"Knowing where our food comes from is a powerful thing." —From the Edible Communities website

Dear Organic Gardeners,

Here we are again, in garden limbo. The last crops are stored away for winter food and the garden is under the protective blanket of cover crops, mulch, and for some, snow. For many of us there's seed cleaning still to do, but the big activity for most gardeners this time of year is reflection...and planning. Maybe not hard-core planning just yet, but relaxed contemplation of what worked, and what didn't; what we loved to eat, and what went unharvested; what brought joy to our family and friends, and what only we noticed; what we wished we had grown, and maybe what we wished we never allowed into our sacred soil. Gardens are complex things, and like a river, they're never the same twice. So now is the time to digest what we observed, to dream of the ebb and flow of next year's effort, and to begin to visualize relationships, patterns, flavor, color, and scent.

We just got back from printing next year's seed catalog, and we'd like to think that you'll find plenty there to stimulate your garden musings. Along with the tried and true, there are over thirty new varieties, exciting new seedling collections for the time-challenged yet adventurous, and new products to bolster your efforts and enrich your experience. Expect your copy the last week of December or click here if you're not currently on our mailing list and you'd like a free copy.

	Professional Seed Catalog Micaela Colley introduces our new full-color bulk seed catalog for the professional grower ... Read More >
	2006 New Introductions Kelle Carter gives us a sneak preview of the new 2006 seed varieties... Read More >
	Growing Onions A brief treatise on the "long and short of it".... Read More >

To get you thinking about gardens to come, we offer up a sneak preview of our New Introductions including "Poppy Joe's," our first fusarium resistant genovese basil, Green Zebra tomato, Orange Bell pepper, and many more, by Farm Field Coordinator Kelle Carter in her first contribution to The Cutting Edge; and thoughts on carrots and nutrition by our Research and Farm Manager Erica Renaud, who would also like me to point out that our all-new, full-color Professional Seed Catalog is ready for prime time. Call 1-888-762-7333 for a free copy. You can read all about it in our last "From the Field" contribution from departing Bulk Seed Representative Micaela Colley, who will continue her deep commitment to organic seeds in her new position with the Organic Seed Alliance (OSA). We will miss her passion and dedication, but look forward to collaborating with her and OSA in the future.

I've contributed an article on onions, one of my favorite crops, and as it turns out, more of a superfood than I even imagined. As always we have a report from the Research Farm where they're transitioning from field work to seed cleaning, and some news from the world of organic seeds and food.

Have a peaceful and pleasant season of garden pondering,
Scott Vlaun, Editor


Photo caption: Poppy Joe's basil, one of our new introductions.

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eNewsletter #52
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