If you’re interested in starting an urban homestead, you should already be acquainted with seed catalogs. In fact, they should be your favorite recreational reading, as well as a key part of your self-education. There are many kinds of organic seed catalogs available – and you should grab as many as you can.

Getting a few organic seed catalogs is a good way to start an urban homestead. An increasing number of urban dwellers are growing at least some of what they eat. Vegetable and herb gardens are springing up in many cities. Chicken farms are becoming increasingly common.

The best way to build a self-supporting farm of any size is to select non-hybrid, non-GMO organic heirloom bulk seeds. Preserved in their purity from a time prior to widespread use of pesticides and herbicides, heirloom bulk seeds aren’t the product of genetic tinkering by some well-meaning corporate scientist. They can be collected and re-used for generations without diminished yield or nutritional benefit. And, most importantly, they grow into food that actually tastes like food, with full-bodied flavor, delectable texture, and full-spectrum nutritional benefits.

What free seeds should you select? Well, the easiest answer would be “All of them” – vegetables and fruits of all kinds and colors. In terms of nutritional density – protein and fiber content in particular – beans are hard to beat for someone looking to build up a supply of cheap bean seeds. Cultivated for millennia in the Western Hemisphere, and even used by some Indian cultures as currency, beans are a low-fuss, high-yield food source. They are inexpensive, easy to grow, simple to store, and hard to mess up even by the least talented cook. All varieties of beans – from pintos to navy beans, from green beans to the much-underappreciated lima — can be prepared in delicious, colorful meals. Planting beans next to other garden staples such as squash and corn – which are also good choices for your bulk seeds collection — will get an urban homestead off on a good start.

Next time you’re at the local farmer’s market, or chatting with a friend who’s a gardening enthusiast, ask about any nearby organizations that might offer free seeds. The chances are pretty good that you’ll find somebody interested in helping you take the first steps toward food independence.