How does buying seeds from Hayefield work?

Hayefield is the Bucks County, Pennsylvania, garden and seed shop of writer and photographer Nancy J. Ondra. You buy seeds directly through the online store at hayefield.com: browse or search the seed listings, add items to your cart, and check out. The important catch is supply — Nancy grows, collects, and packs the seeds herself rather than buying in bulk and repacking, so quantities of many varieties are limited and popular items can sell out.

What makes Hayefield seeds different

The shop's own description is the key detail for buyers: every seed offered is grown and collected at Hayefield, not purchased wholesale and repackaged. That has two practical consequences:

• Limited quantities. Weather and wildlife affect how much seed is produced each season, so many listings have small amounts available.
• Freshness tied to the season. Seed-collecting runs through the growing season, and newly gathered seeds are cleaned and packed as quickly as possible — including species that are best sown immediately after collection.

Because of this, the site itself advises grabbing something you want while you can rather than waiting.

How to place an order

1. Go to hayefield.com and open the seed shop.
2. Use the search box to look for a specific seed, or browse the listings.
3. Add the seeds you want to your cart.
4. Review the cart and proceed to checkout, where shipping and taxes are calculated.

The cart page shows a running subtotal, and an empty cart prompts you to start shopping. There is a login option on the site, and a contact page if you have questions before ordering.

Shipping and cost conditions

Shipping is calculated at checkout, and taxes are added there as well. The free-shipping threshold applies to the subtotal, not the total after tax.

What to check before you buy

• Sowing timing. Some species are flagged as best sown immediately after collection, so read the listing before you plan a sowing date.
• Growing conditions. Nancy notes that her information is based on her own experience gardening in southeastern Pennsylvania, and that results in your climate and conditions may differ.
• Toxicity. The site states that it may or may not mention whether a species is toxic to people, pets, or livestock — a lack of mention is not a guarantee of safety.
• Availability. If a variety you want is in stock, ordering sooner is safer than waiting, given the limited quantities.

Where to go for more

Beyond the seed shop, Hayefield hosts Nancy's blog, which she has written since 2007, along with her photography. The site also publishes ordering information, shipping information, and policies on returns, refunds, and reviews, plus an about page for the seeds and for Nancy J. Ondra — useful if you want to understand a variety's background before committing to an order.