Why Choose Heirloom Seeds?
Why Choose Heirloom Seeds?
Before agriculture industrialized, growing food and saving seeds was more common for families and households. But as the population continued to grow, so did the demand for more fresh produce. Agricultural scientists created methods to ensure larger yields and more consistent produce, which unfortunately left heirloom seeds few and far between. While the flavor is still tasty, altered genetics are not as flavorful as what an heirloom seed can produce. Think in terms of quality over quantity. As home growers, we tend to have more time to spend with our individual plants. While our farmer friends across the globe have a bigger mission than just one household.
Know The Difference:
Being able to know the difference when picking out what seeds you want to plant in your garden is super beneficial! Below are some key differences between seed variations.
Heirloom
- An open-pollinated plant, unlike hybrids. These seeds produce plants that receive pollen naturally by insects, birds, and the wind.
- A plant grown from heirloom seeds will essentially be identical to their parent.
- Making these seeds great for future generations of traditional gardening.
- More diversity within traits that may not be widely present or lost entirely within the hybrid varieties.
- Many commercial gardeners use hybridized seeds due to Heirloom seeds not being “profitable”.
Hybrid
- Created by manually cross-pollinating two different plant varieties within the same species to achieve specific traits.
- Desirable traits are often disease resistance, faster grow times, larger yields, and uniformity within crops.
- Provides many benefits to large, commercial growers with specific traits to market and sell.
- Seeds can’t be saved as their genetics will not be identical to the parent plant, but rather unpredictable. Hybrid varieties must be repurchased every year to see the desired results.
GMO
- Created in a laboratory by altering a plants DNA, through genetic engineering, to achieve desirable traits.
- This is not the same process as manually cross-pollinating to create Hybrid seeds.
- This process creates crops with specific beneficial characteristics such as:
- Tolerance to harsh conditions
- Improved nutritional value
- Herbicide tolerance
- Pest/Disease resistance
Organic
- Organic seeds can be Heirloom if their linage has followed the organic seed harvesting methods.
- Produced from plants grown in a chemical free environment and without any GMO’s.
- Genetic engineering is prohibited in organic products.
- Using organic farming methods focus on the health of the soil and the plant. This supports a healthy ecosystem and aids in preserving the plants species.
The Heirloom Seed Cellar
The Seed Cellar started as the Jackson County Compassion Club (JC3) in 2016, providing safe access to doctors and caregivers for Michigan’s medical patients. As we gained a reputation for patient care, we recognized the community’s need for quality genetics. We partnered with leading pioneers like Cali Connection, BC Bud Depot, and Dutch Passion to establish the Seed Cellar. Now, we offer seeds from over 85 breeders, making us one of America’s largest seed banks. Our selection includes more than 340 autoflower strains, over 1,000 feminized photoperiod seeds, and more than 450 regular photoperiod seeds.
As of 2025, we are now offering a variety of Heirloom seeds, carrying NON-GMO vegetables, herbs, and flowers. With all of our traditional gardening stores closing in the Jackson area, we knew we had to expand our inventory to accommodate these losses in the community. We hope to continue to bring gardening options to the community and expand our inventory as time goes on.
We will continue to uphold the high standards of quality and exceptional customer service that have made us a leader in the industry. As we grow, we explore new methods for improvement to ensure excellence in every product and interaction.
Our mission goes beyond selling seeds. We prioritize outstanding customer service and aim to meet our customers’ needs. As we progress, we remain committed to continuous improvement, striving to be a trusted partner in your gardening journey.
To browse our selection of Heirloom Seeds, please click here.