Why heirloom seeds?

Heirloom vegetables are older (sometimes hundreds of years old!) vegetable varieties that breed true from generation to generation to give predictable results, unlike the hybrids that you often find in factory farms that express their expected characteristics for only one generation.  Hybrids are obtained by crossing two very different varieties to get the objective characteristics for a single generation.   The problem with using the seeds from hybrid plants is that the subsequent generation may result in a very unexpected collection of offspring, ranging from the original parents of the hybrid at either extreme, to who-knows-what in between.  So the first obvious problem in using hybrids is that you become dependent on the industrial seed providers, and less self-sustaining.  Another problem with over reliance on the industry-provided hybrids is that genetic variability – nature’s little insurance plan against new and challenging diseases or environmental conditions – is greatly reduced, and that makes our food supply much more susceptible to catastrophic losses. 

Heirloom varieties are typically open-air pollinated, are never genetically engineered, and tend to be more resistant to pests and plant diseases than non-heirloom varieties, which makes them easier to grow without pesticides and other chemicals.  Because heirlooms breed true, seeds can be saved and used in subsequent years, unlike the hybrid vegetable seeds that have such a large market share.  While this is incentive enough to grow heirlooms, the absolute best reasons to grow them are the intense flavors, and incredible variety they provide.

You may be wondering why the factory farms don’t grow heirlooms, given their outstanding qualities.  Part of the reason is that much of our food is grown far from where it is consumed.  Many of the current market varieties have been created to enable them to endure the sometimes 2,000 mile air-conditioned ride without bruising or otherwise deteriorating badly – they must be pretty for the store display!  Also, a machine-dependent farming industry needs plants that grow to predictable heights and conformations so the mechanical harvesters can work efficiently.  Unfortunately, selectively breeding for traits that support industrial farming and pretty store displays tends to select against other important traits like flavor.  What we’re left with is a tomato that looks great after his transcontinental journey, but tastes so bland there’s no joy in eating it.  And not only flavor genes are lost in the development of a uniform, travel-tolerant product, some genes required for other important qualities, like disease resistance, can also fall by the wayside.  The factory farms solve this problem by using more artificial fertilizers, more pesticides, more chemicals.   Some of those chemicals may end up in your food (petroleum in your peas, anyone?), and they have other environmental and energy-use ramifications.

By eating locally produced, heirloom vegetables, you not only get the tastiest, most nutritious vegetables available, but you are substantially reducing the environmental impact and carbon footprint of your food.