Organic Seeds Growing Program

The Siskiyou Sustainable Cooperative was formed to strengthen the quality and consistency of organic products and improve grower training and support in order to increase variety and help create sustainable income for small farmers in our region.
Organic Seed Growing Program consists of:

•Purity, vigor and germination testing conducted by the New York State Seed Testing Laboratory (NYSSTL) at Cornell University.
•Annual pathogen testing by the Oregon Department of Agriculture.
•Technical assistance and regular field days provided by the Organic Seed Alliance whose staff works closely with producers to improve seed quality and develop innovative production techniques.
•A regional GIS pinning system that ensures appropriate isolation distances.
An ongoing investment in education and technical assistance supports the continued improvement of seed quality.

WHO: The Siskiyou Sustainable Co-op

The Siskiyou Sustainable Co-op is a collaborative of ten organic seed producers who specialize in producing high quality, organic seed on contract. All the farmers use sustainable agricultural practices and are deeply committed to building soil, conserving water and maintaining bio diversity on their farms. The cooperative structure allows farmers to take advantage of the economy of scale by pooling their marketing and equipment resources.
Several producers have over 15 years experience producing organic seed.
SSC’s seed marketing coordinator, Liz Baum, acts as a liaison between growers and seed companies. With 15 years of experience in marketing, growing and distribution, Baum helps to negotiate seed contracts and maintains contact with seed companies throughout the season.

WHY: Top Quality Seed Production

The climate of Southwestern Oregon offers a growing season that compliments seed production and provides the opportunity to grow a wide variety of popular vegetables, herbs and flowers. The diversity of microclimates is conducive to the production of seeds that will be consistent performers in many areas of the United States. The region has ideal temperatures and typically dry weather during harvest that make it an excellent climate for producing high quality dry and wet seeded crops including radish, lettuce, mustard, onion, beet and chard, tomato, winter and summer squash, herb, and flower. Cool in the spring, intensely hot in the summer and with a long dry fall, Oregon’s “banana belt” offers perfect post harvest conditions for seed harvesting and cleaning.

The cooperative is committed to setting a high standard of quality for organic seed. The cooperative’s quality assurance program provides technical assistance to growers.

Experienced Seed Producers

The growers focus on what they do best—growing a wide variety of top quality seed. The co-op offers collective marketing services, which allows the growers to focus on managing the land as well as offering efficient communication between the producers and the customers. The growers are flexible and able to handle small specialty contracts as well as medium-scaled commercial projects. Special requests are welcome.

Member producers include:

Peter and Judy Liebes, of the Windy River Farm near Grants Pass, have been growing organic seed for 20 years. Pioneers in the organic seed movement, the Liebes specialize in artisan herb and flower seed varieties.
Tim Franklin, also a watershed scientist for the Applegate River Watershed Council, has been growing organic seeds at Yale Creek Ranch near Jacksonville for five years.
Ryan Dolan, new to organic seed production, has been producing organic vegetables for 15 years. As a long time market farmer, Ryan understands the importance of providing top quality, reliable seed to commercial growers.

WHERE: Klamath Siskiyou Bioregion

The Siskiyou Sustainable Co-op is located in Southwestern Oregon in the mountainous terrain of the Cascades and Klamath Siskiyous where diverse microclimates create optimal growing conditions for a wide variety of agricultural products. Legendary rivers and scenic byways outnumber the highways four to one.
The Upper Rogue River area, a historic land of forests, lakes, rivers, and waterfalls, offers a high mountain climate. The Klamath Siskiyou Bioregion offers a coastal climate with cool winds and many rivers that converge in the wild and scenic area with two national monuments nearby. The warm, dry summers of Southern Oregon’s Rogue and Applegate valleys provide fertile agricultural land ideal for producing seed.