Heirlooms: A Taste of the Past a Gift to the Future

© Elizabeth Harwick

Did you know that 80 % of the plants that were available at the turn of the century are no longer available to us?

As a child I remember sitting with my grandfather on the back porch eating tomato sandwiches. The tomatoes were huge and the air was filled with a tangy, tart smell that tickled your taste buds long before your first bite. As an adult I remember ordering a BLT, in a charming restaurant in Charleston, SC. When my sandwich arrived I gawked at the tomato that was the size of a slice of bread and as I inhaled I could almost hear my grandfather laughing as that tangy, tart smell reached my nostrils. I looked at the waiter and said “These tomatoes . . .” He replied, “Oh, yes ma’am we only use heirloom vegetables and herbs here.” And just like that, a whole new world of gardening opened up for me.

To be considered an heirloom, the plant itself (be it vegetable, fruit, herb etc . . .) must be open-pollinated, or able to produce seeds that will come back true year after year. You will find as you delve deeper into the world of heirloom gardening that many heirloom plants come with humorous names and usually a touch of folklore such as the “Mortgage Lifter” tomato or the beautiful flower named “Kiss Me Over the Garden Gate”.

There are 4 different classifications of heirlooms:

Family heirlooms - the most common and well known. These are seeds that have been passed down from generation to generation.

Commercial heirlooms - the open pollinated varieties that were offered commercially until approximately the 1940’s.

Created heirlooms - the result of the deliberate crossing of 2 known hybrids or an heirloom and a hybrid.

Mystery heirlooms - result of the natural crossing between 2 heirlooms where only 1 parent is known.

The past few years we have seen a renewed interest in the plants that our ancestors held so dear, and rightly so, but why? There are several different theories. The first being that the resurgence of gourmet foods and restaurants have been able to bring a new appreciation to the strong flavors and wide array of colors and textures available in these older varieties.

The second theory, the new millennium evoked such a mistrust towards future food supply within the public as a whole, more and more interest came to the plants that could provide seed that would come up true year after year, without interference from us or commercial nurseries etc.

The third theory, after many years of dealing with mass crops of corn, soybeans, potatoes being wiped out by a single blight or bacteria, we have finally begun to understand the importance of genetic diversity. Jennifer Heer, a good friend of mine, is a Genetic Research Assistant at North Carolina State University. I posed the question to her as to why she felt so strongly towards maintaining heirloom plants, and this was her response:

Anytime I think about heirloom ANYTHING, I think about genetic diversity (of course). There are all these genes in a plant, and some you like and some you don't and some you have no idea what they do because they are "quietly" important. Important in ways we don't know. If we let some herbs "fall out of favor" and push them to the side or even go EXTINCT, we are losing something that we can't find again and LATER it might be important, medicinally, for drought tolerance, for pest tolerance, etc. It's like fighting to save the world's endangered species, only it's not species, it's GENES and we can't even describe them yet so that makes it even harder.

I, on the other hand, sadly, am not that complex. My reasoning for getting so involved in heirloom gardening is the simple reason that I cannot imagine not having these plants in this world. I want my children to be able to experience what it is like to go into the garden and find a delightful “Moon and Stars” watermelon, painstakingly gather the seed after delighting in the sweet taste, and saving those seed to plant next year.

My grandfather grew luffa for years. I remember walking with him on the cold days of October and November and checking the luffa to see if they were dry enough to harvest yet and then watching in absolute amazement when he peeled the skin back and there was a sponge! I thought that these seed had died with him. As I was chatting with a neighbor of mine I mentioned this story and he replied, “Oh, your granddaddy gave me some of those about 10 years ago. I still grow them, want some?” He went out into his garage and came back with a dried luffa just ready for me to collect the seed and replant! Wonderful.

Whatever your reasons may be to want to save these plants, whether it is maintaining genetic diversity, bringing a touch of nostalgia into your garden, or to be able to pass part of your garden on to others, you will be greatly rewarded with the outcome.

Resources

Seed Savers Exchange: a great organization that is assisting in the cultivation of heirloom plants by growing some of them themselves but also teaching others about the importance as well as the how-to’s of heirlooming.

Natural Land: wonderful website containing much information on organic growing and the beauty of heirlooming.
 

 ................................................................................................................
 © Elizabeth Harwick is an avid gardener specializing in the historical, medicinal, and therapeutic properties of herbs and other little known "wayside" plants. "To maintain a garden you must also maintain a sense of humor." All questions or comments are welcome : epharwick@coastalnet.com
..............................................................................................................