We are continuing on our seed journey, because frankly, I want to. I still dream of spring, even if it is only in my blog. Plus, yesterday was a pretty rough day. So I'll be danged if I won't daydream of little cute sprouts pokin' up through the soil.
I thought it'd be important for us to look at what exactly an heirloom seed is and why it is important for your garden. After all, if you're going to go to the trouble of finding some funky fun heirloom seeds, you might as well know why.
You're all going to go to the trouble to find those organic, heirloom seeds....right?
I thought so.
Only the best for you and your garden!
Seed Savers defines an heirloom seed as "any garden plant that has a history of being passed down through a family". I am assuming that my faithful readers will know what I will say about this:
a) Any good thing passed down from generation to generation (let me all hear you say it now!), that's right, belongs on a homestead.
b) Anything that is old, antique, rare, unique, or extra special belongs there too.
Now, I would like to stress a point here. I am thankful for the gift of modern agriculture and the ability our farmers have to feed people all over the world. That being said, when we mass-produce crops, we tend to loose the genetic, God-designed diversity that belongs on our farms, in our gardens, and on our plates.
For example, the fast food industry requires Russet-Burbank potatoes. So what do most all potato farmers grow now? Russet-Burbanks. When all the farmers gravitate towards the mass-market-demanded product, we loose out on other unique varieties of the crops. Like purples ones. Yellow ones. Fat ones. Skinny ones. There are a million potato varieties out there and you'd be hard pressed to find more than three or four varieties in the store. Each variety, however, is distinctly unique and special.
There is such a grand world out there diversified crops!
Heirloom seeds are an attempt to preserve a bit of that diversity. They are handed down from generation to generation and thus, are planted and preserved. Once the fruits of our labor have been harvested, we can learn to practice the art of "seed saving". This will ensure that the genetics of heirloom varieties will live on and on and on. Like homesteads. It's like getting to enjoy a beautiful, unique, diverse seed catalog.
That God designed.
Visit Seed Savers Helpful Links page, here, for further information.
Seed Savers Exchange also has some great information, here.
And then after you are all read and wise, please come to my homestead and teach me everything you know.
Because I have spent all my time doodling over vintage seed packet images instead of actually studying productive growing tactics.
Will someone please come and save me from myself?
Thank you.
