heirloom seeds: just like grandma used to sow...

(Delicata squash, an heirloom variety we have grown for the past two years)

In the non-horticultural world, there tends to be shared understanding of what the word heirloom means: valued possessions passed on from one generation to the next and usually kept within families.  When we are talking about vegetables, fruits, plants and flowers, the topic of heirlooms can be a little more confusing mostly because there is not a completely universal set of criteria for what constitutes heirloom varieties.

Here is what is agreed upon by seed savers, purveyors, and growers alike when talking about heirlooms:

Heirloom varieties are older varieties. In some cases, you will hear that varieties introduced pre-1940 are heirlooms.  In others, there is the idea that heirlooms need only be at least 50 years old.  You will also find sources that simply apply the more general definition of heirloom: seeds sowed, saved and passed from one gardener or family member to another, from one generation to the next.

Heirloom seeds, when saved and grown again, will produce seedlings with traits similar to the parent plant.  This is not always the case with seeds that come from hybrid varieties (bred by crossing different plants in the interest of producing a new plant variety with a combination of attractive traits from each parent).  To ensure consistency with hybrids, pollination (the first step of plant reproduction) must be controlled, and new seed should be purchased year after year.  Heirloom varieties are pollinated in the open by creatures like bees, birds and butterflies and forces like the wind and rain. Some varieties are even self-pollinating!

By growing, saving and sharing heirloom seeds, we preserve the past and protect biodiversity.  Mass seed production often emphasizes crop characteristics such as consistency in terms of form, durability in terms of transportation, and specific disease or pest resistance.  Heirlooms are typically valued for their flavors, textures, colors, and unique histories and saved over time for their abilities to thrive in particular regions or growing conditions.  This has made them less desirable to large-scale commercial producers and meant losses of varieties long prized for their terrific taste, beauty, and resilience.

This year, we'll be growing twenty-nine heirloom vegetable and fruit varieties.  This is a huge jump from our previous two seasons, when that number was closer to five!  It's an expansion we are very excited about and something we will continue to build upon in the years ahead.

Here's the list: 

• Cabbage: Golden Acre, Premium Late Flat Dutch
  
• Eggplants: Black Beauty, Rosa Bianca
• Greens: Speckled Bibb and Oakleaf lettuces, Fordhook Giant swiss chard, Lacinato kale
  
• Kohlrabi: Early Purple, Gigant Winter
• Root vegetables: Purple Top Globe and Amber globe turnips, Chantenay Red Core carrots, Larges Smooth Prague celeriac, Hollow Crown parsnip
  
• Squash: Costata Romanesca zucchini, Green-Striped Cushaw and Delicata winter squash
  
• Tomatoes: Rose, Cherokee Green, Valencia, Striped German, Amish Paste, Amy's Apricot, Sophie's Choice
• and Kansas musk melon, Mrs. Burns Lemon basil, Burmese okra, and Czechoslovakian Black peppers!

What about you?  Are you a seed saver?  Do you have any favorite heirloom varieties?

As the season gets underway, we look forward to reporting on the progress of our heirloom crops.  If you would like to experience them in a more direct way, reserve a CSA share today!  Just fill out this form and send in your share payment or deposit as soon as possible.

Until next time, all our best.