Preparation & Planning

If you are collecting seed on land that does not belong to you, you will need to acquire permission from the landowner to collect there. We only purchase seed collected with landowner permission.

Identify the target plant for collection and locations of population occurrences within the site. Estimate the population size and percent of reproductive individuals to confirm the population is large and robust. Determining reproductive individuals is easiest when plants are in flower. Record the location of the population with GPS coordinates, notable landmarks, etc.

Connect with NFFC and Smokey House Center staff to ensure the population you will collect from is sizable and robust enough for collection and confirm species-specific best practices, including proper season, cleaning, packing, and shipping protocol.

Gather the following supplies with you into the field:

• Paper and writing utensils for labelling and recording population and site details

• Envelopes and paper or plastic bags for seed collection

• Tape to secure envelopes and bags for small seed

• Water, snacks, maps, camera, field guide, hand lens, pruners, protective clothing and safety/first aid gear (sunscreen, bug spray, proper footwear, gloves, etc.)

Collection & Labelling

Navigate to the population occurrences and confirm the quantity and quality of plants is appropriate for sustainable collection. Collect no more than 20% of ripe seeds from at least 50 individual plants of varying sizes, following general and species-specific seed collection guidelines. Store cleaned seeds in paper envelopes and fleshy fruits in plastic bags, storing in a dry, cool place and refrigerating if necessary. For more collection instructions, visit our seed collection guidelines page.

Print out the NFFC Seed Collection Information Slip and fill out for each population. Ensure all bags and envelopes are clearly labelled with identifying information.

Shipping & Payment

Mail seeds no more than two days after collection to:

Smokey House Center

Attn: Seed Purchasing Program

426 Danby Mountain Road

Danby, VT 05739

Include your mailing address so we can send payment upon receipt in the form of a check. We ask seed collectors to send us a minimum of 50 seeds per population. See our price list and species of interest list below. Note that we only accept seed during the time of year when a species’ seed is ripe for collection.