On Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, at noon, Fedco employees Elisabeth Benjamin and Emily Psenka will reveal a few company secrets when they speak to the Belfast Garden Club in the Abbott Room of Belfast Free Library. The talk is free and open to the public.

Fedco Seeds has been around almost 50 years and offers nearly a thousand varieties of vegetables, herbs, flowers and potatoes (not to mention fruit trees and perennials). Searching for varieties worthy of inclusion in the catalog can be like a treasure hunt.

What's its story, who grows it, will it thrive in northern gardens, and how does it hold up to heat, drought and pests that come with changing climate?

Fedco trials coordinator Emily Pence Psenka and catalog editor Elisabeth Benjamin will share some history of the iconic Fedco catalogs and discuss how a variety makes the cut. Emily Pence Psenka works with seed growers and directs Fedco's variety trials. Elisabeth Benjamin edits the Fedco catalogs. They are both enthusiastic home gardeners.