Meet Your Growers

|Lynn Frey

Welcome to our farm! We’re Jesse and Lynn Frey.

In 2020, Jesse found himself sitting in his office, evaluating a patient for mental health concerns, when all of a sudden his entire schedule was wiped clean. Every appointment had been canceled.

It was in that moment we realized we had all our eggs in one basket. I stayed home with our kids, homeschooling them while growing my gardening skills and knowledge. Jesse’s career was our only source of income. At first, we were comfortable waiting out the shutdown to see what would happen—but in the meantime, I doubled down on what I was growing that year. I had just gotten a greenhouse and was so excited to grow everything!

Neighbors and friends caught wind that I had a lot of garden starts—and even flowers—and they told their friends. Before I knew it, I was selling my garden starts! Jesse watched it all unfold and started thinking about a piece of property we’d owned for years but never knew quite what to do with. We decided right then and there to convert that vacant land into big gardens and start growing on a larger scale. We put our heads together, dreamed big, and got to work.

The land was completely raw—no water, no electricity, not even cell service. Jesse turned his “lemons” (unexpected time off work) into lemonade and started clearing trees to prepare the space for our new adventure.

About a year into growing in our new field, I started building a small customer base who loved our fresh produce. The kids and I began a weekly delivery route, and before long we had a rhythm—harvest, package, deliver… repeat. It was wonderful! We even tossed in a farmers market on the weekends.

 

 

 

 

Then came a moment that changed everything. One Sunday, Jesse met a man at church, and small talk turned into a conversation about what we do. Before we knew it, we were being introduced to a couple who grow produce for seed! The idea had never crossed our minds.

 

We quickly arranged to visit their farm, and we were blown away. Growing for seed fascinated me—the best part was that their seeds were heirloom, and each one came with a story. As we walked their farm, we’d stop at each bean trellis or tomato row, and they’d share how they came to have those seeds. Then we’d taste the produce—and I had never tasted anything so good!

Now, I had been growing our own produce for years, but I was completely unaware of the difference heirloom and open-pollinated seeds make. Their produce was so much better.

Fast forward to today—we’re about to begin our fourth year of growing for seed, and we’ve learned so much along the way. We find such joy in growing, harvesting, and sharing these amazing varieties with each of you. Once you try heirloom, you’ll be hooked! Our farm has gone from growing mostly hybrid, commercially bred seeds to growing exclusively heirloom and open-pollinated varieties—and it’s never tasted better.

 

Our growing scale has increased every year, and we now grow in two fields! We still homeschool our kids, and Jesse continues evaluating patients for mental health—though he’s reduced his schedule quite a bit and loves spending more time out in the fields managing the crops.

We’re so excited you’re here and ready to grow with us! If heirloom seeds are new to you, we can’t wait to see what you choose—and for you to taste the difference.

3 comments

Glad to ‘meet’ you. Have been buying from Seed Treasures and look forward to continuing with y’all. You have come highly recommended. My husband and I are “late middle age”…in our later 70s and still grow our own seedlings from places we have learned to respect and look forward to many years continuing that tradition.

Peggy S Barrett

I am overjoyed that the tradition of Seed Treasures will continue. I will purchase from you as well. Many THANKS!! Perry

Perry Gingher
I’ve been a seed buyer from Seed Treasurers off and on for several years and will look to buy from you periodically in the future. You all should check out an organization outside Northfield, MN, called Gather and Grow, gatherandgrow.us I’ve known this family for 5 years or so and feel your lifestyles (homeschooling/growing a family economy/Christian perspectives/etc..) seem to fit. Many, many folks have made this a growing ground roots family mission. Check out their website and ask for one of their quarterly newsletters. They only send hardcopies through the mail and are up to sending out 3,000 or so, around the country, the last I heard. They have a lot going own and it’s been exciting to see their growing support. I just read about what you’re doing, check out what they’ve got going on. Best of luck with your home-based business.

Joel

Joel J Johnson

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