced from our wide network of seed friends and more. Additionally, each shipment includes growing tips to help you on your garden journey.

“I loved participating in the seed CSA. I feel like I never know what seeds to buy and my money never goes very far when I do my own seed shopping. I was so happily surprised each time I received a CSA package in the mail! I felt like I got a lot more seeds for the low price I paid. Thank you!” - Ashley (Homestead Seed CSA 2023)

We love hearing from you and seeing pictures of your gardens and standouts. We welcome your feedback, as it helps us to continue to offer a thoughtful selection to support your success.