Living Mulch and Cover Crops Seed Companies

So I have convinced my supervisor to let me cover crop the field I don't use this year as well as allowing me to use living mulch between rows. What are good companies to buy from? I came thisclose to buying from OutsidePride and found some pretty horrendous reviews about the company and it's owner. Any suggestions for successful but affordable seeds?

Also I am reading that forage radish can leave a gnarly sulfur smell in it's wake - anyway to counteract this

I will put together a list of the companies I use and post it here for you on Thursday Rachel.  I'm sure others will chime in with the seed suppliers they use.

Redhawk

Peaceful valley seeds has good options, out of California's Sierra country.  High mowing and Johnny's and I think fedco have good choices as well and are based in the eastern US

http://www.treeseeds.com/fruit-tree-seeds.html

http://sustainableseedco.com/

https://seedsforgenerations.com/

https://strictlymedicinalseeds.com/medicinal-herb-seeds/medicinal-herb-seeds-r-s/page/3/

https://heritageseedmarket.com/index.php/product-category/tomato-specialties/long-keeper/

http://www.rareseeds.com/store/vegetables/melon/melons/

http://www.southernexposure.com/

https://sundialseed.com/

Those are the seed sites I've used over the last 5 years, Hope they are of help to you Rachel.

Redhawk

I buy my cover crop seed from the local feed stores.  
I can buy a 50# bag of buckwheat at a time and store in buckets.  It lasts me a long time and I have it available for sowing any empty spaces all summer.

Most other things I buy by the pound, crimson clover, white clovers, winter peas, alfalfa, winter oats, daikon radish, etc.  Most farming communities (and those who sell 'deer plot' forage) will have good prices.  I avoid treated seed and those seeds I've listed are not at risk for GMO's....they are not organic though.

Rachel Hankins wrote:Also I am reading that forage radish can leave a gnarly sulfur smell in it's wake - anyway to counteract this

I prefer daikon radish over forage radish, for several reasons; 1. grows longer and tops are larger so more greenery forage available, 2. if the tops are chopped off, the root will rot and since it grows deeper into the soil, more organic matter gets deposited deeper.

I also like to use Rape, it is a standard root vegetable for pasture forage, it behaves a lot like daikon radish when used for chop and drop, hogs love to let it grow then they eat the top greens and dig up the root to eat as well.

Redhawk

Bryant RedHawk wrote:

Rachel Hankins wrote:Also I am reading that forage radish can leave a gnarly sulfur smell in it's wake - anyway to counteract this

I prefer daikon radish over forage radish, for several reasons; 1. grows longer and tops are larger so more greenery forage available, 2. if the tops are chopped off, the root will rot and since it grows deeper into the soil, more organic matter gets deposited deeper.

I also like to use Rape, it is a standard root vegetable for pasture forage, it behaves a lot like daikon radish when used for chop and drop, hogs love to let it grow then they eat the top greens and dig up the root to eat as well.

Redhawk

Awesome thank you so much for your help. All my neighbors are my friends (its a community setting on 350 acres) so I don't want to be the least popular girl on the hill. We also raise hogs in the summer so that is a good tidbit.

I check my local feed & seed stores too.  Prices appear slightly higher at times, but the savings in shipping costs more than covers it.  I've learned to compare the final (including shipping and taxes) costs.  Some of the online sources look cheaper... until those shipping costs get added in, plus I have to wait for the delivery vs just picking things up on the spot.

That said, along with the sources mentioned https://www.greencoverseed.com/ has done me well... aside from the shipping costs.  I like their seeds and mixes.

A side note on daikons, my chickens really love their greens.  I am grabbing a few leaves here and there out in the field and tossing them in the chicken tractor whenever I take a walk.  The only think they prefer to those greens so far are fruit cores.

Another note, I have bought a couple 50# bags of oat seed sold as feed (and my chicken do get a share) and not germination tested.  Cheap at just over $12 a bag and they sprout nicely.  Just using them for cover until last frost for now.  Local extension guy says oats not recommended here.  Yeah, yeah... testing a few to see how they do anyway.

Oh, I took a pic today: some rows of those oats with rows of field peas between. They were planted about 10 days ago.

Johnny's https://www.johnnyseeds.com/ seed offers cover seed winter and summer mixes, and farm seed.

Also have a great catalog!