Seed Savers Exchange

Type: Farm

Produces: Heirloom Seeds

Location: Decorah, IA

Miles from Coop: 109

SeedSavers, Decorah Iowa

In the last century, the world has lost 75% of its edible plant varieties.

That might be hard to perceive when many of us have enough food on our plates, but consider this:

According to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, only five cereal grains make up 60% of our calories. A system that depends so heavily on so few crops is quite fragile. Think of the Irish Potato Famine – the use of only one variety of potato led to a catastrophe.

In the United States in particular, genetically modified (GM) plant varieties have had a devastating impact on biodiversity. In 2013, 170 million acres of GM crops were planted in the U.S., seeds that are patented and cannot be saved and planted again next year. That’s roughly half of all American cropland.

To protect our precious and dwindling seed diversity resources, Diane Ott Whealy and Kent Whealy founded Seed Savers Exchange in 1975.

Diane’s grandfather entrusted them with the seeds of two garden plants: Grandpa Ott’s Morning Glory and German Pink Tomato. These seeds, brought by Grandpa Ott’s parents from Bavaria when they immigrated to Iowa in the 1870s, became the first two varieties in the Seed Savers collection.

Diane-Ott-Whealy_Seedsavers.jpg

Seed Savers formed a network of gardeners interested in preserving heirloom varieties and sharing seeds.

Today, with 13,000 members and 20,000 plant varieties, Seed Savers Exchange makes its home on 890 scenic acres in Decorah, Iowa, at Heritage Farm.

Abridged from www.seedsavers.org


Other Local Producers

Be sure to check out these others great local producers!

Lion Bridge Brewing

Lion Bridge Brewing

Since 2014, Lion Bridge Brewing Company has produced beers that are delicious, complex, and most importantly, approachable, and highly drinkable.

Cedar Rapids

Marmalade Sky

Marmalade Sky

I had a mission: to find a way to bake everyone’s favorite treats without sacrificing anything to taste or texture. Malak Nour is a local artisanal baker specializing in gluten-free baked treats.

Fairfield, IA

Scream Frozen Desserts

Scream Frozen Desserts

When the pandemic had everyday life restricted, Kate Vigmostad began envisioning an ice cream brand to spark joy and humor while keeping a small carbon footprint with local ingredients.

Fairfield, IA

Joanna's

Joanna's

Joanna's tonic syrups are handcrafted in small batches, and made with natural ingredients to create the perfect additions to both cocktails and mocktails.

Iowa City, IA

Beau Laundry Co.

Beau Laundry Co.

Alex Beaumier started Beau Laundry Co. in 2024 to solve problems he was facing with his own laundry. After about a year of perfecting and finetuning, he created his signature Scented & Softening Wool Dryer Balls!

Marion, Iowa

Sweet Season Farm

Sweet Season Farm

Husband and wife Ethan and Carly share a strong belief that Iowa needs more vegetable and organic farms. In 2021, they took matters into their own hands and founded Sweet Season Farm.

Calmar, Iowa

Rare Bird Soap Shop

Rare Bird Soap Shop

Wende Fugate specializes in small-batch vegan soaps and skincare products free from sulfates, parabens, and preservatives.

Cedar Rapids, IA

Dogpatch Urban Gardens

Dogpatch Urban Gardens

Jenny Quiner is showing how a plot of land in her community can be transformed into an Urban Oasis.

Des Moines, IA