Seeds and Trees

Growing up in southern California, we had a yearly pilgrimage to the apricot orchards two hours away. We would pick apricots and bring home lugs of fruit that my mom would make into jams a nd preserves. Of course we would eat apricots until we were sick. When I lived in Northern California, I continued that tradition. I have fond memories of standing on my tip toes in the crotch of the tree to reach just one more ripe apricot. I continued the tradition of making jams, preserves, and apricot butter. I even went a step further and made fruit leather and dried a year's worth of apricots on screens placed on the roof. After almost thirty years in Minnesota, its hard to believe there could be such an arid climate.

So I know a peach tree is not an apricot tree. I want apricot trees. In January, I ordered two very special apricot trees - a new variety developed by Rutgers University that is both sweet and hardy. "Sugar Pearls" is only carried b y Henry Fields and Gurneys (they seem to be the same company). It was in stock when I placed the order. But this past week, we got the notice to go down to the post office to pick up two oversized packages. Gurneys sent the two tomcot trees I orderd. But without any notice, Henry Fields sent two peach trees. They sent two peach trees that aren't even hardy here. I called customer service and talked to someone in India who has ablsolutely no idea how important these trees are to me. He informs me that Henry Fields is all sold out for the year, but they would be happy to keep my money and fufill the order next year. Are you crazy? Then he said they could refund me $69.00 which was the cost of the two trees. I had to point out to him that there was also a $13.95 shipping fee and my credit card had been charged $82.95. The call ended with him stating that Henry Fields would refund my money but that the refund wouldn't appear on my credit card statement for two to three weeks. What are the chances I'm really going to get a refund? I offered to send back the two peach trees. He said keep them. The biggest difficulty getting a new orchard started is getting the stock. Mail order companies can be wonderful to deal with and they can also be terribly frustrating. I am so disappointed. I could taste those apricots.

Luckily, there is a local company that helps make planting a spring garden a truly joyful experience. We now live an hour away from the Albert Lea Seed House. I used to drive three hours for their customer service and the experience. Every time I'm there, I imagine what it must have been like back in the early 1900's to go to town and pick up supplies. When you walk in there's a sign in desk for gardeners and one for farmers. In the past I was a farmer. This year, I'm a gardner. Yes, its busy like the best deli, or meat market, or bakery. You wait your turn. But then you get served.

Some people, like me come with their list all made out. Others wander the isles. There are farmers, amish, and garderners. We all have our favorite varieties. There's a huge chalkboard on one wall, listing the current prices and availability for corn, soybeans, grains, and grasses. Albert Lea Seed House is inclusive. They have conventional seed and they have an ever increasing line of organic seed. They also stock many of the soil ammendments I need. They individually pack vegetable and flower seed varieties in 1/4 oz. to 5 lb. packages. Its rows of seeds, soil ammendments, and animal supplies.

It is so exhuberating to be at a seed store. Look around and you see the farmers sitting on stools at the barrels. This is their livelihood. Maybe their favorite variety of corn isn't avaialable. Do they risk trying something new or wait for the old standby to come in. It is serious business on that side of the store, but there is also time for chit chat. On the vegetable seed isles, I exhange places with an amish man. Everyone on this isle is serious too. In these difficult economic times, these little seed packets will provide our family with most of our food. It's not the year to make many "fun" choices. But I managed to slip in a small packet of Dill's Atlantic Pumpkin into the basket. (They're the giant pumpkins)

Once we know what we want for soil ammendments, Tom tells us what's in stock and Randy pulls the 50lb bags for us, neatly stack them on big old fashioned wooden dollies, and loads them into our car. They are even willing to break those 50 lb bags and sell customers like me, 2 lb. of white dutch clover. There's been years when I've put together my own mix of beneficial plants to edge the garden and they cheerfully oblidged my request for a little of this and a little of that. To top it off, they offer my kids a piece of candy as we leave. This is customer service and this is a company that knows how to change with the times. Bravo!

On the way home, I can't help but notice the empty grain elevators. They're in business, but they're empty. When I call the elevators around us, asking for diatomacious earth, kelp, Redmond salt, blood meal, bone, meal, dolomite, greed sande, and rock phosphate - all they can say is "What's that? I've never heard of it." They only know how to serve the big farmers using traditional methods. Albert Lea Seed House even carries Mycorrhizal fungi. I couldn't ask for more.