My Heirloom seed order has already arrived from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. The packaging is spectacular, as usual.
Seed packets don't get more perfect than this.
Here we are in late December, and the seed catalogs are filling my mailbox, It's been interesting to watch how popular the craze to crow heirloom varieties of vegetables from seed has become. But what really are the benefits of growing heirloom varieties? This is not a discussion about non GMO, or Monsanto Alfalfa, or Corn, nor is this a rant about Organic vs conventional methods, this is just some thoughts of mine about why I am moved to grow heirloom seeds, and, is my response purely emotional? Are my reasons the 'right' ones? Or are they just for nostalgia's sake? There is something cool about growing a squash that Ben Franklin grew, but is it really any more nutritious? Am I saving the planet? Basically, is it worth it or am I just following a trend because it makes me appear as if I am more 'sustainable' (even though I drive a SUV to Whole Foods)?
I care deeply about the environment, but at the same time, I admit that I am a little selfish ( I mean, I heat a glass greenhouse with propane all winter long, just to grow rare bulbs that were most likely illegally collected in South Africa). Am I supposed to feel good about this? OK, I do recycle my vegi trimmings in soup, but I know that I am not saving the world. But we all do little things that make us feel better about our excesses, so, in this New Year, I am thinking about the little things that I do, and if, they are actually helping me, or the planet for that matter.
The Asian heirloom cucumbers are impressive in the Baker Creek Catalog, and my next order has a long list of these since I feel they will sell out early.
Regardless if there are indeed real dangers in the progressive practices of companies like Monsanto or out government, what should you believe about the trend to grow heirloom vegetables over conventional ones? Are they really any better than new and improved varieties that are disease resistant, and, do they really taste any better? Are they a better health option? Basically, are they worth growing?
First of all, what are heirloom vegetables?
The term “heirloom” generally refers to plant varieties passed down by families from year to year, thereby preserving particular characteristics. Simple, right? Well, yes. It is true that heirloom vegetables are trendy now, if not critical for those who are conscious about the health of our planet and our species, theoretically. Heirloom vegetables don’t always taste better. Heirloom tomatoes certainly do, but not all heirloom vegetables do, in fact, many taste worse, especially corn and squashes that have a lower sugar content. The real benefits appear to be in that some have a genetic 'purity', (which confuses me because most are mutations of wild plants) but some are not actually proved to have any more nutrition, many new varieties are bred to be more nutritious.