Coop Scoop Blog
Fedco Seeds - Join the Co-op Group Order!
It’s that time again! Time to think about seeds for your garden this spring! The Co-op does an order with Fedco Seeds every year, and members (and all shoppers!) are encouraged to join us. We will send in orders each week in January, with the final order going in the first week of February. We like this early deadline to avoid out-of-stocks, and to get the seeds here in time for starting your seedlings. Deadline is Sunday, February 3rd.
Why place your order with the store’s group order? You’ll get your discount at the register— Member, Senior or Student-- and free shipping no matter how small your order. Plus you’ll get exactly the varieties you want. If you wait to buy from our store display you will be paying more (we add a mark-up) and you will have a limited selection.
View the 2019 Fedco Seed Catalog here.
So get busy and get your order in! We have orderforms you can use up front near the shopping carts and at the service desk. Go to the Produce room first to get a barcode sticker, then take it to the Service Desk to pay. (It’s a good idea to make a copy to keep for yourself, and we can help with this if needed.) We will call when the orders come in—so don’t forget a phone number!
Seven reasons to order from Fedco!
1) Fedco specializes in varieties good for the Northeast.
2) Fedco seeds are not treated with chemicals. No pink Captan!
3) Many of their selections are organic or sustainably grown.
4) Fedco does not knowingly carry genetically engineered seeds.
5) Fedco supports sustainable agriculture and provides technical assistance
for seed growers.
6) Fedco's catalog is not only full of information... it's FUN!
Note that all their growing advice is for organic gardening. (If we run out of catalogs, you can find them online.
7) Fedco is a cooperative! It started in 1978 as a project of the Maine Federation of Cooperatives. Consumers own 60% of the cooperative and worker members 40%. We and you are their consumer- owners. They exist to serve us, not just to make money.
NOTE: if you miss the Feb 2 deadline, you can still place an order on your own. Also, be aware that the only thing allowed on the group order is seeds. Fedco also has garden supplies, cover crops and tubers (potato sets) but they are on a separate orderform. We do not do these as a group order, but you can do them on your own.
After Sunday you can still place an order on your own-- or purchase from the Co-op’s seed display, which will start going up next week.
Also check out their Supplies section, and Fedco Trees (which includes fruit trees, ornamentals, and bare-root perennials). We do not do orders for these, but you can: the tree deadline is March 1st. We do a Fedco Bulb group order in August.