Welcome to Our 9th Season Offering Staple Crop Seeds!

YAY! It’s 2026, and what better way to spend a blustery winter day than dreaming of spring planting. Thank you for being here. What an honor it is that our little company, which began as a “let’s give it a try and see what happens” whim, is now entering its ninth season offering staple crop seeds to support your plant-based growing goals. Truly, thank you.

As we open for seed sales, there are a few important details I want to share.

For some folks, we are opening a bit later than expected this year. As a family-run business, family will always come first, and that has meant a slower start to the season. Please take heart, though. It is still very much winter, and there is plenty of time to plan, dream, and prepare for spring planting.

When seed sales resume, it does not mean we are fully caught up behind the scenes. Early 2026 has required extra attention on the family side, and updating inventory across more than 400 SKUs takes time. Many listings will still be in progress as the season ramps up. If a variety is not listed or shows as sold out, it simply means it is not ready yet or did not meet our standards this season. Please check back rather than assuming it is permanently gone.

To make browsing easier, we recommend starting with the 2026 Spring Collection. This collection reflects what is most current and ready as the season begins. Other collections will continue to be updated throughout late winter and early spring as listings are finalized.

Please note that our grain offerings are often the last to be updated. Because they are direct-seeded, the earliest planting window for our region is typically mid- to late March at the earliest, which naturally places them later in the update cycle, often closer to early spring.

Your patience during this early-season period is sincerely appreciated.

You may notice that some varieties are not available this season. As a Great Lakes–based seed company serving primarily northern, short-season growers, we do not outsource our seed production. Every seed we offer is grown either by us or by John, which means our inventory reflects the realities of farming and seed stewardship. Mother Nature always has a say, and the 2025 growing season was our most challenging to date, with difficult weather patterns and significant critter interference affecting many crops. In addition, all seeds are germination tested before being listed for sale. Some varieties now require a refresh grow-out before we can confidently offer them again. While this can be disappointing, it reflects our commitment to quality, transparency, and long-term seed viability rather than offering seed simply for the sake of profit.

A major shift that began in 2025 continues into 2026. Great Lakes Staple Seeds offers a portion of our seeds from an off-farm source. The Sherck Seeds Collection remains an exciting, values-aligned partnership that expands the availability of reliably productive, Michiana-grown staple crops for northern, short-season growers. John and Sherck Seeds have been a positive influence on Great Lakes Staple Seeds from the very beginning, and these seeds have performed beautifully on our southeast Michigan homestead. We are proud to continue offering them as part of your growing adventures.

A less exciting but necessary note: an account is required to place an order. This is not an attempt to collect unnecessary personal data. Unfortunately, automated bots aggressively target free digital downloads, sometimes generating spam orders hourly. Creating an account helps prevent this. As an e-commerce customer myself, I value privacy and use your information only to fulfill your order. I will never sell or share your information.

Many listings are current when we open, but varietal descriptions and inventory updates may continue throughout the season. I recognize this can be frustrating if you place an order and later notice new or restocked items. This is the balance between opening the shop and keeping the workload sustainable, and I appreciate your understanding.

You may also notice placeholder images on some listings. Recent seasons were especially demanding, and in some cases photos were not taken or have gone missing. I will continue working to address this throughout 2026.

A gentle reminder that some seeds have pack limits. These limits exist so more people can enjoy each variety. All of our seeds are open-pollinated, which means with intention you can save seed for future seasons.

Every single order is processed by one person: me. It may take four weeks or longer for your order to reach your mailbox. I also do my best to respond to emails, but during peak season replies may take several days. Since we began shipping seeds in 2018, spring orders have consistently arrived in time for planting, and I work hard each season to keep it that way. Thank you sincerely for your patience.

For our international customers, please note that seed shipment regulations continue to change. Several countries have implemented new restrictions on incoming seed, and not all destinations are currently eligible for shipment. Before placing an order, international customers must review our No Ship Country list to confirm whether we are able to ship seeds to their location.

And finally, a note about shipping. I understand that shipping charges can feel frustrating. I share the numbers below not to complain, but to be transparent. Shipping covers more than USPS postage. Each order incurs unavoidable ecommerce transaction fees through credit card or PayPal processing, and the shipping charge also helps offset necessary handling and operational costs such as packing materials, labeling, printing, and the time required to prepare your order. After actual postage and transaction fees, very little remains to cover overhead. For example, on a 115-packet order, only about $0.20 per packet remained, and on a 21-item order, about $0.12 per packet.

More than 90% of our orders include more than one or two packets. To remain sustainable, our shipping fee reflects the average order size, even though this can disadvantage very small orders. Unfortunately, the system allows only a single shipping method and fee structure. USPS Ground Advantage starts at roughly $5.00 regardless of package size or distance.

Please know the shipping fee is not funding a secret “escape Michigan winter” account. I work hard to keep both shipping and packet prices reasonable while ensuring Great Lakes Staple Seeds can continue operating as a small, family-run business. Thank you for your understanding.

With that, I will step off my soapbox and get back to seed work.

Thank you again for your continued interest in and support of Great Lakes Staple Seeds. May your 2026 be abundant in love, laughter, health, and staple crops.

Kind regards,
Eleanor