Photo: Jen Theodore on Unsplash.com

By Laura Durenberger-Grunow - Boreal Community Media - March 26, 2025

What started as a handful of tomato plants in pots on a patio in Minneapolis has now become a woman-owned, cold-climate specific seed company called Taiga Farm and Seed in Duluth. Caroline Hegstrom, owner, founder, and Chief Growing Officer, began her gardening journey like many people, with the "figure it out as you go" and "trial and error" approach. 

"I started my container garden after getting married in Minneapolis. We had no idea what we were doing, but it was a great way to get to know our neighbors," Hegstrom said, laughing. 

She recounted her old neighbor leaning over their fence, "suggesting" things that the couple could do to help their plants thrive. Inspired to grow more, they received some free lumber and built a 10x10 garden plot. "As we continued to grow more, we would stand there with the seed packets in our hands, not knowing what to do. This was before information was widely available," she said, adding examples like YouTube and countless internet resources. This was especially true when it came to knowing about the shorter growing seasons in USDA zones 3 and 4 (a tool used to define geographical areas by their long-term, lowest average temperature). 

Fast-forward a bit, and the timing was right for the Hegstroms to move to Duluth, where they had a larger yard to create a bigger garden. They started a family and continued to increase the things they were growing to accommodate their expanding household. Fruit trees and berries were added to the mix. Over the span of a decade, Caroline shared that the family had learned so much about gardening, growing, and eventually preserving their own food (specifically, growing in a cooler and shorter season than Minneapolis). "If we can do it, anyone can do it," she said. 

Eventually, Hegstrom was inspired to purchase a farm called The Boreal Farm, which she has owned and operated for eight years. Today, Caroline grows certified organic food and flowers, which she offers in a yearly CSA. Through trial and error, she has been able to identify, grow, and sell produce using seeds that thrive in cooler climates, and she wanted to share that knowledge with others. 

 "Over eight million people live in USDA zones 3 and 4, an area that encompasses Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine," she said. However, most seed packets are tailored for zone 6, according to Hegstrom, and available information for growing in a cold climate is lacking. 

Two years ago, Hegstrom created Taiga Farm and Seeds to help fill that resource gap and empower people to grow their own food in zones 3 and 4. Through Tiaga, she offers open-pollinated and tested flower, vegetable, and herb seed collections for gardeners in northern climates. ("Taiga" means "forest dominated by conifers," which is a nod to the farm's name.)

The seed collections include several varieties of seeds and are designed to last a gardener for a season, encouraging whole-season growing. Through the collections, Hegstrom also hopes to help others build up skill levels and create family traditions and values through growing their own food. 

Different-sized collections are available based on the number of people in your household or gardening experience. Each seed packet contains enough seeds to plant your crop and a few extra, leaving room to replant any that don't grow (for whatever reason). "Things happen. You're not to blame. I want to take away any blame people may have for things not growing." 

Each seed packet contains detailed information beyond the typical seed depth, direct sow, plant, and row spacing, etc., including: 

• Soil temperature needed for planting
• Number of seeds per pot
• Succession planting
• Cool weather tolerant
• Open pollinated 
• Plant type
• Average seed life
• Harvesting instructions

If there are still extra seeds, Hegstrom says that is an opportunity to share wisdom and the opportunity for others to grow food. "Share the bounty. Build a local community around food. The key is to come back together and use food to create a strong community," she said. "I want to see people grow food and be successful at it. It's the victory garden mentality. The shortcut is the wisdom of others. Our lives are too short to learn for us to learn on our own. That’s what community is for. To share knowledge," she said. 

To help build a community around growing food, Hegstrom will offer classes, a gardening schedule specific to USDA zones 3 and 4, and other resources via the Taiga website and email list to help anyone in their gardening journey. 

Helping people be successful in growing their own food is a big motivator for Hegstrom. "There's an aging farming group, and fewer people coming on to run farms. Regionally, we're seeing large gaps in farming," she said. "Growing food provides a sense of joy and pride; seeing your family enjoying the fresh food you grew yourself. It's a confidence builder," she added. 

To learn more about Taiga Farm and Seed, visit: taigafarmandseed.com/