Dean
that is an interesting post and a very good idea. I guess that the cultivars that are popular and people are aware of, are safe. For a while!

The other point that George made in that post is that there are fads and fashions in heirloom growing. The heirloom variety names that were widely known ten years ago, might by now be very endangered indeed. A brief, fashionable revival, and by now back into obscurity.

I hope that all the rare varieties that Seeds Blum and the old Abundant Life Seed Foundation used to sell, are still safe. If you can get hold of old catalogues, this might give you an idea what might currently be endangered.

The Canadian Seeds of Diversity have a database of varieties and give status information. Anything listed as rare or very rare should give cause for alarm. url below

In any case, the varieties you are growing at present, may still be popular in ten year's time, but they could equally be rare or very rare.

Here is a link that might be useful: Seeds of Diversity

The Seeds of Diversity is a nice site.

I plan to garden hopefully another 30-40 years and I am teaching my children to garden. I need to find at least one heirloom to help continue.

Anyone here have heirloom seeds that need to be saved for future generations?

Dean, your intentions are admirable. And since you already live in Iowa, you are just a stone's throw away from a great resource - the Seed Savers Exchange, which is headquartered just outside of Decorah. There is also a Flower & Herb Exchange there, which is a subsidiary of SSE. The AHSC out of Kentucky (which Gardenlad spearheads) is another possibility.

In the interests of full disclosure, it should be mentioned that all of these (plus SoDC mentioned above) are membership organizations, which require annual dues to access their resources. If you are serious about preservation, you might find it worthwhile to join one of them... but since many of their members frequent GW, you might also find what you seek here.

And whether you are a member of SSE or not, you might consider taking a drive to Heritage Farm - the organizations headquarters in Decorah. They grow about 2000 heirloom varieties each year, the largest number in one place that you are likely to find anywhere. The public is allowed to visit the farm free of charge (regardless of membership)... although a donation is appreciated. I drive there each Summer, to take notes on promising cultivars.

Several of us are promoting the idea of adoption, because it represents the best long-term method of preservation. I am a member of SSE (as is George) and could help you; but I need more info. It would be helpful to know what vegetables you are interested in, and their intended use. You are more likely to grow an heirloom from year to year if it meets your specific needs, and excels in one way or another.

For example, do you grow beans for use as snaps, shellies, or dry beans? Cukes for slicing, or for pickling? Tomatoes for fresh use, or for canning? What type of pepper (sweet or hot), and would it be for fresh use, pickling, or drying for powder? Once we know your needs, I (and others) could make some good recommendations, and/or send you seed.

Here! Here! Ditto what Zeedman says! Dean, I dropped you an e-mail via Gardenweb with some of the same.

George

Wow, this is a really great thought! I'm getting my new garden ready for next year and I was looking at heirloom seeds for my plant source, with the hopes of saving seed from several of the plants for future years ... but my varieties are not set in stone .. so if there is something else out there to work with that performs & tastes as good, I'd love to give a few a try too.

For me: tomatoes (2-4 types)for fresh eatting (sandwiches, salads, salsa), making sauces and maybe drying. Tomatillos for salsa & mexican sauces. Jalapenos for salsa/sauces, a nice big bell pepper for multi-use ... fresh, stuffed, grilled; a bannana type sweet grilling pepper or maybe for chutney or the like. A good all around zuchini for eatting raw in salads, grilled, stuffed, ect.. A yellow summer squash for the same. Some type of general pole bean (green, yellow, purple) and Climbing peas (I like them best picked young & sweet) the kids like the peas fresh in hand, but I freeze some for later cooking...we produced probably 4 quarts of shelled peas in our small spot.
I'd love some suggestions on types that would perform well in Z7 - Richmond, VA area with organic methods only.
-bonnie

Zeedman,

I am planning on joining the SSE this year, and I am hoping to make a visit to Heritage Farms this fall as well. When would you recommend visiting this fall?

My vegetable usage is as follows: I have never really grown any beans other then normal bush green beans. I would like to try a dry beans, because we eat them at least once a week. I use my cucumbers mainly for slicing in salads and refrigerator pickles. I like hot peppers and plan to grow them for fresh use(salsa), pickling, and drying.

After talking with George, I think I will take his advice and try to grow a couple of each of the vegetables that I have interest and feel out what my favorites will be and what type of commitment I am going to be able to give towards future long-term preservation.

I do not plan to only grow the current fad varieties, but I hope to continue heirlooms for the future. I have definite interest in tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, squash, beans, and others that can be grown in limited space. Let me know, if you have a variety that I might have interest.

The nice thing about where I live I have not seen another garden in my area, not to say there isn't another but I have not seen one, thus crossing should be kept to a minimum, if I am careful.

thanks,
Dean

Oops... I never did reply to this.

Dean, if you plan to visit Heritage Farm, you should try to make it September 1rst if possible. They are having an heirloom tomato tasting, where you can see & taste many of the varieties that SSE sells in their catalog. If it is like last year, they will be selling seed for most of them on site. They also have seed saving workshops that day.

I haven't been able to make it, the local hotels are generally all booked for the weekend... so I go either the weekend before or after Labor Day. Because the main reason that I go is to walk their fields, observing the thousands of heirlooms that they grow each year to replenish seed - many of which are grown nowhere else. If something is either ripe or has dry seed at that time, then I know it will mature for me. The majority of the heirlooms that I grow were found this way. After taking notes, I create a "wish list", then search for seed in the Yearbook... most will be offered within two years.

As to your specific questions... if you grow only bush beans, then I can't make many recommendations, since I grow mainly pole types (if you might be interested in "going vertical", let me know). But I do grow a few bush types, mostly for dry beans. The best one I have grown so far is "Light Brown Zebra", with small black-striped seeds. It bears heavily, and the pods offer good protection from moisture to the dry seeds. A large-seeded cultivar that I obtained from the USDA is showing great promise, but I won't know its quality until after the harvest... at which point I will post info in this forum.

If you make it to the tomato tasting, you will probably find some that interest you; but I can recommend several that I have grown.

- "Elfin" is an open-pollinated version of the grape tomato, with meaty, semi-dry, very tasty 1" oblong tomatoes borne in large bunches. It is also a determinate plant, which makes it easier to grow that the rampant cherry varieties.

- "Quebec 1121" is a determinate red paste, with good disease resistance, and no cracking or BER. It yields early & heavily, with thick-walled 3.5 oz. fruit in large numbers - I averaged 17 lbs. per plant. The tomatoes also keep exceptionally well after harvest, if washed & handled carefully.

- "Sojourner South American" is an indeterminate, very large red oxheart type. Mine averaged over 14 oz. with many well over one pound. They are very sweet, with few seeds and a very small core; I rate them very highly for flavor. The yield is exceptional for such a large tomato, and it has proven to be very reliable... but you would need to stake or cage this one.

- "Nicoviotis Orange" is a medium-indeterminate plant. The tomatoes are bright orange, nearly globular, 6-8 oz., with very few blemishes. While they are medium in size, they are surprisingly meaty, almost like a miniature beefsteak, with few seeds. The flavor is excellent, very sweet, almost fruity; I chop them for tacos, and to add color to salads.

For hot peppers, there are others more qualified to make recommendations. I wish SSE would add peppers to their tasting weekend! I prefer peppers that are mildly hot, but with good flavor. SSE offers one called "Beaver Dam" that has very large, 5-6" conical peppers. They are mild to medium hot fresh, but most of the heat disappears if cooked, leaving a rich flavor behind. Cooked with beef, it is outstanding. The fairly small plants bear a surprising number of peppers, and they ripen very early.

I have already recommended the cucumber "WI 5207" on another thread, where I described it in detail.