Seeds to order

It's funny how things happen.  Last week my friend Gwendolyn was telling me about her sister's crusade against Monsanto.  Then I read Nyack Backyard's post about Monsanto.  Then coming home one day this week, there was a story on NPR about Monsanto and their genetically engineered seeds.  It was fate that I am now thinking about where I buy my seeds.

These are the catalogs I'm going to consider


Abundant Life Seed
Seed Savers Exchange
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds

Here is my problem.  What is the definition of heirloom vs. organic vs. hybrid vs. open pollinated vs. anything else?

There is something called the Safe Seed Pledge
There is the Organic Seed Alliance.  This site has a list of nurseries that sell organic seeds but some of these companies also have hybrids.

What is a poor home gardener to do?

How much more research should I be doing?  And what about the plants that I'm going to buy?  My guess is the local nurseries are buying their seeds from the usual sources - I don't have time to call my usual places and ask the source of their seeds, before I buy their plants.

It's too complicated.