Farmers, gardeners, and plant breeders who practice seed stewardship are custodians of biodiversity who uphold traditions essential for agricultural diversity and resilience. This act of preservation represents more than mere production; it is a form of cultural heritage, passing down unique plant varieties and farming wisdom through generations. The efforts of seed stewards maintain a crucial link to our ancestral past while sowing the metaphorical and literal seeds for crop diversity- the foundation of food security for future generations. Our sustainable, regionally-focused approach contrasts sharply with modern dependence on standard commercial seeds supply chains, underlining a commitment to environmental stewardship and community resilience. We believe our seed savers play a pivotal role in protecting our planet's agricultural legacy and fostering a deeper connection to the earth and its natural cycles.
With the utmost gratitude, we present our current and past growers who have grown seed for Driftless Seed Supply. Not mentioned, but equally important, are all the mentors and family members who nurtured their love for growing, and their skills for cultivating high quality seed crops.
If you're interested in growing seed for Driftless Seed Supply, or would like to suggest a producer we should get in touch with, please email contracts@driftlessseeds.com.
Cody Egan - Driftless Seed Company
Mabel, MN
Cody is one of the founding farms of Driftless Seed Supply. He is an experienced organic seed grower, he has worked in sustainable and organic agriculture for more than a decade, producing seed professionally for the last 7 years. A former Seed Savers Exchange employee, Cody has listened and talked to dozens of growers around the Midwest. These conversations, along with his work and growing experience, have shaped his desire to put power back into the hands of seed producers. Cody especially enjoys growing peppers, cherry tomatoes, and a variety of flowers for seed.
Dylan and Skye Bruce, Matt Kronschnabel - Circadian Organics
Ferryville, WI
Circadian Organics was founded in 2018 on the family farm that Dylan grew up on in. His parents had run a CSA there when Dylan was growing up, and initially Circadian Organics followed suit, growing primarily fresh market vegetables for CSA and wholesale. Their first seed contracts in 2018 were for their mentors, Clint at Cultivating the Commons and Mike and Erica at Nature and Nurture Seeds. Each year the seed operation grew, and finally in 2023 they took the leap to producing mostly seed, teaming up with Cody to launch Driftless Seed Supply. The Circadian team most enjoys growing cucurbits, slicer tomatoes, peppers, and annual brassicas for seed.
Clint Freund - Cultivating the Commons
Amery, WI
Cultivating the Commons was established by Clint Freund and Kassandra McKinnon. With over 13 years experience in Organic Farming, they’ve been making seed stewardship a priority since 2016. Their focus is on Open Pollinated crops, meaning ones that are not hybrids, and thus easier to share and save seed. Clint works with everything from heirlooms to soon-to-be-heirlooms. Many of their varieties and early seed experiences were shared with them by their seed mentors Beth and Nathan Corymb, founders of Turtle Tree Seed & Meadowlark Hearth Seed. In working with seed Clint and Kass hope to add to the thousands of years of relationship building others began. Clint has a particular affinity for producing seed of biennial crops, especially brassicas, but is also an adept grower of many other seed crops, from solanaceae to flowers.
Kelly Kiefer and Jeff Schreiber - Three Sisters Community Farm
Campbellsport, WI
Farmers Kelly and Jeff met while working at Outpost Natural Foods in Milwaukee, WI. Not long after they began working together at Wellspring, a Milwaukee-area farm-based educational organization.
In 2011 they started Three Sisters on Kelly's family's land. Working with the Farm Service Agency, they were able to secure additional land and buildings just next door in early April 2012. With the help of a small group of employees, contractors and community partners they currently steward 33 acres of mixed vegetables, cover crop, orchard and pollinator habitat.
Blue Barrel Produce
Cuba City, WI
Lauren Schoendorf
Milwaukee, WI
Malachi Persche
Baraboo, WI
Cacia Huff - Feral Farm
Jacksonville, OR
Mike Levine and Erica Kempter - Nature and Nurture Seeds
Dexter, MI
Other Seed Companies We Purchase From
We purchase seed from other companies when we believe it is necessary in order to provide the best varieties to our customers, or if it is extremely difficult to produce adequate quality or quantity in the Midwest. While DSS strives to provide well-adapted open pollinated varieties that are competitive with modern hybrids, there are some crops and market classes in which we are still largely dependent on conventional seed supply chains. Some of these crops and market classes include storage and summer carrots, heading broccoli and cauliflower, red cabbage, red beets, downy mildew resistant basil, and perhaps more in the future. DSS currently carries the following hybrid and/or varieties with intellectual property restrictions, due to their uniformity and disease resistance in the Midwest:
- Prospera® Basil
- Red Ace F1 Beet
- Eastern Crown F1 Broccoli
- Bolero F1 Storage Carrot
- Mokum F1 Bunching Carrot
- Muir Lettuce
- Ace F1 Red Pepper
- Hakurei F1 Salad Turnip
- Cornito Giallo F1 Yellow Mini Roasting Pepper
- Indigo F1 Radicchio
- Space F1 Spinach
We expect to replace muir lettuce, ace f1 pepper, hakurei turnip, and indigo f1 radicchio with open pollinated, regionally produced varieties in the near future. The other varieties we are still seeking alternatives to, which is why we are constantly seeking to improve our breeding and trialing program.
Current seed companies we resell from include the following:
- Wild Garden Seed - Oregon
- AP Whaley Seed Company - Wisconsin
- Ross & Supplies - Wisconsin
- High Mowing Organic Seed - Vermont
- Johnny's Selected Seeds - Maine
- Seedway - New York
