Seeds to use and where to get 'em

Where do you get these exotic seeds?

After each seed I'll put a symbol noting where you can get the seed.

(C) = Food co-ops

(P) = Pet food stores (for bird seed)

(X) = Farmer's seed exhanges (for unusual seeds)

Note: Exotic seeds can also be purchased online. Google the name of the seed and -- good luck!

Good seeds

There are very specific guidelines as to what seeds allowed to make up the entries in the Minnesota State Fair's Crop Art Exhibit.

The main requirement is the seeds should be able to grow in Minnesota -- whether they are grown as a crop or not. The rule book states that "seeds, stems, heads or panicles and fruiting bodies or structures" of the following plants are allowable in Crop Art:

• alfalfa (X)
• amaranth (C)
• barley (C)
• canola or rape seed (X)
• clovers (X)
• common buckwheat (C)
• common forage grasses (X)
  (timothy, bluegrass, bornegrass, and wild grasses, etc.)
• corn (P)
• field peas (C) (X)
• flax (C)
• green, red and French green lentils (C)
• millets (C) (X)
• navy, lima, kidney and other "field beans" (C)
• oats (C)
• pinto beans (C)
• popcorn (C)
• quiona (C)
• rye (C)
• safflower (C)
• sorghum (C)
• soybeans (C)
• sudan grass (C)
• sugar beat (C)
• sunflowers (C) (P)
• wheat (C)
• wild rice (C)

Okay seeds

Processed grains are allowed, but only on 20 percent of a Crop Art picture. These are particularly tempting to use, as there are few small, white seeds.

• Cream of Wheat
• corn grits
• corn meal

The bad seeds

Weed seeds are not allowed.

White rice, sesame seeds, anise, and crown vetch are not allowed.

Weird seeds

There are a couple categories in Crop Art in which you can use "seeds, stems, heads or panicles and fruiting bodies or structures" of forest, tree and shrub plants.