Every seed has a story to tell. One tomato seed sown in your garden may reveal the rich ancestry of an heirloom and another seed the narrative of 20th century commercial agriculture.
Heirloom seeds have been passed down from generation to generation. Each grower, in turn, has sown the seeds, cultivated the tomato, and selected ripe fruit from which to harvest seeds to replant. In doing so, intentionally or not, the gardener has become a plant breeder. Have they chosen a tomato that was larger than the rest for meaty flavorful sandwich slices? Or, did they save seed from a tomato vine whose fruit ripened the earliest, or withstood a blight? With heirloom seeds, which are open-pollinated and breed true-to-type, the sowers add another chapter to the story.
The vegetable, flower, and herb seeds available today have different origins. Hybrid seeds, resulting from a static cross between two distinct parent plants, were introduced in the 1920s. Hybrids were overwhelmingly adopted in agriculture due to their perceived vigor and uniformity. They now dominate the seed scene—and are largely bred for commercial traits such as increased yields, compatibility with mechanized harvest, and packability for long-distance shipping.
The world’s food supply is dependent on hybrid varieties and the farmers who grow them must continually buy seed year after year. Hybrid seeds do not breed true-to-type and therefore cannot be saved. This has contributed to the consolidation of the seed industry and the staggering loss of crop diversity on a global scale.
We’re excited to offer an array of heirloom seeds from Hudson Valley Seed Company, based out of New York’s Hudson Valley. They celebrate the unique story of the varieties they offer through their beautiful artist-commissioned seed packets, called art packs. This spring you can help promote biodiversity by choosing to grow open-pollinated and heirloom seed—adding your chapter to the story.
More New Morning News
New Morning Market + A2 Milk
New Morning Market has been Connecticut’s go-to for delicious special diet foods for over 50 years - and alternatives to products made from cow’s milk have been in high demand lately. Many people seeking non-cow’s milk dairy products do so because they experience...
Spring Goodness Guide
Get the Garden Ready Grown Your Own New Morning Market has an expansive selection of classic and unique organic and local seeds. Choose from Hudson Valley Seed Co seeds which are each packaged like perfect little gifts, Phocas Seeds, which are adapted especially for...
Gut Check: HOPE for Ultimate Health with Brenda Watson
True health has become a global focal point recently, eclipsing weight loss as the primary goal in wellness. A recent survey revealed that 60% of Americans want to feel and be healthier.