Heirloom produce has become a popular topic of discussion. It’s a type of produce that people will pay premium price to purchase. Produce that was made by seeds from generations ago has now become more popular in the modern era. People are more eager than ever to get their hands on high-quality heirloom produce. Sometimes, however, heirloom vegetables can be mistaken for hybrid alternatives that share only some of the qualities of pure heirloom varieties. There are many differences between heirloom produce and hybrid produce. Today, we will go over what separates heirloom produce from hybrid options.
What is Heirloom Produce?
Heirloom vegetables are grown using more traditional methods. The seeds that are used are the same ones that have been preserved for at least 50 years. The reason heirloom seeds have been preserved for decades is that the ones who grow the plants preserve the seeds of all of their best plants. This ensures that they can reproduce the highest quality of produce they can.
Heirloom vegetables can come in various shapes, sizes, and even colors, so your customers will have some variety to gaze upon in your shop. Customers will see that heirloom produce is often a little more expensive than their standard counterparts. However, once customers have had a taste of what 50+ years of grooming is like, they’ll be more than willing to put down the extra dollar to sink their teeth into something rich, delicious, and full of culture.
What Are Hybrids?
Hybrid varieties differ from heirloom produce in many ways. Unlike heirlooms, hybrids are bred to create more uniform produce, vegetables that look and taste the same. They also have a higher production rate and are often cheaper. This makes them great for urban areas that have higher populations of people. Here is the main drawback of hybrids: their seeds can’t be passed down because they are sterile. This means that the qualities of the best vegetables cannot be passed down from generation to generation. Instead, growers have to get more seeds and start again from scratch. This means the best qualities of each batch aren’t retained, and the seeds don’t get to develop a culture as time goes on.
Baywater Farms Has The Right Produce For You
Baywater Farms is a family-owned and operated farm servicing Baltimore, Washington D.C., Maryland, Delaware beaches, and the Eastern Shore. We are capable of meeting the demands of your produce distributor, restaurant produce supplier, CSA produce supplier, or wholesale produce supplier while maintaining the integrity and character of a small farm. When you work with Baywater Farms, you work with an experienced, ethical, and local farm dedicated to providing the highest-quality heirloom produce possible.