Here are a few things you might want to know about heirloom seeds.
There’s something special about family heirlooms. Heirloom items have a distinct charm to them, whether they be antiques passed down from one generation to the next or something that you found at a local antique shop. But those aren’t the only heirlooms that have value to them. Produce can also be considered “heirloom” under the right circumstances, and there are people who appreciate the history behind heirloom seeds.
Growing heirloom seeds is considered by some to be a cool new way to grow produce. However, this was considered to be the status quo for a lot of farmers back in the day. Each farmer had a different method of growing produce, resulting in unique varieties being grown. Here are a few things you might want to know about heirloom seeds.
Heirloom Seeds Are Old
Heirloom seeds have a history to them, a history that dates back decades, if not centuries. There’s a debate regarding how old a seed has to be before it can be deemed to be an heirloom. Some say it needs to be a century old, but there are others who believe the age doesn’t have to be quite that high.
Heirloom Produce Is Different From What You See in Supermarkets
When you see produce at supermarkets, it’s usually going to originate from either GMO seeds or hybrid ones, not heirloom seeds. This means that if you’re looking for heirloom seeds, you will likely have to look somewhere else, potentially at a local farm or from a known distributor.
It Might Be Better for Farmers If They Grow Heirloom Seeds
A huge perk of these seeds is that the seeds inside of heirloom produce can be saved so that you can plant them at another time. The ability to save and replant seeds is great because you get a lot of use out of the seeds, and you can typically get pretty similar results. With consistent yields, farmers tend to have a more stable farming experience, as opposed to farmers who might have to purchase new seeds annually if they are raising hybrid plants instead.
Something else that’s great is how heirloom produce has undergone generations’ worth of open-pollination, making it more resistant against various pests and diseases. This means farmers won’t have to invest as much in pesticides.
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.