By Michelle M. Sharp, Founder and Content Creator of Meet the Minnesota Makers
| WHO: | North Circle Seeds | ||
| WHAT: | Organic Seed Farm | ||
| SIGNATURE PRODUCTS: | Culturally Diverse Organic Seeds for Farm or Garden | ||
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WHERE: SOCIALS: WEBSITE: |
Vergas Facebook @northcircleseeds and Instagram @north_circle_seeds |
“To be a seed saver is to be an optimist.”—Zachary Paige, North Circle Seeds Farm
Without seeds, there is no food, no growing things to sustain us.
Seeds are part of an eternal cycle of sprouting, growing, yielding, harvesting, preserving, and planting. 
North Circle Seeds Farm in Vergas, Minnesota cultivates dozens of organic seeds for gardens and farms throughout the upper Midwest. Led by Zachary Paige, North Circle Seeds (NCS) commits daily to creating an ecologically diverse, equitable, and inclusive food system. “We are a small company focused on adapting seeds to our area and stewarding different varieties that other companies don’t carry,” states Rachael Roisum, a longtime volunteer at the farm.
Seed Saving Collaboration
NCS produces dozens of regionally-adapted, certified organic seeds. They sell seeds by the packet, ranging in quantity from 25 to 200 depending on the plant. The farm specializes in hard neck garlic, 
growing about 12,000 heads a year. Some of their specialty peppers, many originating from Mexico, now add flavor-packed bursts to the farm’s signature hot sauce. Popcorn and garlic salt are available for immediate gratification while you wait for your seeds to sprout.
When asked what motivates him, Zachary explained how NCS seeks seeds that grow well in northern climates, are flavorful, and high yielding enough to be economically viable for a farm. “Our customers know when they buy our seeds that they’re getting something reliable that is not only unique and rare, but also actually can be used as food. I love hearing what people cook with their friends and family.”
Collaboration with diverse Midwestern communities to increase access to culturally-important foods through seeds is a core element of NCS’s mission. “The way we select the seeds that we grow is just meeting people in our area, because there’s people from all over the world that live in Minnesota. We work with communities to develop the seeds for crops that they can’t find here,” states Zachary. “We adapt the seeds to our region. The seeds adapt just like people from all over the world adapt to our shared community and cultures. Being able to offer those seeds is vital for our food system. Also, it’s just a lot of fun to share and have meals together.”
Growing Independence
Buying seeds from an independent farm like NCS allows for greater plant diversity and individual empowerment through programs like their Seed School.
In partnership with the Sustainable Farming Association (SFA), NCS leads immersive trainings to teach participants all things seed saving from sourcing through to cleaning, storage, and testing. These trainings enable participants to learn to successfully save seeds for their own operation, likely saving those varieties that are best suited for their growing conditions. “I find it really important to have seed savers of diverse backgrounds come together to learn from each other,” explains Zachary. “It’s a circle of seeds, a circle of life, and a circle of community. We grow and learn together.”
North Circle Seeds hosts its Seed School utilizing its own community Seed House as the central hub. Built in 2023, classes at the Seed School include access to all the seed saving tools and equipment for participants to harvest and process seeds from NCS’s farm.
Seed School workshops encourage attendees to bring their own seeds to clean and process or even to share with other participants. “This natural sharing of seeds includes others in food traditions that may be new to them,” says Zachary. “Storytelling is part of seed sharing. This is how we learn from each other’s experiences.”
In addition to leading NCS, Zachary works for the University of Minnesota Extension programs in the Regional Sustainable Development Partnership (RSDP). His current projects focus on independent grocery stores, especially in rural communities, and the economic impact of farm stands for direct-to-consumer growers. These outreach efforts, along with his service as the Board President of Manna Food Co-Op in Detroit Lakes, put Zachary directly in contact with the farmers who use seeds, the grocers who feed them, and conversations with different communities in the upper Midwest about what they want to cook and eat.
Growing seeds is how our annual food system stays strong and evolves to meet the changing climate and food security demands. “We grow annual and biennial seeds. Those seeds adapt with us every year or every other year. They respond to climate change,” concludes Zachary. “We’re working with nature and nature’s cycle. We have to work in nature’s terms. It’s a slower solution that allows us to learn as we go.”
Get In Touch
Buy seeds directly from North Circle Seeds at https://northcircleseeds.com/collections/seeds
Follow North Circle Seeds on Facebook @northcircleseeds and Instagram @north_circle_seeds. Join their newsletter to get discounts and the latest updates on new
seed varieties. Spread the word about their seed saving classes or sign up for a spot yourself.
Other questions? Contact Zachary at zachary@northcircleseeds.com
This farm feature is published in partnership with Greener Pastures.
Read the full article on the Greener Pastures Website. Greener Pastures is a blog, community, and activism hub in the upper midwest here to make everyday support of humane, sustainable agriculture easy and seamless with your lifestyle.
Visit meettheminnesotamakers.com or follow @meettheminnesotamakers on Facebook and Instagram to discover the farmers and innovators working to strengthen Minnesota’s local food networks. Meet the Minnesota Makers is a news site that connects you to the local food, farms, artists and artisans that make Minnesota thrive.
Photography by Sarah Carroll of Greener Pastures
