Ecological Crop Improvement For and By Farmers

We are an organic seed farm in the Pacific Northwest, established in 1994, owned and operated by Frank and Karen Morton. We are known for farm-original varieties of many salad greens, vegetables, herbs, and flowers.

in cooperation with allies at Avoca and Gathering Together Farms, in the heart of Oregon’s Willamette Valley,

a world class place to grow specialty seeds.
Few places on Earth have the climate, latitude, soil, water, and intellectual resources found in this rare north-sloping river valley. Seed companies from every continent come to the Willamette Valley to contract quality seed production. We are fortunate enough to live and farm here.

Many of these varieties originated in our on-farm breeding program for organic conditions and fresh market quality, denoted by our farm-original  mark. Other varieties have come to us over thirty-odd years of farming, either as heirlooms or good commercial standards, now with generations of selection on the farm. All seed at risk of GMO contamination has been tested and found free of genetic engineering components.

Our ecological approach to plant breeding and crop protection generates superior varieties for farmers who don’t use chemical crop protectants and fertilizers. The small-scale care and authentic fertility of our farm fields yield fat seed with exceptional seedling vigor, a key trait for organic crop success. This seed is organically bred to be organically grown, just like your crops.

We are partners in the Open Source Seed Initiative, and have dedicated all of our original varieties and breeding populations to the Open Source Seed Pledge:

“You have the right to use these OSSI-pledged seeds in any way you choose. In return, you pledge not to restrict others’ use of these seeds or their derivatives by patents or other means, and to include this Pledge with any transfer of these seeds or their derivatives.”

New Additions for 2021

Gift Certificates are now available! Click here for more information.

These are a few of our new offerings. Be sure to check out all our new additions on our New Products Page, and our Collection Of Flowers!

Bloody Oakheart Lettuce Out of the genetic jewel box that is ‘Camo Oakheart Mix’ comes this high contrast presentation of the “flashy splashed” effect in a compact oak lettuce. In the mini-midi size range, suitable for 6-8” spacing to make heads. Farm Original Variety! Pricing and More Information	Pan Lettuce The deep vibrant green of this selection makes me think of the Greek ‘figure and force of nature,’ Pan himself. This comes from a cross of 2 deep red lettuces (‘Pandora’ X ‘Red To The Heart’), but shows not the slightest blush. A dense hearted midi size, about right for 9” spacing, with a texture between butter and romaine. Shows good downy mildew resistance and is slow to bolt. Farm Original Variety! Pricing and More Information	Nebula Tomato A vigorous determinate type with red slightly flattened fruits a shade larger than ‘Estate,’ but smaller than ‘Home Stoop.’ The fruit has fasciated locules, which makes a softer, juicier slice than the spoke-like normal locules of ‘Estate’ than make a firm fruit. Heavy yielding. Adapted to moderately warm days and cool nights. Farm Original Variety! Pricing and More Information
Changling Calendula A fun little find from the greenhouse, a population of calendula that can’t decide what color it is. Individual flowers may be half orange/half peach, a mixture of different petal colors together, or have petals that change color from the base to the tip. Pastel to bright shades of yellow and orange, with only occasional red flashbacks. Farm Original Variety! Pricing and More Information	Timeless Mix Ageratum/Floss Flower This is an ageless mix of all the ageratum colors; blue, lavender, burgundy, rose, and white. The best spacing is 9”x12” for longest/most stems per plant. Transplanting is recommended, with planting 6-8 weeks prior to the last frost date. Prefers full sun. Pricing and More Information	Double Click Bicolor Violet Cosmos Double and semi-double blooms in light to dark shades of reddish-violet. Upright plants get about 45” tall, with flowers 2-3” in diameter. Pricing and More Information
Strawberry Oakheart Lettuce From the outside, this is the darkest red from the ‘Camo Oakheart’ gene pool, small framed plants with long pointed leaves. From the inside, leaves are strawberry red in the heart, and very tender, mild and non-bitter. The bolting stem and leaves are delicious raw or used like celtuce. Space 6-8” apart for best production. Farm Original Variety! Pricing and More Information	Speckled Spearpoint Lettuce A compact lettuce with broadly pointed leaves and a fine red speckling on a gold-green background. From a cross of ‘Manoa’ by a dark red pointed type. Good flavor, unique shape and color, slow to bolt. Farm Original Variety! Pricing and More Information	Aromatto Basil This is a tall vigorous basil intended for use in cut flower arrangements, useful as aromatic foliage before and during bloom. Purple stems and flowers, with purplish leaves and spicy scent. Leaves are sweet with a cinnamon hint. Pricing and More Information
Silvery Rose Helichrysum/Straw Flower A sister line to ‘Antique White’ (treat them alike) with a range of rosy hues complimenting the silver-white bracts. Pricing and More Information	Double Whoopee Corn Poppy This is such a fun mix of tidy doubled flowers with the look of tuffets, or maybe whoopee cushions. Petals hold themselves up together in a cupped circle of lovely picotee red or pink on white, or red backgrounds with stunning pink edges. The pure double whites look like clouds. Farm Original Variety! Pricing and More Information	Prairie Sun Rudbeckia This begins as a “green eyed Susan” with a corona of stiff bicolor petals, gold at the base, sunshine yellow toward the tips. Very productive plants, reaching 32” tall. Pricing and More Information