I wanted to mention that Artisan Seeds is always on the lookout for new open-pollinated varieties to release. Here an explanation of what we are looking for, and what releasing a new variety with us implies.
1. We are interested in trialing unique new varieties from breeders. Breeding need not mean anything more than recognizing a natural cross or mutation and growing the novel line for a number of generations until it "breeds true"
2. We only want to trial new varieties received from the person responsible for the creation of the line, or the maintenance of a family or cultural heirloom that is not generally available.
3. We only plan on releasing a handful of varieties a year, and once they are readily available elsewhere, we will no longer sell seeds. For example: Maglia Rosa is a variety we bred. We are proud of it, but since it is carried elsewhere, we do not sell seeds for it.
4. The bar is very high. The vast majority of our own true-breeding lines will never be introduced because they fall short. If you are submitting a line to us, for evaluation, please understand that you are essentially entering it into a very tough competition.
5. We want our website (still under construction) to be a simple place to find some of the best new varieties around. We are focused on new introductions, almost exclusively. That's our niche.
6. If we sell the variety you submitted to us, we will pay a royalty on all sales for as long as we sell it. In rare cases there may be a larger seed company that becomes interested in the variety you submit to us (because they see it among our breeding populations). At that point we will inform you as to their interest, and we can discuss potential options.
|