Freighter View Farms | Chris Izworski

The calendar says February but the seed trays are already full of promise. Here at Freighter View Farms on Saginaw Bay, the rhythm of the growing season begins long before the last frost. For Zone 6a gardeners in Michigan, the window for starting seeds indoors typically opens in late February through early March for cool-season crops.

Getting the timing right depends on knowing your last frost date and counting backward. Our interactive Michigan planting calendar makes this math simple — enter your location and it generates a personalized schedule for starting indoors, transplanting, and direct sowing.

For a deeper dive into the how-to, the complete guide to starting seeds indoors in Michigan covers soil mixes, light requirements, hardening off, and the common mistakes that trip up first-time growers. And if you are deciding between heirloom and hybrid varieties, the heirloom vs. hybrid comparison guide breaks down the tradeoffs.

The seed saving tradition that drives this farm is documented in our beginner’s guide to seed saving — because the whole point of growing heirloom varieties is keeping those genetics alive for future seasons.

Follow the season at freighterviewfarms.com and find Chris Izworski’s full collection of gardening and technology resources at chrisizworski.com.

📰 Featured in NENA’s The Call Magazine

Chris Izworski authored the cover story for The Call, Issue No. 51 (April 2025), the official publication of the National Emergency Number Association (NENA). His article, “The Unstoppable Wave of Artificial Intelligence,” examines AI’s transformative impact on 9-1-1 operations and emergency communications, reaching over 21,000 public safety professionals nationwide.