Comments regarding Heirloom Acres Seeds

It has been almost 3 weeks from when I placed an order, and I have not received it - or any communication from the company. I've emailed twice and called once in the last few days - nothing. Their website says it "rarely" takes more than 2 weeks for orders to ship.

I've gone out and purchased some of these seeds, unfortunately as hybrids, locally, because I needed to get them in the ground this week.

I won't order from Heirloom Acres Seeds again.

The Service:
These people are very slow, and apparently have no way to keep track of orders (they bill you the day of the order though, whether the product is in stock or not). I placed my order on Jan 22, 2008. After numerous emails in the first week in February, they finally shipped it on the 14th. After getting it around the 18th and sorting through everything, I didn't have about 10 seed varieties out of the 30 or so that I had ordered. I emailed back about it and they apologized and said they would correct it. After a month of sitting on it, they shipped a 2oz package of soy to me that I didn't order to begin with on March 17, 2008. I emailed them back a few more times until about April and they just ignored me. I eventually gave up on getting the seeds or the roughly $15 back for the packages they didn't send.

The Seeds:
The summer squash, blue corn and broccoli seeds were excellent, the rest were mostly mediocre with about 40% germination, with the beans being utter trash that likely introduced a fungus to my garden. I definitely didn't get my $90's worth out of the deal.

I originally spoke with Mr. (Thom) Kirk on Friday, May 2 in the afternoon when their website "ate" my order. I made the order to him, he verified that they had received it on their end, AND that everything was in stock. He told me that it would ship mid-week "next week." That would have been approx. Wednesday, May 7.

I hadn't received anything, even an email, by Sunday, May 11, so I emailed them via their website. No response.

I telephoned and left a message inquiring after my order on Wednesday, May 14. No response.

I sent a second email Saturday, May 17. This one stated that I "was thinking very strongly of posting" my experience with them on the Internet gardening forums in which I participate. Nope, not even an email that "We're working on it."

So I went to a highly-recommended source on the Internet and ordered most of the seeds I had previously requested from HeirloomAcresSeeds. My second order--from the other company--arrived Friday, May 23. Wow.

I had given up on HeirloomAcresSeeds and was just waiting for my credit-card statement to come in to make sure there wasn't a charge from them on it.

So, on Tuesday, May 27, the order TA-DA! arrives in the mail. No note of apology, no "good-will" packet even of tomato seeds, no reason for the communication freeze-out. Nothing by way of explanation. The complete order of seeds and tubers was in the envelope, together with a print-out of my order and my charge-card receipt.

But, on further review, I saw that my credit card had been charged way back on the 2nd of May--three weeks before the order shipped!

I am so glad I found this Garden Watchdog in the meantime so I can share my poor service experience with others. It's really too bad--the Kirks have a tremendous variety of plant seeds and tubers--but if they can't get their order fulfillment together, they need to

1) hire some help or
2) affiliate with an order-fulfillment firm so they can concentrate on the growing part.

Meanwhile, I'll let others give HeirloomAcresSeeds their money and see whether their ratings here improve.

I do not think ANYONE should ever take payment without delivering services. This is exactly what Heirloom Acres Seeds did. Our payment with VISA was processed 05/15/08, and today we still had not received our order. Being 05/23/08 that makes 8 days since we paid for our order. I called them today and the lady that answered the phone seemed to have no idea where my order was, other than saying "It's probably right behind me, ready to be shipped. We are running about 10 days behind". Would have been nice to hear something earlier about this problem. I called them yesterday (05/22/08), asking why we had not yet received our shipment, and heard nothing back from them. Judging from the dialogue between that lady and me, I feel it's safe to say that I would have NEVER heard anything back from them. They made indeed bitten off more than they could chew, as far as running a business goes. I can forgive that. I can not forgive anyone taking my money without giving my produce at that moment, or at least delivering it within a day. I call that stealing.

Excellent service and prices.
Seeds arrived quickly and were packed nicely and were very well labeled. I emailed several questions about my order and was promptly answered by Thom Kirk.
Great company, I would not think twice about buying from them again.

Great selection, great prices, good germination, but very poor and extremely slow service.

I ordered in early January, and after over six weeks emailed to check the status of my order (that I had already been charged for). A few days later, I finally received my package (minus the backordered items), and not until nearly a week later did I receive a response to my email, stating that my order had already shipped (though it hadn't when I sent the email, according to the postmark... they waited until after shipping to respond to me).

I had also requested they cancel & refund any backordered items, and in the email I was told they did not know if any items were backorderd (two were and at this point are not worth the hassle of trying to get a refund).

Next year I will gladly pay higher prices and get all my seeds in time for planting. But if you order very early and have the time and patience to go back and forth with them to ensure your order gets shipped and that they don't hold the entire thing for one backordered item, then it's a pretty good deal.

we ordered our seeds in jan and was told the exact date it would be shipped out we recieved our order with in 4 days of the date they said they would ship the seeds all grow and would send anyone else there

Ordered seeds on 1/26/08 and just recieved them 2/23/08.

I knew I might be in for a wait when I placed the order to start with (which is why I ordered so early), but at the time, the orders were having a very quick turn around. The prices were VERY good, so I took a shot. I sent an email around 2/20/08 to find out where my order was because the website was saying that the orders were only taking 2 weeks to ship due to the (now) high volume. They were very fast in replying and let me know that my order should have just gone out.

Looking at my order, it appears the cause for the delay in shipping was that 2 items were backordered. To make up for the delay, they gave me a couple double packets of seeds (so it is something I can USE). While it would have been nice to have someone tell me the reason for the hold up, from a buisness standpoint, with hundreds of orders they get, I understand that just wouldn't be doable. The quick response to the email and the extra USEABLE seed, IMO, does make up for it.

So long as you can plan ahead and order early, I will still buy from them.

I've been ordering from them for several years. Never had a problem with timely shipping, or with germination rates. I like to spread my seed $ around some, but there are a few companies that I *always* order from. This is one of them.

First time I ordered (last year), no problem. This year took a very long time to receive seeds, had to ask for them. Amount charged was different than total in confirmation email. Two seeds were back ordered and was told they would ship asap. Had to ask about the back ordered seeds just the other day (ordered in May) and was told they should be in in December. Company has dropped the ball big time.

My first order with them weren't that great because they didn't give me enough seeds on certain seed pkts, but I emailed Mr. Thom about it. He emailed me back with an apology and explaination and in less than a week I got my replacement and some.

My next few orders were perfect!

I ordered from Heirloom Acres Seeds for the first time. The entire experience has been well beyond my expectations. The seeds all arrived in a single large box and I was able to start planting just 2 weeks after ordering. After only 1 week in the ground... seedlings are sprouting in the garden already! I also ordered some herb plants, strawberry plants, and asparagus crowns. All of the plants were perfectly and carefully packed. They also are doing great! Also...their customer care is timely and gracious. I have called several times with questions and was met each and every time with patience and reassurance. I look forward to many years of continued business with this company and its staff.

This was my first time ordering from Heirloom Acres and I was impressed with the service. I ordered both individual packages of seeds and seed collections. They were out of one type of seed in one of the collections and sent me a refund check. I would have preferred a substitution instead of the check but no big deal. And the shipping was very fast. I ordered online and they must have sent the seeds out the next day! I just planted the seeds tonight so will have to wait and see how they do but for now, I'm very pleased.

Placed two separate orders a week apart - after multiple emails, finally received both orders SIX weeks later....
Buyer beware! I will NOT order from this company again....

Good seed at great prices, but having waited over a month to receive my seeds two years in a row makes me unwilling to order from them again.

Last year I ordered late and so was patient knowing they are farmers, too, and were busy. But, I eventually e-mailed asking if I would ever receive my order. Their explanation was that they were holding my entire order for one back ordered variety. Well, I ended up getting the seed too late to plant most of it. What I did plant last year was mostly good, although some of the seed was substandard.They were apologetic, so I decided to give them another try.

It has been four weeks since I ordered, and I have not received my seed. The three other companies I ordered from sent my seed within a week. I called today and was told that they are running three weeks behind. I asked them to cancel my order if it had not shipped yet, as it is too late to start most of the seeds. The lady I was talking to checked her shipping log and told me that my name was not on it. Then she told me, "But my shipping log is innaccurate." She is supposed to call me tomorrow.

My impression is that this company has grown too fast and has not kept up organizationally. In this day of instant gratification, they need to update their systems and get more help if they want to compete. If they don't want to compete they should make it very clear in their catalog that you should not order from them if you need your seed within a month.

Their service was about what I expect for a family operation. The seeds all had good gernination rates stated on the package. Will be sowing them soon and will find out how they do for me. The seeds were well packed. I will buy from them again when I need the seeds they offer. They offer some ground cover ect. that many do not. Highly recommend.

There prices are low but their service is slow. It took over a month to receive my order. They responded to my email quick enough but i would rather had my seeds so i could go ahead and plant. I donot know how good their seeds will germinate but i hope better than their service.

First of all, they lost my order! Now, i've started 3 different types of seeds from them with zero germination. If I had started these in the garden, I might have thought other variables, but these were put under lights. Just to make sure, I tried the seeds on a wet paper towel, NO germination. Havent recieved a reply to my e-mail, but this was my first and last order to this company. I think its buyer beware here.

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.

I ordered almost all my seeds for 2006 season from Heirloom Acres. I was very pleased with the service and pricing. Packages contained so many seeds that I'm not needing to order much this year. I experienced good germination rate & no problems whatsoever. I will definitely order from this company again.

After 35 days and many different explanations, I had to cancel my order. I was told that the seeds had shipped at 2 different times on 2 separate email inquiries. They couldn't get their story straight nor could they get my shipping address correct. I was also told, "We do run about 2-3 weeks behind during the height of our season with seed orders unless the customer requests immediate shipment. I wish we had known that you needed the seeds so quickly." I found out later that they hadn't even shipped the seeds for at least 20 days after my confirmation. At the time I ordered my seeds, I wasn't in a hurry. I thought I had ordered in plenty of time. I have never ordered from a company that took 3 weeks to ship seeds at any time of the year. All told, this was a great waste of time. To their credit, I was told I would receive a full refund. I would have rather received the seeds in a timely manner.

Ordered from Heirloom Acres Seeds once and was very pleased. This based on a friend's recommendation. Based on that experience ordered again this year and received confirmation within 24 hours. Expect same fast, quality service from this family owned/operated business. Have compared prices and they are very very reasonable.

Received seeds in reasonable amount of time but seeds were mixed in bags and germination rates were poor.
Some seeds did not seem true to type of breed.

I ordered a few packs of seeds this morning but noticed I had made a mistake when I printed out the confirmation. I wrote an e-mail, took a quick shower and then when I signed back on, voila, the company had already written back saying he'd correct it for me! Very impressive.

I ordered from Heirloom Acres Seeds for the first time last year and they were wonderful. Their seeds germinated exceptionally well. I remember my zinnia seeds germinated in one day! Their salad greens and lettuce are superb as well. Now that it is time for gardeners to start planning their gardens, I wanted it to be known that Heirloom Acres Seeds is a great company to order from. I stumbled upon them by accident last year; however, this year, as I plan my garden, Heirloom Acres Seeds is the first company I am going to order from.

My second favorite would be Baker's Creek Heirloom Seeds. They were great to work with last year.

As a commercial grower, I really appreciate good service from my suppliers as I try to give my customers...
Heirloom Acres Seeds not only offers good selection and larger quantities but are very reasonably priced.
I am VERY pleased with their service and products -
Yep, we will be doing business regularly, and I confidently recommend them to others!

the heirloom acres are very very good people to
deal with ,every one should give the family a try..
I have done orders with many other companys...
and can give them a A-100 score .....please
give them a try...... kermits and barbs garden...

Terrific seeds! Terrific company on all counts; in addition a safe seed pledge.

Got seeds from them through Penya seeds. Quality good germination rate good as well. Would definately do business with them again. Beware if you are ordering from Penya seeds however to only order seeds that come from these guys. Seeds from seedman.com also available through Penya were not good.

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.

Awesome service and prices. I emailed a question about my order and was promptly answered. Seeds arrived quickly and were packed and labeled well. Great company, I'll buy from them again and again.

I ordered my veggies' seeds from their online catalog. Their website is helpful and they have a pretty good selection and very reasonable prices. Both my orders came very quickly in neat little envelopes hand labeled. All the seeds have germinated so far. I'll order there again.

This was my first year ordering from Heirloom Acres, and it seems sure that I will do so again. So far the germination rate and health of seedlings is just outstanding. Broccoli and cabbage came up literally overnight, and are thriving. So is everything else I've started so far. Germination rates have been near 100%.
Their prices are as low as I have seen anywhere for heirloom seed, and considerably lower than most. The seed packets are simple and small - easy to store - and have useful info. on them (including germination rate).

This was my first year ordering from Heirloom Acres. My order was fast, accurate, and I love how they are very "personal" . Very happy with the quality of seed as well! Things are sprouting fast!

So glad that I found Heirloom Acres Seeds on-line. My seed order for heirloom vegetables arrived within a week. I also ordered their Asparagus plants which will ship at the appropriate planting time. I had specific needs with my order and all were met with friendly satisfying responses.

I found this family company three years ago on eBay and I have loved them ever since. I have never had to call for any problems and you'll receive your order very quickly.

Last spring I used up seeds that were two years old(from my first order) and they were still viable, in fact, the germination rates were awesome for "old" seeds. I had these extra seeds because when the package said 50 seeds, I usually found alot more than that in the packet. I'm also kind of new to gardening so the seeds were not 'properly' stored, just thrown on a work bench in my damp basement.

They started to send out a catalog this year, it is very plain and simple, but the information in there is terrific. I live in zone 5 on a mound of clay and the information they give on the varieties lets me know what plants are worth trying in my garden. Their website is very nice, it contains the info on the different varieties and gives nice planting directions linked directly from each seed type.

This year my seed order came about a week after ordering and included a short note reminding me that the garlic would be coming when it was time to plant.

I think this family is a keeper!

This was the first time ordering any seeds from the internet...I placed the order on 01/19/05 and received them from Heirloom Acres on 01/27/05. The seeds came in a large protective envelope and each packet of seeds had the name, date and germination rate.

I found their prices to be very good--especially for the quantifity of seeds...most of the tomatoes I purchased were about $1 and you get 50 seeds. For $1.50 I got 200 green bean seeds. With this quantity of seeds, I have more than enought to do some trading...what a deal!

Very pleased with service and look forward to planting time.

I just placed my first order with this company and I was very pleased with the speed in which the order was processed and shipped. The selection and prices are both very good in my opinion, and the size of the seed packets could only be described as huge.

I have not planted them yet, so I don't know if there are any problems with germination, but otherwise I would say I got very good value for my money. They germination test their seed, so I am not expecting any problems. I certainly expect to order from them again.

This is the second year that I have purchased from Heirloom Acres and both orders were filled and shipped within days of ordering. Last summer my germination rate for seeds purchsed at Heirloom Acres was very high. Would purchase from again!