Sunday at the Thunderdome of Seeds

There's snow in the forecast for today, but all the same, it is time to start thinking about gardening. Yes, it's time to order seeds and even to begin planting some indoors.

With that in mind, we headed so the oddly named "Seedy Saturday on a Sunday," hosted by the Toronto Community Garden Network. It's a wonderful show of seeds and food from smaller producers and community gardens. Probably a good thing I didn't bring much cash.

There's a misguided, pastoral image of organic gardeners as these zenlike beings that are completely in tune with nature. The packed event at the Wychwood Barns (themselves an interesting story) certainly buries that myth. Picture about one gardener per square foot all jockeying for position at the seed racks. I kept expecting Martha Stewart to come charging through, clearing a path with a giant scythe.

As crowded as the scene was, to be fair, it was a well-behaved horde of horticulturists. And the seed pickings were superb.

Because there were so many people, I didn't feel I could ask questions as much as I liked. Instead, I just picked up a few things I knew I wanted (purple beans, autumn glory sunflowers, nasturtiums, etc.) and decided to grab a couple things that I'll just take a chance on.

Below is a list of what I picked up for $1.50-2.50 a pack. Oh, and for useful information including a link to an interactive planting calendar, check out my post from about this time last year.

The new seeds

• Green Arrow Shell Pea
  
• Jewel Mix Nasturtium
• Royal Burgundy Bush Bean
• Atomic Red Carrot
• Cosmic Purple Carrot
• Purple Beauty Pepper
• Autumn Beauty Sunflower
• Striped Cavern Tomato (Cedar Grove Organic Farm)
  
• Garden Peach Tomato (Cedar Grove Organic Farm)
• Sweet 100 Tomato (Cedar Grove Organic Farm)
• Frances Williams Hosta (Cedar Grove Organic Farm)
• Early Wonder Tall Top Beets (Cedar Grove Organic Farm)
• Little Marvel Pea
• "Lettuce"
  
• Spinach

The last two are pouches from the Perth/Dupont Community Garden, and the contents came from various gardeners. What exactly they contain is a bit of a mystery. But that's part of what makes gardening fun!

Look for a community garden seed sale or seed swap in your area. They're a great way to get interesting seeds from people who know your area, whether you're renting a small farm or just have a window box.