We love heirlooms! What are heirlooms? It’s a question we get a
lot. Jere Gettle of Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company has a
perfect explanation: “Basically, an Heirloom seed is one that
has been passed down through families and is usually considered
to be over 50 years old. Some varieties even date back to Thomas
Jefferson’s garden and beyond.” Unlike hybrid and GMO
(genetically modified organism) seeds, which often have problems
reproducing true to type, Heirloom seeds can be saved and
replanted, year after year. Which is how they have been handed
down over the generations. Prior to the industrialization of
agriculture, a much wider variety of plants were grown by
farmers and gardeners. Regional differences developed over
decades, in response to varying climate, soil, and cultural
preferences. Unfortunately, many modern crops come from mega-
farms, where they are grown in large, monocultures — hundreds of
acres of the same plant. Where heirloom gardeners choose
varieties to meet personal preference, industria