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)

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:

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

Good seeds not specifically mentioned in the rule book

• Amaranth (C)
• Canola or rape seed (X)
• green, red and French green lentils (C)
• popcorn (C)
• quiona (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.

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.

Official questions answered

Questions about what is allowed and not allowed are answered by the Minnesota State Fair's Division of Farm Crops Superintendent. The rule book for the Minnesota State Fair's Agriculture-Horticulture-Bee competitions (that includes Crop Art) is available by writing to:

Minnesota State Fair
Minnesota State Agricultural Society
1265 N. Snelling Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55108-3099

Ask for the "Ag-Hort-Bee Rules and Premiums." Write to them by May, and you will probably receive your booklet in July of the same year. More than enough time to prepare for the August Crop Art Exhibit deadline.

The official Ag-Hort-Bee rule book is also available online (You will need Acrobat Reader), at the State Fair's web site, www.mnstatefair.org.