Child's Garden Variety Pack

This pack of 5 types of vegetable and edible flower seeds was created to provide a tasty and educational experience for children and families. When I give farm tours, I always encourage kids to eat straight off the plant! The varieties included are the ones kids have gravitated towards and enjoyed eating the most. They are:

1) Orca Bush Beans. Allow these beans to dry on the plant for the magical experience of cracking open the pods to reveal the "orca whales" or "yin-yangs" inside. Minimum 30 beans.

2) Burgundy Amaranth. These bright purple plants will grow to towering heights, and when shaken, they will shed their grains. I use this plant to demonstrate to children how plants drop their seeds to begin the next generation. Tender leaves can be eaten straight off the plant. Minimum 100 seeds.

3) Wild Lupine Flower. This perennial flower is native to North America and is highly beneficial for pollinators. Larvae can live safely on leaves while adult insects feed off the nectar. These seeds come from Neda & Nick at Orange Bicycle Guesthouse and Gardens, who have stewarded a large, beautifully variated patch of flowers. Note, Lupine requires nicking and soaking prior to planting. Minimum 30 seeds.

4) Reisetomate Tomato. A deliciously strange tomato that grows in distinct segments (see photo), this oddball always catches the attention of children at the farmer's market. Indeterminate tomato. Minimum 30 seeds.

5) Black Panther Edamame. With its mild and buttery flavour, edamame tends to be a big favourite with youngsters. This edamame will be bright green when fresh; if you allow some to dry, it will turn jet black. Minimum 30 beans.

Grown organically with love and tenderness in the Bruce Peninsula, Ontario, Canada, in the summer of 2022/2023. All open pollinated. Germination tested December 2023.