If you’re interested in starting an urban homestead, seed catalogs will be a regular part of your print diet. There are many kinds of organic seed catalogs available – and you should grab as many as you can.
Talk to a few of your neighbors who have succumbed to the gardening bug. Not only will their enthusiasm be contagious, but they’ll probably be willing to share a few organic seed catalogs with you. They could probably give you advice as to where you can find organic seed catalogs of your own – local home and garden shops, gardening co-ops, grocery stores, and so on. Many organic seed catalogs can be downloaded from the Web, or ordered from seed merchants via e-mail.

Getting a few organic seed catalogs is a good way to start an urban homestead. An increasing number of urban dwellers are growing at least some of what they eat. Vegetable and herb gardens are springing up in many cities. Chicken farms are becoming increasingly common. In places like this, you’re likely to find organic seed catalogs being used to line chicken coops, or put to some other suitable use. Those people are nothing if not frugal – and we’d do well to emulate their example.

The best way to build a self-supporting farm of any size is to select non-hybrid, non-GMO organic heirloom bulk seeds. Preserved in their purity from a time prior to widespread use of pesticides and herbicides, heirloom bulk seeds aren’t the product of genetic tinkering by some well-meaning corporate scientist. They can be collected and re-used for generations without diminished yield or nutritional benefit. And, most importantly, they grow into food that actually tastes like food, with full-bodied flavor, delectable texture, and full-spectrum nutritional benefits.

Next time you’re at the local farmer’s market, or chatting with a friend who’s a gardening enthusiast, ask about any nearby organizations that might offer free seeds. The chances are pretty good that you’ll find somebody interested in helping you take the first steps toward food independence.