December 2020 - Quin Shakra - The Plant Good Seed Company
Have you ever wondered what it takes to collect and sell seeds? From the design on the seed packets to the hundreds of contacts needed to collect different seed varieties, it’s a job for a self-motivated, passionate, independent thinker. Meet Quin Shakra, a local seed distributor whose passion for all things seeds has built him a successful company that has made the world a greener place. Originally from Manchester, New Hampshire, Quin made his way to the west coast in the early 2000s, where he has spent the majority of his life. He attended the University of Oregon where his passion for life cycles, the environment, and nature bloomed.
After completing an undergraduate and masters degree in the humanities, he decided to venture to the Ojai Valley. He landed a job at The Farmer and the Cook, a true farm-to-table Mexican restaurant run by local farmer Steve Sprinkel and cook Olivia Chase. In addition to working at the restaurant, he assisted Steve on his farm, Mano Farm, where he learned the intricacies of sustainable, ecological farming. While helping grow the food that stocked restaurants, stores, and farmers markets throughout Ventura County, he gained a respect for the practice of sustainable agriculture.
During their time working together, Steve and Quin built a strong working relationship. “He became a mentor to me,” Quin said, recalling how much he learned from his time assisting Steve on the farm. Despite not having a degree in plant sciences, Quin quickly took to farming and learned how to grow and care for plants through direct experience in the field. When it came time for Steve to retire from managing Mano Farm, he offered it to Quin, who gladly accepted. With the help of two friends, Justin and David, the three took over farm operations, began a Community Supported-Agriculture program, and managed a staff of 10.
While managing Mano Farm, Justin and David began practicing seed saving. It is something they had always been passionate about, and Quin knew very little about, but they went with it anyways. Their idea became reality after visiting a seed saving farm in southern Oregon. They were surprised at what little space was needed to run a seed saving operation. Quin recalls, “They focused on seed production rather than produce production...it’s a great business model because it can be done on a small plot of land.” Having a passion for small-scale, sustainable farming practices, seed production became a main focus for them.
The first seeds they collected came from a Giant Chinese Amaranth, a beautiful plant that yields brilliant decorative flowers. Not only is this plant beautiful, but it is almost entirely edible - the green leaves provide a solid source of vitamins and minerals, and the seeds, when cooked, are a nutritious grain. The team began saving seeds from a variety of fruits and vegetables they grew on the farm, but quickly realized that they were limited in what they could collect. Many fruits and vegetables that grew exceptionally well didn’t go to seed due to the warm southern California climate. Root vegetables, for example, require cool weather to go to seed. If they wanted the seed operation to be successful, they would need to look elsewhere for seed varieties to harvest.
They started building out a network of connections with farmers they could harvest seeds from, and by 2011 they were able to start their own seed distribution company. After almost 10 years in business, The Plant Good Seed Company now offers over 200 different seed varieties from states all over the country. Each seed packet is decorated with beautiful illustrations of the plant the seeds will yield. Goda Trakumaite is responsible for the artistry on the seed packets. She also assisted with illustrating the Adventures in Seed Saving comic book, a helpful guide on how to grow and save squash seeds, which is also one of Quin’s favorite crops to cook with. A PDF version is available for free on his website for anyone interested in trying their hand at seed saving.
When asked about significant obstacles Quin has had to overcome while running his business, he discussed the difficulties surrounding small-scale agriculture. He expressed how challenging it can be to stay afloat in an already saturated market, especially when big name seed distributors have flooded the market. He suggests finding a niche that no one else has covered to find success in this line of work. If he could do anything differently he would play a larger role in direct seed crop production, simply because he misses farming. He hopes to one day get back to it.
When we asked what Quin loves most about his seed company he expressed that seed collecting allows him to “be with the plant for a longer period of time.” He enjoys sharing his passion for seed saving with the community from hosting seed fairs where thousands of seeds are given away to the public, to donating vegetable and fruit seed packets to hundreds of Ventura County students during the 2020 pandemic. Sharing the gift of growing plants from seed is his way of “connecting plants and people,” as he says. “People from all over the country, from diverse geographical, political, and economic backgrounds all share this one thing in common. They are interested in growing a plant from the very beginning.” This mindset keeps him motivated to work towards reaching more people so that they too can experience the joy of growing a plant from seed.
As for his favorite seed variety to grow, that would be catnip, mainly because his cat Ivan loves it. He also enjoys brewing tea from the root of the marshmallow plant. For eating, Quin whips up black eyed peas, cowpeas and red beans twice a week. He’s even provided us a simple, hardie recipe for cooking them below.
When thinking of careers in agriculture, we often overlook those who collect and save seeds. It’s an extremely important and rewarding job that is at the heart of agriculture. Seed saving preserves the food we have come to depend on. So, when spring comes around and you’re thinking of which plants to put in the ground, consider one or two varieties that will go to seed, that way you can share the gift of seeds with your friends and family.
quin’s tips for the best homemade beans
“I tend to make extremely simple dishes. I learned a new way of preparing beans this summer that involves brining [or soaking] them in salt water prior to cooking. It drastically reduces the cooking time and texture of the beans when cooked. I usually make beans twice a week – blackeye/cowpeas and red beans. I cook them with olive oil, a few spicy peppers, and one bay leaf, long and slow until they’re tender.”
