This is not a fancy picture but an actual reality

I was about to have the most productive evening of my life, but then the Fedco catalog came. And because of that, I went to the liquor store. And now I am just going to sit and read and sip and enjoy the once-a-year publication which I look forward to the very most.

I have heard plenty of praise for the Fedco seed catalog over the years - on account of its all-around excellent selection of useful and interesting seeds and its ethics in sourcing sustainable stock. But I have not heard near enough about how it's just damn good reading. The plant descriptions are insightful, original, funny, and valuable to someone who knows a little and cares a lot about what they grow. I can never get into those academic cutting edge garden design books... but Fedco is where it's at in garden writing, if you ask me.

The way this catalog is written actually exemplifies what I respect and admire in the world of honorable small business (I should say I don't know what kind of business Fedco is - cooperative, for profit, non-profit, etc. - I'm talking "business" in a broad sense)... I appreciate that the information presented helps me choose what to buy based on the experience of serious farmers and gardeners. Where and how will this do well, and what can I do to encourage it? Fedco is not in the practice of fudging hardiness zones or calling things "the only TRUE BLACK suchandsuch" or inspiring amateur gardeners from the far north to try germinating their very own rainforest exotics. (Which is not to say that pushing boundaries is a bad thing, but false or embellished salesmanship is, and Fedco doesn't do it.) Fedco is honest and vital and (best of all) clever, and for that, I give it my undying devotion.

You can order from Fedco here, but if you use their searchable catalog, you miss out on the paper catalog visuals. Take this porcupine with his popcorn, from the 2010 catalog - isn't your life enriched for having seen this? So put in a catalog request, and revel in the pleasantly plump volume of newsprint when it's delivered. This is what winter is for.

Happy seed shopping, folks.