You've probably been receiving a passel of garden-seed catalogs in the mail the last few weeks. If you are like most gardeners, you have boon pouring over the pages, making lists of crops and new varieties to try this year.

A wonderful resource for garden seeds, both edible and ornamental, are local garden clubs. Many garden clubs have seed swaps each spring. In addition to being a great resource for answering your gardening question, these swaps may offer seeds that have been grown in your locality for many years. It takes a number of generations for a plant to acclimatize to a particular locale, but plants grown from these seeds will have characteristics that make them stronger and better producers then plants sown from seeds raised in another area of the country.

You can learn about organizing your seed collection, starting seeds indoors and how to start your garden earlier in the spring, by reading these articles:

'Savvy Seed Care'
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic_Gardening/2006-12-01/Savvy-Seed-Care

'Seed Starting Basics'
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic_Gardening/2006_December_January/Seed-Starting-Basics

'Use the right Light for Seed Starting Success http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic_Gardening/2004_February_March/Use_The_Right_Light_For_Seed_starting_Success

'Garden Know-how: Extend Your Garden Season'
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic_Gardening/2007-02-01/Garden-Know-how