Seeds from Cambodia

Lilypon · August 21, 2009

Is there an American company that sells veggie seeds from Cambodia?

At the community garden there is a very nice couple from Cambodia and tonight the lady mentioned she never brought any seeds from her homeland. She also mentioned that they grew very tasty tomatoes there (no idea of the variety names...while she has lived in Canada for 20 years her English is still somewhat difficult to understand). She was nervous about having relatives mailing seeds here (I told her Canada Customs had no problems with small amounts of veggie seeds but that didn't reassure her).

Thank you in advance for any suggestions....

**carolyn137** · August 21, 2009

I suggest that you check out the offerings of Baker Creek seeds at rareseeds.com

Jere Gettle who owns Baker Creek has made several trips to SE Asia and has collected many varieties of all sorts of vegetables and fruits from the region and I'm sure you'll find lots of possibilities to share with your Cambodian friends.

Lilypon · August 21, 2009

Thank you for suggesting Baker Creek Carolyn.

I'll be writing a letter to them soon.

Last night the Cambodian lady and I were looking at a recent immigrant's plot from China and admiring some of his country's veggies and that is when she mentioned she didn't bring any from Cambodia.

This year the community gardens have gardeners from a number of different countries. It is such a treat to see plants I've not seen before (not that this was the greatest growing summer for some of them however).

A couple from Africa surprised me when they informed me that they eat the leaves from their bean plants (the beans themselves they aren't interested in).

Lilypon · August 30, 2009

Met another lady at the garden a couple of days ago.........she is from South Africa and is growing squash from there. It's been a difficult summer here but with warmer than average fall temps forecasted she may just have a hope of getting a ripe crop.

She has some extra seeds that I'll prolly send down to a gardening buddy in Georgia to see if he has luck down there.

She's heading back to South Africa for a visit this upcoming February.....I hope she brings back more unusual-to-us veggie seeds (next summer, if El Nino sticks around, should be a good summer for growing them here).

Carolyn I wowed her with a sample tasting of Sweet Chelsea!

August 21, 2009	#1
Lilypon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Saskatchewan, Canada Posts: 303	Seeds from Cambodia Is there an American company that sells veggie seeds from Cambodia? At the community garden there is a very nice couple from Cambodia and tonight the lady mentioned she never brought any seeds from her homeland. She also mentioned that they grew very tasty tomatoes there (no idea of the variety names...while she has lived in Canada for 20 years her English is still somewhat difficult to understand). She was nervous about having relatives mailing seeds here (I told her Canada Customs had no problems with small amounts of veggie seeds but that didn't reassure her). Thank you in advance for any suggestions.... __________________ "At the heart of gardening there is a belief in the miraculous" Mirabel Osler

August 21, 2009	#2
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	I suggest that you check out the offerings of Baker Creek seeds at rareseeds.com Jere Gettle who owns Baker Creek has made several trips to SE Asia and has collected many varieties of all sorts of vegetables and fruits from the region and I'm sure you'll find lots of possibilities to share with your Cambodian friends. __________________ Carolyn

August 21, 2009	#3
Lilypon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Saskatchewan, Canada Posts: 303	Thank you for suggesting Baker Creek Carolyn. I'll be writing a letter to them soon. Last night the Cambodian lady and I were looking at a recent immigrant's plot from China and admiring some of his country's veggies and that is when she mentioned she didn't bring any from Cambodia. This year the community gardens have gardeners from a number of different countries. It is such a treat to see plants I've not seen before (not that this was the greatest growing summer for some of them however). A couple from Africa surprised me when they informed me that they eat the leaves from their bean plants (the beans themselves they aren't interested in). __________________ "At the heart of gardening there is a belief in the miraculous" Mirabel Osler

August 30, 2009	#4
Lilypon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Saskatchewan, Canada Posts: 303	Met another lady at the garden a couple of days ago.........she is from South Africa and is growing squash from there. It's been a difficult summer here but with warmer than average fall temps forecasted she may just have a hope of getting a ripe crop. She has some extra seeds that I'll prolly send down to a gardening buddy in Georgia to see if he has luck down there. She's heading back to South Africa for a visit this upcoming February.....I hope she brings back more unusual-to-us veggie seeds (next summer, if El Nino sticks around, should be a good summer for growing them here). Carolyn I wowed her with a sample tasting of Sweet Chelsea! __________________ "At the heart of gardening there is a belief in the miraculous" Mirabel Osler