FORT HALL, Idaho — Envisioning an organic farm that would help farmers and gardeners “get growing,” Julie Sheen and Tyler Pratt launched Giving Ground Seeds near Fort Hall in southeastern Idaho.

To supply their national and international customers, they sell more than 100 varieties of seeds they have harvested from unusual and heirloom flowers, vegetables, and herbs they grow on their 3-acre farm. They also raise and sell garlic and shallots.

“We always try to add a few new rare varieties each year to our garden and catalog,” Sheen said. “This year, we’re offering short-season cowpeas.”

Since starting their business in 2018, they have catered to those seeking unusual seeds such as wolfpeach purple podded pea, early pink pearl popcorn, frizzy lizzy mustard, Ethiopian kale, sorghum, violet carrots, parsnips, tepary beans, rutabaga, tomatillos, Santorini tomatoes, heirloom red lima beans, lemon cucumber, cowpeas, Hopi red dye amaranth, white horehound and licorice mint.

Their sculpit, popular in Spanish and Italian cooking, is an herb with the flavors of arugula, tarragon and chicory.

“We love growing food and helping grow local sustainable food systems,” said Sheen, who earned a horticulture degree at Utah State University. “We grow and harvest all of the plants ourselves and specialize in seeds that are adapted to mature in short growing seasons, store well, and have some frost tolerance. Bees from our hives keep everything pollinated.”

In December, they test their seeds.

“Most of our varieties far exceed federal germination standards,” Sheen said.

Giving advice is as important as raising robust seeds, said Sheen, who worked as a garden educator at the Learning Gardens Lab in Portland, Ore., as a Learning Gardens Specialist at Lane Community College in Eugene, Ore., and at the USU Student Organic Farm.

“We want our customers to have success,” said Sheen, who offers planting and growing tips specific to the seeds.

To help flower aficionados select seeds, she developed a chart, placing them in several categories: drought tolerant, self-sowing, edible, everlasting as a cut flower, pollinator favorite and perennial.

To grow their hardy seed stock, they rely on “minimal tillage and a winter cover-cropping program to help maintain our soil’s natural excellent tilth,” said Pratt, who earned a bachelor’s degree in renewable energy engineering and a master’s degree in civil and environmental engineering. He has also done permaculture farming in South America, Africa and Southeast Asia.

Recalling her previous jobs organizing horticulture programs for communities and schools, Sheen donates seeds to nonprofits, community and school gardens. Last year, they sponsored the Ogden Seed Exchange in Utah, a nonprofit promoting the growing, saving and sharing of locally grown seeds, including those from heirloom plants.

“We’ll be starting plants in our greenhouse in March,” Sheen said. “We look forward to every new growing season.”