Q – Does a Seed Savers Exchange annual membership run on a calendar year?
A – No, an annual membership in SSE is made up of three publications – the Yearbook, Summer Edition, and Harvest Edition. You can join at any time of the year, and your membership will start with the most recent publication. Once you receive all three publications, you'll receive a notice to renew your membership. In your first year as a member, you may get a renewal notice before a full calendar year has passed. After that, your renewal notice will always come at the same time each year.

Q – I don't have any seeds to share. Can I still be a member of Seed Savers?
A – Yes! We have two types of members: Listed Members and Non-Listed Members. Listed Members are those who list their seeds in the annual Yearbook. Non-Listed Members don’t have seeds listed in the Yearbook.

Q – I have seeds I want to share. How do I do that?
A – By becoming a member of Seed Savers Exchange, you can list your seeds in the annual Yearbook.  Every September we send forms to each member of SSE, which you can fill out with your seed varieties and return to SSE's office by early November.  The information from everyone's listing forms is then compiled into the Yearbook, which is mailed around late January of each year.  If a member sees your listing in the Yearbook and wants to get it from you, they will contact you using one of the forms we provide in the back of the Yearbook.

Q – Do you have to be a member to order from the catalog?
A – No, anyone is welcome to order from our catalog.

Q – What is an heirloom?
A – Heirlooms are seeds that are passed down within families of gardeners from generation to generation.

Q – Is everything in your catalog an heirloom?
A – No, not everything is an heirloom. Some varieties have been developed relatively recently by SSE members. Everything in our catalog is open-pollinated, which means you could save the seeds for re-planting and get a predictable result (provided you’ve followed instructions for isolation distances, if need be).

Q – What can I grow in my climate?
A – Many of SSE’s employees are gardeners, but we all live and garden in northeastern Iowa. Another forum participant may be able to help you out, but you may also want to contact your local Agricultural Extension Office. Each state in the US has an office at its land-grant university along with local or regional offices, staffed with experts who know the region. Check your phone book’s County Government section for your local office.

Q – How do I save seeds?
A – Each plant type works differently. Some are very easy, others are more difficult. You can post your specific question in the “Seed Saving” category of the forum. Or, if you are looking for more detailed information or information about multiple types of vegetables, we recommend the book “Seed to Seed” by Suzanne Ashworth (available at http://www.seedsavers.org/prodinfo.asp?number=B579).