Shaker Seeds and Canned Goods

Did you know that the Shakers were instrumental in bringing home gardens to life in the United States? Before they established themselves as high-quality furniture makers, their first major business involved garden seeds! The Shaker garden seed industry began in the late 18th century. Most farms at this time produced vegetables on a large scale and farmers would purchase seeds in bulk. The Shakers were the first to put their seeds into small packages, called papers, so that the average person could plant a small kitchen garden. Shakers placed the seed packets into wooden boxes with colorful advertising on the lid, brought the boxes to small country stores in the spring, and collected money from the proprietor in the fall.
Highlights from the Shaker Collection at the New York State Museum.