FAQ | Michigan Heirlooms

No, we are not USDA Certified Organic—mostly because the certification process is expensive, paperwork-heavy, and (in my opinion) not always the best measure of truly clean growing practices. Instead, we proudly describe our methods as "beyond organic."

Here’s what that means in practice:

I use zero synthetic herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, or chemical fertilizers—not even the ones allowed under the USDA Organic program.
I use zero "organic-approved" sprays or treatments that some certified farms rely on (even things like certain copper-based fungicides, spinosad, or pyrethrins).
Every input I do use—potting mixes, amendments, seed-starting mediums, and any supplemental nutrition—is OMRI-listed (Organic Materials Review Institute) and fully compliant with USDA National Organic Program standards.

Ethically and morally, I believe that “certified organic” is a good baseline, but it still permits practices and materials we personally choose not to use on the land or the food people feed their families. By staying small, independent, and uncompromising, we can go further: no drift from neighboring farms, no questionable “allowed” inputs, and complete transparency with every customer. You’re welcome to walk the gardens anytime and see the difference for yourself.

So while I don’t carry the official USDA seal, I grow to a stricter, cleaner standard than certification requires—and I do it because I believe it’s the right thing to do for the plants, the soil, the pollinators, and for you.

While I take great care to ensure every plant is correctly labeled, mistakes can occasionally happen—whether it’s a curious child pulling tags while I’m helping another customer, or an adult accidentally replacing a tag in the wrong pot. In the past, such mix-ups have unfortunately forced me to compost entire trays when identities couldn’t be confirmed.

Equally important: as my collection has grown, I now source some seed from trusted outside growers in addition to my own saved seed. Even with the best suppliers, accidental cross-pollination (often called a “bee cross” or “God cross”) can occur in roughly 2–5% of cases. This means there is a small chance a plant may not grow true to the exact variety listed.

If anything you receive turns out not to be what you ordered—whether due to a labeling mix-up or an unexpected cross—please reach out right away. I want to make it right for you (replacement, refund, or credit—your choice). In the rare times this has happened before, customers often ended up loving the surprise variety so much they didn’t want a replacement, but I still very much appreciate hearing about it so I can continue improving.

I get asked this question a lot. And the answer is - that depends on YOUR tastes!

I grow anywhere between 100 and 500 tomato plants a year. Most of them are 'new-to-me' varieties. I do this for several reasons - the first is to make sure that the seed is true-to-type, the second is to evaluate how that particular variety performs here in Michigan, and lastly to evaluate for flavor. Again, my taste preference is not going to match yours. How then do I chose which varieties make the catalog? I don't. Others do.

Over the course of the summer, I have a litany of hardcore tomato lovers that follow me through the garden and greenhouse and sample tomatoes.

Parameters are simple - no salt and the first reaction needs to be "WOW!".

It's not difficult to figure out from there.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

DO YOU SELL SEEDS?

DO YOU SHIP?

WHEN ARE YOU OPEN FOR THE 2026 SEASON?

I PLACED AN ORDER ONLINE, WHEN CAN I PICK IT UP?

ARE YOU USDA CERTIFIED ORGANIC?

DO YOU GUARANTEE YOUR PLANTS?

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WHAT I ORDERED TURNS OUT TO BE 'OFF-TYPE'?

WHAT IS THE BEST TASTING TOMATO YOU HAVE?