Comments regarding Heirloom Acres Seeds

Posted on April 16, 2012, updated April 24, 2012
Posted on April 15, 2012, updated April 16, 2012
~*SPOILER: Underfilled Bulk Sizes*~

*sigh* I have ordered from Heirloom Acres Seeds for years. I would say that all years prior have been a "Neutral" experience, with LONG waits for my seeds and frequent back-orders. I have stuck with them for the nice selection and great prices. But frankly, I am getting a little worn. This year I decided to try and contact them about the wait on my order. The order was placed on March 8th. I contact them on April 2nd. No reply. On April 13th my order arrives, for the most part. Only three backorders. I figure that I am happy to have the large majority of my order.

BUT WAIT! I ordered several packets in OUNCE weights. I don't have a scale, and for the most part things seem right... Except for my California Giant Zinnias and Detroit Dark Red Beets. By hand-test they just seem SOOOO light, and upon peeking inside they have about as much as I would expect from a big-box-store packet(i.e. enough for a scanty row). ~***In comparison to my other "ounces", these are absolutely short.***~ This is NOT something I have experienced from them before, and am hoping that it is just a fluke of a busy season. I contacted them today, and am awaiting a reply. This review may shift to neutral in the event I get a timely reply regarding what to do about my underfilled seeds.

I have always given this company the benefit of the doubt, and patiently awaited the tardy arrival of my seeds. Quite sad to see the myriad of negative comments here... Customer service has got to be the EASIEST thing to improve, especially with a family owned/run business. *tsk tsk*

My husband chimes in when I say I don't want to order from Heirloom Acres again with, "But I love their radish mix! It's the ONLY thing I'll ever order from them again." Narrowly saved by the Chow Chow Blend.

very slow, but worth supporting because seeds are sourced from small scale producers, not monsanto.
seeds arrived three weeks to the day after order was placed. i asked to receive backordered items (or a refund) from last year's order, and did, but i'm not sure i would have unless i asked. great prices, and quality seed. just super slow and somewhat sluggish to communicate. feels like playing roulette with the frequency of backorders.

Posted on November 10, 2010, updated November 18, 2010
In May 2010 I order 47 items. They shipped 40 of the items on May 25, 2010. After several weeks, I contacted them about my back order. A few days later I received 2 more items. I waited several more weeks before following up with them about the rest of my order. They no longer respond to my inquiries or my requests for a refund. My total order was $80.90. The value of my back order is $26.70. This has been a very frustrating experience. Their website gives one the impression that they are Christians. The way they conduct their business proves otherwise.

Shipping is very very slow, but all seeds arrived in time for planting season. If you know that, allow extra time for shipping.

Germination on mortgage lifter tomatoes 30 %. Germination extremely slow, plants are weak and very slow growing. I suspect old seed, since I've never heard anyone call mortgage lifter a delicate finicky plant.

Germination on pepper seeds 30%, plants are fine and strong.

Germination on Baby Bear pumpkins 100%, plants are strong.

Germination on sugar baby pumpkins 60%. Germination slow plants are very delicate. I lost about 1/2 of them after they were up.

It's not me. My germination on peppers from another source is 100%. Tomatoes from other sources are 100% on almost all of them. Very rarely perhaps 1 seed won't germinate.

I'm germinating on a heat mat with a thermostat, plus a soil thermometer that is checked multiple times per day. Grow light is used as soon as seedlings sprout. I'm not just throwing seeds into the garden and forgetting about them, then not understanding why I don't get plants.

I really wanted to give this company a good rating and while I did receive my order, two items were back ordered. No response from Heirloom Acres, so I am doubting that I'll be getting my order completed. (I requested substitutions for those missing tomatoes if they could not supply the ones I paid for.)
Of the seven tomato varieties: two were not received and one is showing no signs of germination...very disappointing. I will be looking for another supplier.

I have ordered from them for the last 3 years. I love the selection they have. I have had problems with back orders. How ever I have always received my items. Honestly it always gave me a warm fuzzy feeling ordering from them. And I don't care if I'm lied to if it makes me feel good. With all the corruption and evil energy out there these days. These people are not so bad. And I will continue to do business with them until they no longer exist. =)

These folks are struggling from too much business and I personally think they are a bit out of bounds to continue to take money when they can not supply their customers within a reasonable shipping timeframe or even comply with the worst case of 2 weeks as stated on their site. Families are depending on gardens this year and every week that goes by with no seeds is a loss of food and resources. I finally got my seeds after nearly 3 weeks. After three emails and several dozen calls (that all resulted in busy signals or a silly answering machine that said "answer off" and hung up) I finally got someone on the phone by calling early Saturday morning.

She was direct but cordial and told me they were running 4 weeks on shipping. I was as polite as possible but I did suggest they edit their website to let ppl know they were running 4 weeks instead of the questionable statement that delivery was "rarely longer than two weeks"

Within five days of my call, I received most of what i ordered but did not get a few of the seeds. It was stated that they were back ordered or "credited", although I have not confirmed any credit.

Their seeds look good and they did express mail them, however these ppl are apparently just understaffed for the volume they have. I think buyers expect to get seeds faster than 3 or 4 weeks.

Very frustrating not to be able to easily communicate with them and that only adds to fear and speculation.

Bottom line: order from someone else unless you can handle a lengthy delivery cycle. Heirloom acres....my advice to you is to communicate better with your buyers.

Think I know why you buyers are having problem with Heirloom Acres Seeds.

As an old retired farmer from the south part of Mo. and now enjoy gardening, and visit Daves Garden

site almost daily and also read Daves Watchdog site and keep seeing all the negative feedback

from buyers about Heirloom Acres Seeds. I thought I just have to take a look at this companys site so I

pulled up thier web site and thought what a beautiful setting, beautiful big red barn in the back ground of a family

photo of a family with a story of thier kids learning values, and all the bible quotes, WOW!

Was getting ready to taking a trip up to north Missouri any way so just decided to take a different route and take a look

at the beautiful country side and see this company with so much negative feedback. After getting a Mo. map, printed off

the info from their web site along with the photos, names and location

took off on a side trip going up Hwy 54 for a change just to take a look. It was a lovely trip up through the Lake Of The Ozarks

and New Bloomfield, Mo. was easy to find, it’s a nice little town of just under 600 people ,

all of which were very friendly and INFORMATIVE! They directed us out

of town about 4 miles where we were looking for that pretty red barn and the fields

of Heirloom Acres. Did think it was strange there was no other large farms around and no large barns.

It was a beautiful day but after driveing around and not finding the business or a sign, decided to ask some of the

people working in their yard in the area so stopped and inquired again where we might find Heirloom Acres Seeds.

The area people were happy to point out the old building about a block away. Cant be Heirloom Acres Seed Co, look

at this info from the internet! Look at that red barn and there is the family. Yes that the Kirks and Yes that the seed co.

That pretty red barn shown in their ad, NOT, in fact it is a small, very run down old building which the people said at one

time was an old church built in the 1800’s with a Porta Potty out back setting on maybe [?] an

acre of land and an old junker pick up truck parked beside it.

THAT CAN'T BE IT, where is the beautiful red barn and all the fields that grows all those many seeds.

Again continueing to question the neighhood people, IF they were SURE that was Heirloom Acres Seed Co

they assured us it was. Seems some of the neighborhood kids work there after school packaging seeds along with

their own 4 young girls they are teaching "values". So have to accept the fact that the people know where thier kids

work after school.

There is no big red barn and there is no fields they work in, just sounded like a lot of children

trying to keep up with all those orders. Could be why the people are having problems getting thier orders.

What an interesting day, and what a lesson learned, but was well worth the detour.

Just shows that anyone can make an internet site look great.

Wonder where all those “heirloom” seeds do come from?

Great selection and prices but way too slow on delivery.

I sent my order for seeds in on Janurary 11, 2007. I just received the seeds February 15th. I was beginning to think
they had lost my order. I start all my seeds inside in a grow
light unit to get an early start on my plants for spring. Glad I
didn"t wait until March/April to order the seeds!
Seed packets were well marked with germination percentages listed. The catalog has a great selection of
vegetables and limited flower seeds. I order only flower
seeds for my needs. Good seed information and prices.

This year I decided to order from Heirloom Acres for the first time. The catalog is a bit lackluster but if it helps them to cut down on costs. My only complaint is that they don't give you a free packet of seeds like a fellow Missouri seed company does. The prices are not bad.