Frequently Asked Questions

If you can login to your account here, www.smallhousefarm.com/my-account, you can change your password by going to “account details” on the left side menu. 

If you can’t login to your account, you can request a password reset here, www.smallhousefarm.com/my-account, and clicking the “lost your password” link at the bottom. It will ask for your username or email, prompting a link to be sent to the email address on the account.

After logging into your account here, www.smallhousefarm.com/my-account, you can click on “orders” to see if the order has been completed or is still processing. When the order is shipped, you will receive an email with the tracking information. If this email didn’t get delivered properly or you have misplaced the email, please contact us and we can look up your order to verify the tracking / delivery status.

We have so many coupon codes that we distribute electronically via emails, digital content, etc. We also have many coupons on printed marketing, included in every shipment of online orders, at events, conferences, etc. If you are looking for a discount for your order, you can get a 10% off coupon is by joining our mailing list: www.smallhousefarm.com/contact-us

We offer free shipping on books and seeds over $20. If your order includes other items, the free shipping can not be applied. Free shipping will automatically apply for orders with BOOKS only. 

For seeds & book orders over $20, use the coupon code: SeedsShipFree, to enable the free shipping offer.

We can not offer local pickup at this time.

Some coupons can not be combined with other discounts/coupons. You should notice a message at the top of the page that tells you that you cannot use that coupon combined with other coupons. 

Some coupons have expiration dates and may not be valid anymore. 

If you are experiencing an issue with your coupon code, please reach out to verify that it’s still active and available, email us at info@smallhousefarm.com

We can not ship internationally at this time. Orders can only be shipped to states in the United States, including Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico.

95% of our orders are shipped via USPS ground advantage or first class mail. If your order includes books only, they will be shipped via Media Mail.

Orders are processed 3-7 days after they are placed. Shipment can take an additional 2-6 days depending on your location in the US. We are in Michigan, how far is your address from us? CA and west coast deliveries can take up to 10 days depending on the time of year, this is out of our control and USPS works as efficiently as possible. Patience dear one. Check the status of your order via the tracking number in your email once your order is shipped. Reach out if you have questions about your order, tracking number, or delivery status, info@smallhousefarm.com

We’re happy to look into rushing your order whenever possible. To best accommodate your request, please let us know your desired timeline, including the specific date you need your order by and how quickly you’re hoping to receive it.

Once we have that information, we can confirm whether a rush timeline is feasible and provide you with the appropriate production and shipping timeframes, as well as any applicable rush fees.

All sales are final. We accept returns for items damaged in transit only, in the form of a refund or exchange. Please contact us if you have questions about a possible return or exchange. info@smallhousefarm.com

To be eligible for a refund or exchange, you must first email us within 7 days of receiving the order to alert us of the damage. Depending on the product involved, we may have you return the damaged items. If a replacement is not available, we will refund the full price of your item back to your original form of payment.

If your package appears to be damaged, please take a photo of it. Email us the photo and describe the state of your delivered package, being sure to let us know if any of the items are damaged or broken beyond use. We will happily replace damaged items at no charge to you, but the photos and information help us file a claim with USPS to also get reimbursed for the damages if they occurred via shipping.

If your package gets lost in transit, we can file a claim with the shipping provider (most of the time USPS). Typically they will wait until 30 days after the original shipping date before they will investigate a lost package. Their investigation can take 2-3 weeks, and most of the time results in nothing. This process is annoying but we will work together to try to solve the issue as quickly as we can. Depending on the order, we may choose to just reship your order out before the package investigation is complete. 

Once an order has been marked as delivered by the United States Postal Service (USPS), responsibility for the package is transferred to the carrier. Unfortunately, this means we are unable to assume liability for packages that are lost or stolen after confirmed delivery.

We recommend contacting USPS directly to report the issue and discuss available options, such as filing a claim or initiating a missing mail search. They may be able to provide additional details regarding the delivery or next steps.

If there is anything we can do on our end to assist with order information or documentation for your claim, please don’t hesitate to let us know, email us at info@smallhousefarm.com

If your order is missing an item or an item was incorrectly shipped to you, please contact us via email and let us know the order # and what item is missing. We compile all orders by hand and occasionally make mistakes, but will get your missing items out to you as soon as possible. Email us at info@smallhousefarm.com

We are not certified organic, but we use organic practices and never use synthetic fertilizers. Some of our seeds can be considered heirloom, which just means that the seed has been passed down through generations within families or communities, typically for over 50 years. Some of our seed varieties may not be over 50 years old. 

All seeds offered are open pollinated, which refers to plants that are pollinated naturally by wind, insects, birds, or self-pollination, without human intervention.

Maybe. We love to donate seeds whenever possible, although this is often determined by the time of year and the availability of seeds. Since we are a small business, we do ask for you to cover the cost of shipping seed donations. At this time, we are only able to ship seeds within the US. Please reach out to us to inquire about possible donations at info@smallhousefarm.com

When to start seeds indoors depends on your last expected frost date and the specific crop you’re growing. If you’re unsure of your frost date, a quick search for your ZIP code and “average last frost date” will give you a reliable starting point.

Long-season crops (like peppers or eggplant) are started 10–12 weeks before the last frost. Mid-season crops (like tomatoes or brassicas) are started 6–8 weeks before the last frost. Quick-growing crops (like lettuce or herbs) are started 4–6 weeks before the last frost. Fast growers that dislike transplanting (like cucumbers or squash) are started 2–4 weeks before the last frost.

Small House seeds are grown and selected in the colder growing conditions of central Michigan, so they perform especially well in regions with similar climates. That said, they are adaptable and suitable for a wide range of growing environments across the country. As with any seeds, you’ll get the best results by following crop-specific timing and care recommendations for your local growing zone.

1. Check your local public library

2. Search online or use a seed library map (if your in Michigan – you can use our Michigan Seed Library Network Map)

3. Ask local gardening groups or community organizations

If you can’t find one nearby, you can even help start one in your community—many seed library networks offer simple guides to get started.

We’ve been lucky to work with a few different publishers over the years. Bevin’s most recent book, Herbs in Every Season, and the Grow Great Vegetables series, were all published with Timber Press. The Artisan Herbalist and The Complete Guide to Seed & Nut Oils were published by New Society Publishers. The Heritage Pantry is through Ogden Press. Saving Our Seeds and From Our Seeds & Their Keepers were independently published here at Small House.

Bevin has written a total of 11 books so far. This includes the five titles from the Grow Great Vegetable series. His book Saving Our Seeds was also published in Spanish in 2020. Keep an eye out for some exciting updates in 2027 – this number might change. 😉

We sure do! We have some great book bundles available in our online store. You can find our selection of book bundles here. 

Bevin’s fee varies depending on the time of year, day of week, and distance to your event. He tries to keep his fee as affordable as possible, but does ask for mileage reimbursement in addition to his speaking fee. For out of state events, he also asks for travel and lodging accommodations. Please reach out to Bevin directly to discuss specific details – he’s always willing to work with you to help fit your budget!

Hopefully! You can find Bevin’s schedule at https://bevincohen.com/speaker-presenter-bevin-cohen If you don’t see a scheduled event in your area, let’s try to put something together!

It depends on the year! Some seasons he’s obsessed with tomatoes, and others it’s all about beans. Lately, he’s really been into mustards and Asian greens. What do you like to grow? Email us and let us know!

Login into your account(or go to this link), go to Settings > Memberships > You will see a list of the Patreon accounts that you have memberships on. “View Details” > “Switch to another tier” if you would like to change the tier that you are in.

You can read Patreon’s full guide for members here: https://support.patreon.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000126286-How-to-change-your-tier-a-guide-for-members

Simply join (or upgrade to) an eligible tier in the Small House Patreon community-such as the Seasonal Herb Lover or Seeds & Weeds tier-before the seasonal cutoff date. Once you’re in, you’ll automatically receive a curated herb box shipped to you each season. Be sure that you keep your address updated or let us know if you need your box shipped somewhere different then the address listed on your account.

To change your address on Patreon, log into your account(or go to this link), go to Settings > Account, and update the Shipping address section.

When you join the Seeds & Weeds tier of our Patreon community, you’ll receive a thoughtfully curated welcome gift shipped within 1–2 weeks of joining. Inside, you’ll find a copy of Bevin’s book, From Our Seeds & Their Keepers, a heartfelt, “Chicken Soup for the Soul” style collection designed to inspire you to step into the garden and see it through a new lens.

Your welcome package also includes 10-12 packets of garden seeds, featuring a handpicked mix of unique, fun, and interesting varieties—herbs, vegetables, greens, and more—ready to spark your next growing season.

You will see that by staying in this membership tier, it increases the goodies in your Seasonal Herb Boxes! Each box will include 6-8 packets of seeds, keeping your personal seed collection fresh and fun!

2026 will be the 4th year producing the Seeds & Weeds Podcast. We typically release episodes once a month, with occasional special episodes dropped intermittently.

Do you have knowledge about a topic or subject that you think would make a good addition to the Seeds & Weeds podcast? Are you an author, educator or personality that can contribute to the plant and nature loving community we foster through the podcast? We would love to hear from you! Fill out the contact form on seedsandweedspodcast.com and let us know what you think!

Do you have a recently published book and/or a book that fits the scope of the nature based content of the Seeds & Weeds Podcast community?  We would love to hear from you! Fill out the contact form on seedsandweedspodcast.com and let us know what you think!