If you want to evoke nostalgia in a baby boomer, just mention that you are growing an HEIRLOOM Beefsteak Tomato in your organic garden. Thoughts of a huge, meaty and really tasty tomato slice with a speckling of salt between two slices of bread will fill their head and take them back to Grandma’s garden. HEIRLOOM vegetables are usually passed down in families and come with wonderful family stories attached to them that make them as prized as Granddad’s gold watch.

Over the past 10 years, HEIRLOOM or HERITAGE seeds have seen an upsurge in popularity both in the United States and in Europe, and are the preferred seed of organic gardeners. The vegetables breed true to their name, they are open pollinated and valued for their purity of taste and the seeds for their “save-ability.” Because these seeds are not from a hybridized source, you will not get disease-prone or sterile seeds.

A great place to find and share information on HEIRLOOM seeds is at the Seed Savers Exchange. The exchange which was begun in 1975, saves and shares the heirloom seeds of our garden heritage, forming a living legacy that can be passed down through generations. They have distributed an estimated 1 million samples of rare garden seeds since their founding. Those seeds now are widely used by seed companies, small farmers supplying local and regional markets, chefs and home gardeners and cooks, alike.

We found a particularly unique collection of HEIRLOOM seeds being offered by the Cukierski Family Apostolate. Just scroll down and CLICK ON SEED STORE.

Start an HEIRLOOM vegetable garden in your backyard and give the promise of true, healthy vegetables to your family and perhaps the generations to come.

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