Quick Navigation
Main Navigation
About Us
Education & Events
Ways to Give & Membership
Preservation
Shop
Stewardship news report
A Biologist
Jim Tjepkema , like many seed saver , garden as a child with his parent . “ My dad always had a garden as I was produce up . I helped some with implant it , ” he recall , “ You have a go at it , my mother liked to do canning too , so we always had canned vegetables and some frozen as well , so that started me out in gardening.1 ”
After graduating from high school , Jim attended Michigan State University , studying Entomology in the School of Agriculture . He continue his education at MSU , research nematodes and their effect on blueberry crops for his Master ’s dissertation . Jim promote his enquiry on nematode worm while obtain his doctorate at Purdue University in West Lafayette , Indiana .
After graduate , Jim worked for a small crop consulting business for several years before opening Prairie Cro Consulting . He later do as the Coordinator for the Rodale Midwest Farmers internet for five years .
Jim shells beans in his backyard.
In 2010 , the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota ’s nineteenth Annual Conference honour Jim with the SFA Distinguished Service Award . “ Jim merited this long - merit laurels due his extended commitment and strong representation of the South Central Chapter and the SFA state organization , as well as for his persistent fundraising efforts.2 ”
Jim get saving seeds in 1983 when he joined Seed Savers Exchange . One of his most well - known form , Jake ’s tomato , is a Tjepkema family heirloom . Uncle Jacob “ Jake ” Tjepkema , was a cheese God Almighty by trade , and an avid gardener and seed - recoverer . When Jim bespeak a edible bean variety that did n’t sprout , Jake direct a love apple that he was tender of in its place . It was a variety that Jake describe as a heirloom from Germany which he ’d produce for 25 - 30 age , but had never list . When Jim start listing it in the Exchange in 1989 , it only seemed appropriate to call it “ Jake ’s . ”
“ My uncle was very proud of have his seed list , ” remember Jim . “ I gave him a copy of that . ”
Jim shells beans in his backyard.
In 2017 , Jim listed listed 81 varieties in the Exchange from a all-encompassing assortment of crop such as bean , amaranth , mustard , soybean , Allium cepa , spinach plant , and many more . You might assume that his wide ground in factory farm and declamatory - scale seed - economy require acre - upon - Accho of ploughland . In fact , Jim and his wife Kathryn , last in the inwardness of Minneapolis where Jim make the absolute most efficiency of their small , backyard garden with lawn space to spare .
The Tjepkema ’s garden is a accurate and orderly maze of vegetable bed border by neatly adjoin greensward . Jim plants both heirloom and hybrid motley , adequately space those which may hybridize - cross-pollinate one another .
He provides plenty of blossom and herbs to attract pollinating insects , therefore Jim hand - builds isolation cages when he wants to be absolutely certain of varietal honor .
Jim Tjepkema efficiently makes use of every square inch of his Minneapolis backyard.
A upright treillage represent as a privacy screenland along the side yard and provide support for a lush grape vine from a sort arise by the late Elmer Swenson , renowned unpaid grapevine stock breeder from Wisconsin .
Even with this succinct , garden footprint , his garden often produces a surplusage of seeds . That ’s why Jim participates in local seeded player swaps whenever potential . Jim explains that when common people see his mixed bag of germ that , “ Not everybody sympathize what they are , but they do have the musical theme that there ’s going to be some seed available to them there that they might be interested in . So , then I speak to them about keep seeds , and what my seeds are . You know , there are other people there that are offering seed and we impose back and forth and a lot of data gets interchange aside from just convey out some seeds . ”
Jim’s Favorite Varieties
Agate soybeanJake ’s tomato(Available on the Exchange )
Learn More:
picture : JimTjepkema – Jake ’s Tomato
Video : JimTjepkema – Why Save Seeds
This preservation work and story was made possible with financial backing from the1772 Foundation . Originally part of the “ Legacy Donors Exhibit ” feature a group of gardening genius — farmers , creative person , teachers , factory worker , attorney , and homesteaders . In their scanty time , they have tracked down , stewarded — and sometimes saved entirely — extremely rare varieties . Some started out of curiosity , some out of frugality , some in search of the best - tasting tomato . We hope their level will leave you excited , and inspired to get your manus into your garden soil .
Jim’s basement serves as a workroom and seed storage area.
Bios written and video edits by Kelly Loud . interview and correspondence by Katie Gove , Kelly Loud , Sara Straate , Molly Thompson , Tor Janson , Zack Row - Heyveld , and Toby Cain .
Special thanks to : Bill Minkey;David Cavagnaro;George , Jerreth , and Emily McLaughlin;Kathleen and Bryce Plunkett - Black ; Jim and Kathryn Tjepkema;John Coykendalland Ashley Valentine ; Mike Washburn;John Swenson;Ron , Joshua , and Pam Thuma ; Jack Bohannan at Flint Hills Wildlife Refuge ; andRuss Crow .
Bios written by Kelly Loud . telecasting editing by Kelly Loud .
Jim shows off some of the varieties from last summer’s garden.
3094 North Winn RoadDecorah , Iowa 52101(563 ) 382 - 5990
right of first publication © 2025 Seed Savers Exchange . Images on this site are protect by copyright — unauthorised use is not allow .
Seed Savers Exchange is a tax - nontaxable 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of heirloom seeds .
