No products in the cart.
Showing 1–12 of 17 results
3,55 $
Antoine D'Avignon was a ancient vegetable lover. A pioneer in Quebec for heirloom seed saving, he grew, harvested and shared the seeds of numerous varieties that would have otherwise been forgotten by now. Notably, Louis-Marie's Crotte d'ours potato, Suzanne Bourgeois's Ice Grow tomato, Huron wheat, and... this corn.
In an interview in the late 1990s he reached out for help to the public: the Quebec corn that our grandmas used to cultivate has disappeared. Nobody is growing flour corn anymore. After the interview, a lady called the radio station claiming that she did have seeds of a flour corn that had been grown by her family for ages.
This is how she came into contact with Antoine and shared with him her precious treasure. Then, during that summer, Antoine ends up mentioning the corn to a friend, Mrs. France Bouffard. She is really interested and ask for a couple seeds. Reluctant as he as only a few, he ends up giving her 6 seeds. She grew those and multiplied them, enough to make flour for her pancakes. The story could have ended there. Sadly it did not as Antoine died still young and took with him the corn story.
More recently, Mrs. Bouffard reached out to me while I was working for Seeds of Diversity. We chatted, and she ended up mentioning the corn. She then sent me some seeds by the mail. We had a good first harvest from those seeds and, thanks to that, we can now share this variety with you. Luckily, Antoine has also gifted a few to another one of his friends, René Paquet, who has since carefully kept the envelope. On it, a name:
Anita Fournier, from Nicolet.
We are looking for this lady (probably deceased by now) or her offsprings. Please let us know if you know her.
Please note that some of the seeds have been sent to Seeds of Diversity for preservation. With the hopes that you might also contribute to writing a chapter of this story.
For more information, please visit (in French): Antoine d'Avignon (1948-2003), jardinier de la dernière chance"
Please send us pictures of your crops and harvests! We will share them!
Package: 40 seeds
Add to cart 
3,55 $
Formerly grown by New England's Algonquins, this squash is now very rare. Like most of First Nations' varieties, its genetic make-up makes it very hardy.
Its oblong shape makes it look a bit like a zucchini. It is also reminiscent of the Long Pie pumpkin, but the algonquin pumpkin is a bit smaller. It should be harvested when still green, except where it touches the soil. When this part starts to turn golden, it is time to pick the fruit up and let it ripen indoors, until it turns a nice orange shade.
The flesh tastes like sweet hazelnuts, and is not fibrous. It stores well over winter and keeps ripening after harvest, getting sweeter and sweeter. Makes delicious purées, soups, soufflés, and pies.
Package: 20 seeds
Read more 
3,55 $
Semi-Runner/Dry. 100 days to first dry seed.
Viney plants can be grown on the ground like a bush bean, but would probably benefit from growing on some support. Very productive of 4 to 5 inch oval green pods that are lightly streaked with purple. 4 to 6 small seeds per pod.
The origin is unsure but, according to Fruitition Seeds, seeds were traded at the Common Ground Fair in Maine, USA, in 2003. We obtained them from a seed swap in Ontario.
Package: 30 seeds
Read more 
3,55 $
This variety was brought by the Cherokees during their journey on the Trail of Tears. Following the Treaty of New Echota, the American government decided to enforce the Indian Removal Act and to strip Native Americans from their land to offer it to white colonizers. Ensued imprisonment and tribe deportation to other territories, to the West of the Mississipi.
Most of the deportees were displaced by boat, but 18,000 of them walked over 3,000 km. They started their journey in October 1838 and arrived to Fort Gibson in March 1839. Thorough the trip, 4,000 died because of winter's hardships. This is where the name Trail of Tears, or The Trail where they cried, comes form.
Package: 25 seeds
Read more 
3,50 $
Ancient corn variety introduced in the U.S. during the 1890s. The plant can reach more than 2 m in height, and produces 2 to 3 cobs of 20 cm. The long and white grains are not organized in rows, but instead in a completely irregular way.
The taste is delicate and sweet. Requires a longer cooking time to fully bring the flavour out. Delicious on the BBQ.
Package: 60 seeds
Read more 
3,55 $
While sorting the beans, Geneviève slipped and spilled them all! We are now happy to introduce you our best climbing bean varieties, of all colors and tastes: Skunk, True Red Cranberry, Kahnawake Mohawk, Turkey craw, Goose, Mennonite, Mayflower, Lazy Housewife, Cherokee Trail of Tears, Paysannes, Grand-mère, Héritage Doré and many more!
Add to cart 
3,55 $
This tobacco variety from Havana is the one used in the famous Cuban cigars. It grows abundant and fragrant leaves that can used both for smoking and chewing. It grows well in the sun, but tolerates easily colder climates like ours. It is also appreciated for its pretty flowers, pink and elongated, that attract pollinators.
Package: 200 seeds.
Add to cart 
3,55 $
This type of tobacco comes from Central America, more precisely Mexico and Venezuela. It was grown during the pre-Columbian era in Mexico.
The Aztecs would dry the leaves, grind them, and mix them with Tagetes lucida. The mixture was then consumed during various rituals. This tobacco allegedly affects mental activity, which is why it was used by shamans of the Warao people in Venezuela.
In traditional medecine, this tobacco was used to fight asthma, inflammation, toothaches, headaches, and snake venom poisoning.
The delicate flowers of this plant can be very decorative.
Package: 300 seeds
Add to cart 
3,55 $
This very ancient variety was supposedly brought to the U.S. on the Mayflower boat in 1620. The boat was carrying English religious dissidents, the Pilgrim fathers, and other European people seeking a land where they could fully enjoy religious freedom. This variety was widely grown in the Carolinas region.
Despite this nice story, and considering most beans are originally from America, it is more likely that the colonizers 'borrowed' this variety from First Nations and named it after their boat. Perhaps.
Their pods are small, and contain squarish beans, sprinkled with pink and white marks. Can be eaten as green beans when still young, or as dry beans when they reach maturity after 85 days. Mayflower beans are part of the SlowFood USA's Ark of Taste.
Package: 30 seeds
Add to cart 
3,55 $
Rare, hardy and high-yielding variety. Once grown by Iroquoian people. The plant can reach up to 2 m in height, and has white and purple flowers. The pods can be eaten when still young as green beans.
Its name, skunk, refers to the gorgeous black and white marks characteristic of the beans. They can also, although more rarely, be entirely black. Their flat-shape is reminiscent of lima beans. Once fully ripe, they are ideal for soups. We have tried them for baked beans (fèves au lard) and they are delicious mixed with some Kahnawake Mohawk beans.
This bean was rediscovered by Chester in Vermont and saved by Gail Flagg from Fort Kent, Maine (U.S.).
Ideal for the Three Sisters, to be grown with the Canada Crookneck squash.
Package: 25 seeds
Add to cart 
3,55 $
This pink-flowered tobacco grows easily in any type of soil. Hardy, short, and an early producer, the plant ripens in only six weeks and offers leaves with a strong flavour.
Considered sacred, this tobacco is an important medicinal plant for First Nations, and is used in numerous rituals.
Mentions of this tobacco date back to 1807, according to the 1897 W.M Ewing & cie's catalogue. In Quebec, the Small Canadian tobacco has been grown for over a century. As early as 1884, it became commercialized by the J. O. Forest factory in Saint-Roch-de-L'Achigan.
Considered as rare.
Package: 750 seeds
Add to cart 
3,55 $
This rare corn variety was shared with us by Steve McCumber, founder of the Haudenosaunee seed saving group. It comes from the Winnebago nation, who has been cultivating it for generations on their land, now known to most as Wisconsin and Illinois.
The Winnebago corn is a flour variety. The kernels are creamy white, sprinkloed with blue spots. You can try to eat it fresh if you wish, but the taste won't be as sweet and the texture will be more fibrous than the corn cobs you usually find at summer corn stalls. It will however be best used to cook cornbreads, polenta or hominy.
Ancient and rare variety, please share!
Package: 40 seeds
Add to cart