Since most retail nurseries are resellers and not growers, they are relying on outside sources for most of their inventory. And to be perfectly honest, there are not all that many organic growers, as product is much harder and more expensive to manage organically. Cascade Cuts out of Bellingham is the only organic grower of veggie starts for the retail market I am aware of locally, There used to be another vendor when I was buying for a nursery, but they have since gone out of business. And since most retail nurseries purchase from an assortment of vendors, they may not differentiate between organically grown plants and those that are not, as stock will fluctuate daily in season.

I guess it depends on how dogmatic one is about "organics". To me, it is far more important how I grow the plant to maturity and productivity than it is on how the grower produced it. If I adhere to organic gardening principals in my garden, then I am quite happy to consider that plant and the produce it generates as being 'organic', even if it didn't necessarily start out that way. But if you are rigid in your definition, then growing from organic seeds (not starts) is the way to go.

I am not aware of any growers that produce organically grown fruits for the retail nursery market. They are even harder to maintain via organic methods only.

Sometimes you will encounter organic growers at farmer's markets and plant sales but they all tend to have limited inventory.

Our food coop in Olympia sells organic, locally grown fruit and veggie starts (in season). Perhaps check PCC in Seattle area to see if they have starts?

Burnt Ridge sells lots of organic fruiting stock. If you poke around on their website, including the Tilth resources, you might find other sources. They also have a booth at the Olympia Farmer's Market, so you might want to check with them for the days they will be there in the spring. I believe you can order from them and pick up at the market, instead of mail order or going to their Nursery (but it's a fun visit).

Burnt Ridge

gardengal48 - while I don't think of myself as "dogmatic" and "rigid," since they started breeding insect killers into starter plants, I've come to feel that the start is important - maybe even more important than something I apply myself that can be washed off (though I almost never do - just saying). So, yes, I'm making an effort these days to get organically grown starts whenever possible, even for my ornamentals. It's galling that I'm such a substandard from-seed gardener, since that's the obvious solution.

Thanks, Olychick. I didn't know about the PCC Farmland Trust - that was fun to read through. You're right, I can check those places for starts. It's funny - at the Bellevue Farmer's Market there's usually only a couple of organic farmers. In Eugene, you can't turn around without tripping over one. Bet I could find all kinds of things there! I do plan to make a trip down your way to visit Burnt Ridge and Raintree in the spring. I didn't know I could cut the trip short by stopping at the farmer's market - I may do it that way! I'll see what KIS comes up with this year; they seem to raise some of their own as well as sell what they bring in - that's how I got my comfrey.

My concern is plants that are created with built-in insect poisons. I'm actually much more concerned about the footprint I'm leaving than about the effect on me. Like you, I might use Miracle Gro in a pot, but I try very hard to avoid buying anything that been genetically modified to kill insects, or be treated with neonics,