Why are growing numbers of people choosing to buy seeds from Irish Seed Savers?

The ethos here at Irish Seed Savers Association, is to conserve and distribute wonderful rare and heritage varieties, as well as to encourage the skills of saving your own seed and empowering people to do this in their own gardens, small holdings or farms.

All of our seeds are grown and saved in Ireland and are Open Pollinated which allows you to save your own seeds from them, keeping the variety true to type. By choosing Irish Seed Savers Open Pollinated Seeds you contribute to keeping food security in your own hands and Irish agricultural biodiversity alive and vibrant.

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Crown Flax

€3.50

Repatriated from the Vavilov Institute for Plant Genetic Resources in Russia by Irish Seed Savers, this is an Irish bred flax variety of note. Referenced by Dr. GDH Bell (Cambridge) in his book 'Cultivated Plants of the Farm' 1948, he explained that "pre 1940's the flax grown for the United Kingdom, by Ireland, had been of Russian and Dutch origin. Breeding work commenced on these stocks by mass selection and were an improvement on the originals but they were subsequently given place to the Irish bred varieties, the best of which include the variety Liral Crown". Flax is grown both for its nutritional seeds and for its fibers. Various parts of the plant have been used in the past to make fabric, dye, paper, medicines, fishing nets, soap, and bowstrings. It is also grown as an ornamental plant in gardens for it's exquisite ethereal mauve/blue flowers. Grows to 60cm, 5 seed heads per plant Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 300

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Rezha Macadonia Chilli Pepper

€3.50

This attractive chilli produces long tapering fruit, up to 2.5cm wide and 19cm long. The plants grow very well in Capparoe, producing plenty of fruit throughout late summer and well into autumn. The fruits have characteristic ‘corking’, with light-brown striations contrasting beautifully against the deep red skin. In intensity the fruit ranges from medium to hot, and is deeply flavourful. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 25

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Bright Lights Chard

€3.50

This lovely rainbow chard produces a bounty of colourful stems, topped with large green and bronze leaves. Each plant reaches about 50cm in height and 40cm in spread. The leaves can be harvested from mid-summer to late autumn, and the plants can even be overwintered to provide a fresh crop in the spring. The flavour is deliciously mild, with young leaves suitable for salads and larger leaves perfect for soups and sautéing. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 200

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Touchon Carrot

€3.50

This variety is an old French heirloom from the 19th century. The roots of this Nantes type are crisp, sweet and juicy, with a deep orange colour. It is ideal for bunching and storing. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 700

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Dottenfelder Dauer Cabbage

€3.50

A vigorous, short-stemmed variety with a firm, round/oval head and short inner stalk. Under good conditions the heads (averaging 1.5kg) can be stored well until January. It is delicious cooked and also ideal for eating raw. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 250

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Muesboni Runner Bean

€3.50

This heritage German runner bean is a vigorous, reliable, early cropper. It produces bright red flowers followed by reasonably stringless beans. Average Seeds Per Pack: 15

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Martock Broad Bean

€3.50

This robust landrace bean has references as far back as 1293 in English manorial account rolls. It is an attractive plant, with lovely purple/maroon mottled flowers. The pods of the beans are small but extremely numerous, containing small, brown, meaty, delicious beans, used fresh or kept for drying. Average Seeds Per Pack: 20

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Lady’s Slipper Achocha

€3.50

A very vigorous vining plant, related distantly to cucumbers, but much easier to cultivate. It thrives in cool summers, and can be grown outdoors or indoors. The vines should be given supports and planted about 1m apart to provide plenty of growing space. Its abundant little green fruits grow in pairs, and picked young, taste similar to cucumbers and young French beans. The fruit can be eaten fresh, pickled in brine or vinegar, stir-fried in oil, or stuffed and braised. Pick fruits while young; if left to mature they will eventually burst open to reveal a spine of black woody seeds within. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 4

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Purple Sprouting Broccoli

€3.50

A beautiful plant to have in any garden, this variety is a prolific producer of succulent, deep purple broccoli spears. When sown in late spring or early summer the tasty spears can be harvested from February the following year. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 200

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Golden Rain Dwarf French Bean

€3.50

This prolific dwarf variety produces uniform plants with lovely yellow pods and wonderfully golden/brown beans when mature. The young pods can be steamed or stir-fried, and the mature beans can be cooked up in soups or stews.
Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 30

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Superschmeltze Kohlrabi

€3.50

A German heritage variety of champion size, originally from Schmeltz. Rich soil and plenty of space is required for this mammoth vegetable, which can reach up to 8kg over a long season. The colour is white to light-green and despite its large size, this kohlrabi remains tender and buttery-soft. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 200

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Sean Flynn’s Westmeath Greens (Cabbage)

€3.50

Grown originally by Sean Flynn of Killucan/Cloughan, Co. Westmeath, we trialled this cut-and-come variety in 2020. A medium-sized cabbage, with a lightly crinkled, semi-flat green leaf. The flavour is mild and delicious, producing plenty of leaves throughout the season. Average Seeds Per Pack: 250

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Verdante Calabrese Broccoli

€3.50

This variety of Italian origin can be grown all through summer, or, if sown in August, in a cool tunnel for a winter/spring harvest. It produces a decent-sized head and will continue to grow side shoots for several weeks after the main head is harvested. This calabrese is tender and delicious, perfect lightly steamed or roasted. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 200

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Zebrune Shallots

€3.50

A superb French heirloom variety, often called Banana-type shallots for their torpedo-shaped bulbs. The skin of this variety has a wonderful pink-brown colour, and it is very productive, producing good-sized bulbs which are useful for storing. Easy to slice and deliciously sweet and mild. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 250

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Verdonnet Leek

€3.50

Originally from Switzerland, this old landrace was selected and bred by a Swiss farmer. We shared the seeds of this variety with our friends at Adaptive Seeds in the Pacific Northwest of the USA, where they have been undertaking leek trials. This reliable leek has good large stalks, dark green leaves and is hardy through winter. Average Seeds Per Pack: 250

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Bleu de Solaise Leek

€3.50

A French heirloom variety dating back to the 19th Century. Very hardy, holding well over the winter, medium long shafts, sweet flavour, the blue/green leaves turn a beautiful violet colour in very cold weather. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 250

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Confetti Coriander

€3.50

This is a unique variety with fine, feathery bright green foliage. It gives all the distinctive taste and aroma of coriander with an especially sweet fragrance. The leaves can be used in soups and salads, and the mature seeds can be saved as a spice. ANNUAL Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 150

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Clay Pot Corn

€3.50

This maize corn variety gets its name from the clay pots that the seed was found in. The history of this corn goes back to the Anasazi people some 500 years ago, with this seed coming originally from Hopi elders. It grew very high in the tunnel, providing large colourful cobs with kernels in stunning shades of violet and black to shades of red, yellow, gold and cream. As this variety is a maize type, it is more suited for grinding into flour than eating as a sweet ‘corn on the cob’. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 26

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IBM Linseed/Flax

€3.50

This variety was repatriated from the Vavilov Institute for Plant Genetic Resources in Russia, and, as is the norm with most gene banks, background information is scant and we haven't been able to locate any references to this particular variety to-date. We have however unearthed the root of the expression "tow-head" or "toe-head," which was used to describe a person with blond hair; it comes from the name for the fine, oft-tangled fibers left behind in the hackles, when processing flax into linen! The familiar wispy blue flowers of this variety transform into beautiful golden orbs full of plump, nutritious seeds. It's very easy to grow and to save the seeds if you're happy to share some with the birds who have that inherent ability to determine the optimum time for seed maturation! Grows to 80cm, 5 seed heads per plant. Sow: March/April Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 300

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Ellen’s Swede

€3.50

This is a rare old landrace variety, maintained by a family in the mountains of the Swabian Alb Region in Germany. This swede produces a lovely, uniform, very sweet, medium-sized root. Good resistance to boron deficiency. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 450

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Violet de Gournay Radish

€3.50

First listed in seed catalogues as far back as 1885, this lovely variety is still going strong. The long, cylindrical roots have the most beautiful purple skin and mild, sweet, white flesh. A great winter storage radish. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 250

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Mayo Common Cabbage

€3.50

The seed for this cabbage came from a project in the 1980s that involved collecting ‘on-farm saved’ seed crop varieties. This particular ‘common’ or large headed Dutch-type came from farms in Knocknakillew, near Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo. Sown in late spring it produces mighty heads, light green in colour. It over-wintered well, in fact some heads were still compact and harvestable well into the following season! Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 250

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Kuttiger Carrot

€3.50

Kuttiger is an old-type white carrot, first established in Europe in the 15th century. Now quite scarce, these types were very commonly grown until the introduction of orange carrots. With its snowy-white colour, broad shoulders, and stocky shape, this variety could be mistaken for a parsnip in appearance, though in taste it still has the mild and subtly earthy flavour of a carrot. Average Seeds Per Pack: 700

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Midnight Madness Chard

€3.50

This visually stunning and delicious chard is from an organic seed company in 'Ontario, Canada'. Gorgeous deep burgundy leaves and deep purple and orange stalks are plentiful throughout the growing season. A lovely addition to salads and soups. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 200

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True Gold Corn

€3.50

A variety of sweetcorn that has been selected from a 1955 hybrid and which is now open-pollinated. Described as an ‘old fashioned’ corn that will transform any plate to a luxurious meal. A late-season corn that delivers tender, sweet, rich, delicious golden cobs up to 3 per plant.

Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 26

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Syrian White Courgette

€3.50

This variety came to us via a Syrian refugee. The young courgettes are pale green, almost white. The small and delicious fruits retain good flavour as they mature. Highly successful outdoor crop.

Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 10

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Blanche De Virginie Courgette

€3.50

A French heirloom, this productive variety has small, pale-green fruit. ‘Carpaccio’ is a great way to enjoy this fruity-flavoured gem of a courgette – cut into thin vertical slices, marinated with olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper and grilled briefly on both sides. Garnish with fresh coriander.

Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 10

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Waltham Butternut Squash

€3.50

This is a vigorous and dependable variety, producing between four and seven fruits per vine. The lightly tanned, smooth skinned, bottle-shaped fruits have fine-textured, golden orange flesh. Exceptionally good keepers, this variety is perfect for storage if you can resist cooking up the fruits straightaway. The fruit have a small seed cavity with a low seed count, so it’s well worth saving your own!

Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 10

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Pam’s Speckled Climbing French Bean

€3.50

Originally from China, this variety was donated to us by supporter Pam from Wales, who has saved this beautiful bean for 20 years. The pods are streaked dark purple-red against light green, making them a highly decorative plant as well as being delicious to eat. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 30

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Josh Toombs Purple Pod Pea

€3.50

This wonderful heirloom pea came to us from Josh Toombs in Co. Antrim. Josh got in touch with Irish Seed Savers when he was 79 years old because he wished to share this pea with other gardeners. It had been preserved in his family for over a century. The decorative pink and mauve/purple flowers produce a classic dark purple pod. Peas are good eaten fresh when young and immature or left to dry on the plant which make an excellent storage pea. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 50

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Irish Green Pea

€3.50

One of our most popular varieties, repatriated from the Vavilov Gene Bank in Russia. The plants grow up to 1.5m, so need good support. They produce an abundance of delicious sweet, round peas, 6-8 per pod, described by many as ‘a wonderful crop’. The plants have good mildew resistance and are less prone to sprouting in the pod during a wet summer. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 50

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Daniel O’Rourke Pea

€3.50

An Irish heritage variety, originally saved in the Russian gene bank and repatriated to Ireland. These plants grow quite tall (2m) so a strong fence is required but you will be rewarded with prolific small pods and sweet peas, best eaten while young. Good disease resistance, the peas can also be left to mature and dry off to be used as a soup pea in winter. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 70

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Shintokiwa Cucumber

€3.50

A long Japanese burpless type, tender and sweet even when large. This productive and delicious variety needs to be grown with protection.

Average Seeds Per Pack: 16

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Lipstick Pepper

€3.50

These fruits ripen to a beautiful, glossy, deep red, and are delicious both raw and cooked. A very dependable cropper, rich and sweet even in cool summers. The plants are compact but productive (equal to or better than many F1 hybrid types). Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 25

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Mila’s Bulgarian Red Pepper

€3.50

This tapering variety of pepper produces beautiful, thick-walled, juicy, sweet, scarlet fruits. The plants are vigorous and productive, with tapering fruits of 10-15cm in length developing in abundance throughout the autumn. They have waxy skin which may help them to be storable for longer. These seeds came to us via Clare Island from Christophe and Ciara who had grown them in their garden tunnels. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 25

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Suzan Lettuce

€3.50

This variety was sent into us by Stephen Marsh, a long-standing supporter of our work. Describing it as a ‘beautiful butterhead’, Stephen used to grow this variety 50 years ago when it was highly sought after. In 2016 Stephen rediscovered it in a catalogue and sent us the seeds. Big, light green, tasty heads with tightly packed fleshy hearts. It is described as a spring/summer sown type, but we sowed in early autumn and it grew fine and healthy under cover.

Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 200

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Grandpa Admires Lettuce

€3.50

A variety named for an American civil war veteran born in 1822. This lovely loose-leaved lettuce has large, crisp, juicy leaves that are light green in colour tinged with bronze. Grows well even in poor weather.

Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 200

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Stupice Tomato

€3.50

A Czech heirloom cordon variety, highly recommended by many who have grown it over the years. It is a very reliable, good cropper, ripening quite early with an abundance of medium-sized, round, tangy red fruits. Grows outside as well as under cover. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 30

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Mrs Rucks Tomato

€3.50

This lovely bush variety presents a huge amount of scarlet small-to-medium, juicy fruit. An early ripener, their flavour is mild, fresh, and tangy. An early ripener. Mrs. Ruck was a lady of Audley End Estate in Essex (now managed by English Heritage) and had passed on the seed when she moved away. Our seed came to us via the Eden Project in Cornwall. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 40

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Brown Gold Ring Lettuce

€3.50

Won an award of merit from the RHS 1923. A deliciously tasting variety with more substance than modern Cos varieties. Hardy, it can be overwintered with little protection & has proved quite slug-resistant. Certified Organic. Average Seeds Per Pack: 200

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Dorenia Tomato

€3.50

This fabulous variety was bred by biodynamic growers in Germany. The plants have good resistance to fruit-splitting and blight. It yields very well, providing plenty of juicy oval-shaped plum tomatoes throughout the season. Firm skin means the fruit holds it shape when cut, perfect for salads and sandwiches. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 35

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Berner Rose Tomato

€3.50

The ‘Rose from Bern’ is a Swiss heirloom, well suited to cooler climes. A reliable cordon-type producing round, thin-skinned, pinky-red fruit. Quite large and fleshy, these tomatoes are utterly juicy and delicious. Seed Guardian Mona has been growing this one for years as her family favourite. These versatile fruits can be eat fresh, sliced and cooked. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 30

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Polen Tomato

€3.50

This seed from Poland was collected by the German gene-bank at Gatersleben. A cordon variety that produces quantities of small gold, thin-skinned plum tomatoes, still delicious even in November. Stephen Carrington in Wicklow was still harvesting a few in January from a polytunnel! Growing outdoors as well as under cover, this sweet, mild tomato is a lovely addition to any garden. Average Seeds Per Pack: 50

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Dzintare Lasite Tomato

€3.50

This fabulous variety was bred by biodynamic growers in Germany. The plants have good resistance to fruit-splitting and blight. It yields very well, providing plenty of juicy oval-shaped plum tomatoes throughout the season. Firm skin means the fruit holds it shape when cut, perfect for salads and sandwiches. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 30

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Amber Tomato

€3.50

This heritage bush variety from Russia is a productive early cropper. As a northern-climate tomato, this variety is suitable for growing even in wet and cool conditions. The round fruit are medium-sized, ripening to a deep golden yellow/amber colour. These mild, sweet fruits would be a welcome addition to any salad. Average seeds per pack 30

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Temuco Quinoa

€3.50

Quinoa has been cultivated for about 5000 years and is indigenous to the Andean region of South America. This variety, named after the city of Temuco in the Araucanía Region of southern Chile, is a surprisingly easy and trouble-free crop. Direct sown in drills in April, it grew up to 1.5m tall, harvested in early September. A very nutritious crop, high in protein and essential amino acids. The seed contains bitter saponins (a chemical defence against birds), which needs to be washed out before use. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 300

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Red Faro Quinoa

€3.50

From the North of Chile, ‘Red Faro’ is both productive and attractive with red-pink foliage and cream seed heads. Less prone to mold and suitable for our cool, damper climate. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 300

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Rainbow Quinoa

€3.50

This variety has a mix of the many colours of different types of quinoa: tan, red, orange, and black. These plants make a stunning addition to any garden with their bright and colourful seedheads, not to mention the nutritional powerhouse of the seeds. Each colour has a slightly different attribute – sweeter, nuttier, or chewier - we hope you enjoy them all! Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 300

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Lucullus Chard

€3.50

This variety is of Italian heritage and was named after the Roman General ‘Lucius Luccullus’, renowned for his splendid banquets and vast gardens some 2000 years ago. It was introduced in 1914 and won the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Quite hardy through the winter, with heavily ‘crimped’, bright, lush green leaves and white stalks that are almost like asparagus when cooked. Young flowering stalks in spring can be eaten like sprouting broccoli. It has the seal of approval from ‘Scoil Chroi’, in Galway who shared that “Lucullus was a big hit with students of all ages, they loved it, devouring it raw”.

Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 200

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Touchstone Gold Beetroot

€3.50

This vigorous, quick-growing, brilliant yellow beet was developed by being rebred from old seed stocks. The round, golden roots have smooth skin and delicious, sweet-flavoured, bright yellow flesh. The colour keeps well, even when cooked. It’s also a delight in salads.

Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 300

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Rotunda Beetroot

€3.50

This globe-shaped beetroot gets its name from the Italian word ‘rotonda’ meaning ‘round’. Even when the roots grow quite large they maintain their juicy sweetness, with a distinct earthy flavour. These beets are especially good roasted and store well.

Average Seeds Per Pack: 300

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Cylindra/Formanova Beetroot

€3.50

A wonderful heirloom from Denmark, famous for slicing with long cylindrical roots. This tender and sweet variety with dark red flesh is also known as ‘Butter Slicer’ or ‘Cooks Delight’ because of its wonderful texture.

Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 300

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Feuer Kugel Beetroot

€3.50

A rare, smooth-skinned variety from Switzerland, the name translates to ‘fire ball’ in German. Described as being bolt resistant, and having spectacular, tender, ball-shaped roots with fantastic mild flavour. Very successful and absolutely delicious.

Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 300

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Tipperary Turnip Swede

€3.50

A heritage swede returned to us from the Wellesbourne Gene Bank, UK. Like other native brassicas, it is hardy and disease-resistant. It has a delicate, mellow, sweet flavour, still remembered fondly by many. “The flesh,” says Andrew Williams, “is not tough at all and keeps well through winter”.

Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 450

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Major Doon Swede

€3.50

This Northern Irish heritage variety is a superb, purple-topped globe swede, with an excellent sweet flavour. It’s great raw and stores well – if you don’t eat them all straight away of course! Probably the same cultivar as Major Dunne, based on observation trials. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 450

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Best of All Swede

€3.50

An Irish landrace with classic purple and white skin, growing to a good size. The golden flesh is very sweet and tasty, and the plants last well into spring before going woody. All round ‘excellent’, as described by a supporter. Madeline at Brown Envelope Seeds trialled it one winter in conjunction with popular commercial varieties and it came out ‘Best of All’.

Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 450

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Irish Glacier Brussels Sprouts

€3.50

This variety, once very popular with commercial growers, was given to us by the Wellsbourne gene bank. Barry Murphy, who bred the original from a farm collection of Irish brassicas, describes it as an outstanding variety, with small tight sprouts and good for freezing. The plants are very neat and uniform.

Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 300

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Thousand Headed Kale

€3.50

Also known as ‘Branching Borecole’, this productive variety originated in the west of France, with records dating it as far back as 1865. Growing as large as 1m high, this is an easy-to-grow, plain-leaf kale with wide spreading foliage. Particularly suited to our climate, this reliable kale is hardy and very tolerant of poor soils. Supporter Hilary Killops suggests eating it ‘lightly steamed, and served with a sauce of yoghurt and a little chilli pepper.’

Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 200

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Red Russian Kale

€3.50

A very tender and tasty Russian heritage variety. Big oak shaped leaves develop a beautiful red tinge, especially as the cold season develops. Exceptionally resistant to cold weather, this hardy variety is a beautiful and reliable plant to have in the garden. Average Seeds Per Pack: 200

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Giant Prague Celeriac

€3.50

A variety that goes back to 1871, this is a great winter vegetable with good sized, globed roots and creamy-white flesh. Very tasty in soups and stews or even roasted, with a distinctive ‘celery’ flavour. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 500

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