Ep. 61 A Suitcase Full of Seeds – Charlie Watt, Homecoming Seeds
Charlie Watt runs Homecoming Seeds in Northfield, Vermont. His seed journey began in Montana under the mentorship of John Austin, a connection that eventually led Charlie back to his roots in the Northeast with a suitcase packed with high-altitude adapted seeds.
In this episode, Charlie shares the logistical challenges of scaling a seed business from a home garden to a production farm. We discuss the steep learning curve of his first year, including winning a venture capital pitch competition and the logistical hurdles of seed contracting. Charlie also reflects on the meaning of his seed company’s name, and how seed work is a homecoming for anyone looking to deepen their relationship with the land.
In the deep dive, Charlie and I get into growing eggplant seed, a crop that has frustrated both of us. We cover when to harvest, how to speed up eggplant seed extraction and the mysteries of eggplant germination rates.
Enjoy the conversation!
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Episode links Homecoming Seeds Website https://homecomingseeds.com
Homecoming Seeds on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/homecomingseeds/
Charlie’s YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@charliewatt22
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