Hoarding is a way of life for Katie Flickinger, and it’s paying off. Dedicated to the mission of propagating heirloom seeds from a diverse variety of fruits, vegetables, flowers and herbs, seeds from more than 800 varieties of vegetation flood an entire room, floor to ceiling in her Livonia home...and she continues to collect.
Through her on-line business gardenhoard.com, the master gardener offers homegrown seeds, while providing her consumers with the knowledge and tools to grow healthy, safe produce and beautiful flowers. All seeds come from the gardener’s own seed stock, grown organically from seeds that have not been genetically modified.
“We’re losing some of our most favourable and nutritional fruits and vegetables,” said Flickinger, explaining that 97 percent of original varieties of fruit and vegetable seeds have been lost since 1900. So many have disappeared, we’re trying to keep them alive,” said Flickinger who’s husband Christian, a systems administrator by day, often helps Katie in the evenings and on weekends.
Farming 1.5 acres encompassing five properties in backyards and community gardens in Commerce Township, Redford, Walled Lake and her own property in Livonia winter involves the massive task of collecting, drying, cleaning and storing thousands of seeds by hand. From November to April, gardenhoard.com offers free seeds for the cost of postage on older seeds that are not viable enough to sell, but still have a decent germination rate.
Read the entire story about Katie Flickinger at theoaklandpress.com
