Urban Farmer Website - Page 2

Worth1 · February 24, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fred Hempel

Now they have taken down the Lucky Tiger photo they "borrowed" from Johnny's and they have replaced it with a Green Tiger photo from AP Whaley Seed. Good grief.

http://www.ufseeds.com/Lucky-Tiger-Tomato-Seeds.item

So now they have robbed Peter twice and still haven't paid Paul.

Worth

epsilon · February 24, 2014

you'd think with all the people out there they would just take a picture of their own grow outs and post pictures, this isn't like the past where no one had a semi high res camera phone that can pull some pretty nice professional photos straight out of the pocket.... Or is this an admission that they don't actually grow their own toms to begin with?

Doug9345 · February 24, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by epsilon

Or is this an admission that they don't actually grow their own toms to begin with?

You got it.

Most likely they buy a wholesale quantity form Johnnies, repack it and resell it.

Fred Hempel · February 24, 2014

There is no way they could have grown their own Lucky Tiger. We just released it via Johnny's this winter. If they have bona fide Lucky Tiger seed, they bought it from Johnny's. There is no other possibility.

Quote:

Originally Posted by epsilon

you'd think with all the people out there they would just take a picture of their own grow outs and post pictures, this isn't like the past where no one had a semi high res camera phone that can pull some pretty nice professional photos straight out of the pocket.... Or is this an admission that they don't actually grow their own toms to begin with?

epsilon · February 26, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fred Hempel

We just released it via Johnny's this winter. If they have bona fide Lucky Tiger seed, they bought it from Johnny's. There is no other possibility.

Ahhh I see now, ok.

they're the special kind of stupid.

Doug9345 · February 27, 2014

I assumed that they were reselling luck tiger seeds. I hadn't considered that they could be selling some other seed and calling it Lucky Tiger.

surf4grrl · April 15, 2014

If you only knew how many "seed sites" are re-selling from the same seed contractors. Fred, sorry you are getting ripped off. I think breeders should get a royalty - I myself am not sure how I feel about PVP's, but clearly if there is a PVP, they are violating it and there ought to be consequences.

heirloomtomaguy · April 15, 2014

Pvp's are important in protecting seed varieties from plant breeders who put in years of hard work to select and stabilize a cross. Its the big biotech companies like you know who that make Pvp's a thing we all hate. For me if the cross happens the way nature intended it,with a little help, then its all good and fair to protect it.

RebelRidin · April 16, 2014

And here is a street view pic of their customer service address....

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=4105+...ed=0CCUQ8gEwAA

RootLoops · April 16, 2014

street view is crazy! it's like you could almost holler in one of the windows

Fred Hempel · August 4, 2014

I see that now Urban Farmer is classifying our Tiger and Bumble Bee lines as F1 hybrids.

They say this is where they get their seed from:

At Urban Farmer we produce over 40+ varieties of seed each year from our farm in Westfield, Indiana. We always select the best strains of the varieties we grow, resulting in higher yields, uniform growth, and delicious flavor. Our goal is to preserve as many heirloom vegetable varieties for future generations as possible. In addition to producing seed on our farm in Indiana we work closely with with a network of growers both in Indiana and across the United States to produce seed for us.

It seems to me that if they were truly sourcing their seed from farmers (or growing it) they would know that our released varieties are not hybrids. But since they are re-packaging seed purchased from Johnny's, they obviously have no clue -- even though Johnny's does not label our varieties as F1 Hybrids.

Fred Hempel · August 4, 2014

In addition to their stated goal of "preserving heirloom as many heirloom vegetables as possible for future generations..." blah blah blah they seem to also have a goal of buying and re-selling seed as fast as possible, even when it means they don't have time to pay attention to what it is that they are selling.

Please do not buy my varieties from these folks.

Fred Hempel · October 11, 2014

Urban farmer is still calling the bumble bee varieties F1 Hybrids.

Note: Urban farmer has corrected the error on their website.

Fred Hempel · October 12, 2014

I received a note today from Noah at Urban Farmer. They have corrected their website, such that the Artisan cherry tomatoes are no longer listed as F1 hybrids.

While I still think their previous error likely sheds light on how "connected" they are with some of the varieties they sell, and how connected they are to seed producers/production, they are certainly well within their rights to sell Artisan cherry tomato seed.

I have made my points, and I will leave Urban Farmer to run their business without additional comments from me.

RJGlew · October 12, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fred Hempel

...they are certainly well within their rights to sell Artisan cherry tomato seed.

I have made my points, and I will leave Urban Farmer to run their business without additional comments from me.

Glad that all of this has been cleared up.

April 16, 2014	#24
RebelRidin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Maryland's Eastern Shore Posts: 993	And here is a street view pic of their customer service address.... https://maps.google.com/maps?q=4105+...ed=0CCUQ8gEwAA __________________ George _____________________________ "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is it’s natural manure." Thomas Jefferson, 1787

August 4, 2014	#26
Fred Hempel Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Sunol, CA Posts: 2,723	I see that now Urban Farmer is classifying our Tiger and Bumble Bee lines as F1 hybrids. They say this is where they get their seed from: At Urban Farmer we produce over 40+ varieties of seed each year from our farm in Westfield, Indiana. We always select the best strains of the varieties we grow, resulting in higher yields, uniform growth, and delicious flavor. Our goal is to preserve as many heirloom vegetable varieties for future generations as possible. In addition to producing seed on our farm in Indiana we work closely with with a network of growers both in Indiana and across the United States to produce seed for us. It seems to me that if they were truly sourcing their seed from farmers (or growing it) they would know that our released varieties are not hybrids. But since they are re-packaging seed purchased from Johnny's, they obviously have no clue -- even though Johnny's does not label our varieties as F1 Hybrids. Last edited by Fred Hempel; August 4, 2014 at 02:25 PM. Reason: Added link

October 11, 2014	#28
Fred Hempel Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Sunol, CA Posts: 2,723	Urban farmer is still calling the bumble bee varieties F1 Hybrids. Note: Urban farmer has corrected the error on their website. Last edited by Fred Hempel; October 12, 2014 at 07:49 PM.

February 24, 2014	#17
epsilon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Desert CA Posts: 400	you'd think with all the people out there they would just take a picture of their own grow outs and post pictures, this isn't like the past where no one had a semi high res camera phone that can pull some pretty nice professional photos straight out of the pocket.... Or is this an admission that they don't actually grow their own toms to begin with?

February 27, 2014	#21
Doug9345 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Durhamville,NY Posts: 2,706	I assumed that they were reselling luck tiger seeds. I hadn't considered that they could be selling some other seed and calling it Lucky Tiger.

April 15, 2014	#22
surf4grrl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: field of dreams Posts: 97	If you only knew how many "seed sites" are re-selling from the same seed contractors. Fred, sorry you are getting ripped off. I think breeders should get a royalty - I myself am not sure how I feel about PVP's, but clearly if there is a PVP, they are violating it and there ought to be consequences.

April 15, 2014	#23
heirloomtomaguy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: glendora ca Posts: 2,560	Pvp's are important in protecting seed varieties from plant breeders who put in years of hard work to select and stabilize a cross. Its the big biotech companies like you know who that make Pvp's a thing we all hate. For me if the cross happens the way nature intended it,with a little help, then its all good and fair to protect it.

April 16, 2014	#25
RootLoops Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: rienzi, ms Posts: 470	street view is crazy! it's like you could almost holler in one of the windows

October 12, 2014	#29
Fred Hempel Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Sunol, CA Posts: 2,723	I received a note today from Noah at Urban Farmer. They have corrected their website, such that the Artisan cherry tomatoes are no longer listed as F1 hybrids. While I still think their previous error likely sheds light on how "connected" they are with some of the varieties they sell, and how connected they are to seed producers/production, they are certainly well within their rights to sell Artisan cherry tomato seed. I have made my points, and I will leave Urban Farmer to run their business without additional comments from me.