The A List

Here's what we're ordering this year, where we're getting it from, and why we like it. Feel free to post your own favorites in the comments. We're always looking for new ideas.

Seed Savers Exchange

• Tiger's Eye Bean- A tender, stripey soup bean that can be eaten fresh or stored.
  
• Red Of Florence Onion- Mild and torpedo-shaped, these long-day onions can be stored or eaten fresh.
  
• Green Arrow Pea- There's no substitute for fresh shell peas, since the sugars start converting to starch within hours of being picked. Can't wait for these!
• Golden Treasure Sweet Pepper- Sweet, thick-walled, Italian-style.
• German Butterball Potato- Tasty, versatile, good for storing. We can never have too many potatoes.
• Rat's Tail Radish- Helps repel bugs and act as a trap for flea beetles. You eat the seed pod, not the root.
  
• New Zealand Spinach- Not a true spinach, though it's supposed to taste the same. Good in hot weather.
  
• Irish Eyes Sunflower- A dwarf variety to attract bees and beneficial insects.

Baker Creek

• Amarillo Carrot- Lemon yellow and very sweet and juicy.
  
• Muscade Carrot- We're planting this one because it's unusual and intriguing, from North Africa.
  
• Bouquet Dill- Tiny umbelliferous flower heads are ideal at attracting & sheltering parasitic wasps and nematodes (say what?)
  
• Di Firenze Fennel- Small, sweet bulbs. Can't wait to roast these for a veggie pot pie.
  
• Siamese Dragon Asian Greens- A unique mix of greens for stir-frying.
• Bleu Of Solaise Leek- Hopefully this cold-hardy leek will get bigger than the American Flags did last year. Also it's French, so Kate couldn't resist.
• Val D'Orges Lettuce- French butterhead. 'Nuff said.
  
• King Of The North Pepper- Red bell pepper for short-seasoners like us.
  
• Chinese Red Meat Radish- Look like adorable mini watermelons.
  
• Bee Balm- Good herb for tea, but we're using mostly for bees.
  
• Borage- Attracts beneficial bugs, also good for salads.
  
• Chives- We're putting little patches of chives all over the yard. You can never have to many of these. They're also perennial.
  

Johnny’s

• Garden Of Eden Pole Bean- Tender, broad green beans we'll be training over a trellis spanning the walkways between our raised beds.
  
• Blue Wind Broccoli- Even after last year's broccoli disaster, we are not deterred! This is an early version, a full 26-50 days earlier than last year's Romanesco. We also have some tricks up our collective sleeve for defeating cutworms: tuna cans.
• Walla Walla Onion- Even though we feel like it's a copout to grow these from seedlings instead of seeds, these sweet onions are so worth it (we couldn't find the seeds for sale).
  
• Evergreen Hardy White Scallion- Lots of these, since we use scallions almost every day in one form or another.
• Ambition Shallot- A successful crop of these would be a huge victory, since shallots are expensive and sometimes the pickings are slim.
• Calendula- Pink, orange, and yellow blooms to bring color and bees to the yard.
• Nasturtium- The petals on these red flowers add spicy zest to salads.
• Zinnia- A Persian carpet of flowers in autumn tones.

Well-Sweep

• Genovese Basil- A must-have, the best variety for pesto and summer dishes.
• Vietnamese Coriander (Rau Ram)- A spicy substitute for cilantro. Heat resistant and also makes a good houseplant.
• Tansy- Great indigenous perennial and beneficial insect attractant. Leaves can be used for tea.
  
• Rosemary- Well known culinary herb of much esteem. We'd like to find a hardy version that can overwinter here if possible.
• Yarrow- Small, low-growing flower. Member of the aster family (asteraceae).
  
• Angelica- Perrenial flowering herb that can reach 6 ft in height. Tolerates some shade, which we have plenty of.
• Lovage- A tall, leafy green plant that can be used as a celery substitute.
  
• Lavender- Fragrant, flowering evergreen. Zone 6-hardy perennials exist.
  
• Oregano- No description needed here.
  
• Thyme- Staggeringly diverse family of perennials with tiny, delicate flowers. Perfect dual-purpose, ground-covering herb.