..more seeds sold out!!

Yup- I am out of Cape Gooseberry seeds as of today. You can still score them in the form of plants however if you are heading out to my "Tomato Days" sale the long weekend in May (22-23). Hope to see you then!

What are heirlooms, anyway?

As with many things in life, one simple definition does not seem to suffice when trying to describe what "heirlooms' or heritage plants are.

The simplest definition would be that heirlooms are 50 years old, but of course this is not always accurate. There are actually considered to be several different categories of heirlooms, just to complicate the matter.

There are heirlooms that are family treasures that have been passed down from generation to generation in a family. Consider for example that fine green beefsteak tomato named Aunt Ruby's German Green-this name was not dreamt up in a marketing session! There really was an Aunt Ruby who saved seed from her favourite tomato and handed it down to her family members. Her name was Ruby Saunders and she lived in Tennessee.

It is in my collection of tomatoes only because she did this and a fine gentleman by the name of Bill Minkey, a collector, passed it along to Seed Savers Exchange. A preserved family treasure, now safe with all tomato seed savers!

An interesting, but controversial category is the "Created Heirloom" category-are they even heirlooms? ( I offer no opinion here on this one!) There is a whole range of tomatoes that have been created by crossing two OP varieties, heirlooms, and growing out the resulting desired fruit until it is stable and OP itself, coming true to type. Perhaps best known in this category is the fabulous Green Zebra , created in 1989, by tomato-potato breeder Tom Wagner. It certainly hasn't been with us 50 years, nor does it have the family history. Fantastic- yes! An heirloom--??

By far the most important thing that heirlooms ARE is open pollinated. The means growers like you and I can save the seed and it will grow true to type ( of course taking precautions to prevent cross pollinating.) Saving seed from a hybrid is a bit of a crap-shoot. Who knows what you will get. But as a seed saver I can save my heirloom seed, and continue to pass it on- ensuring it will exist a bit longer, and another saver will carry on the tradition.

Hope this helps and thanks for asking the question!

"TOMATO DAYS"-More than tomatoes!

Every year when folks head out to Wellandport for my" Tomato Days" sale, what exactly they can expect to find is a bit of a surprise.

This year in an effort to take away a bit of that element of surprise, I'll tell you about some other things you can expect to find..and I'll add items to this blog as I plant them, so please keep checking back!

Planted and looking good are eggplants and peppers, so I will list the varieties here for you to consider-Remember, all these items are planted in much more limited quantity than tomatoes, and when they are gone, they're gone!

EGGPLANTS

Slim Jim

Pandora Striped Rose, Ping Tung Long ,Yellow Egg

Thai White Ribbed

Casper, Chinese White Sword, Diamond ,Jade Sweet

Arumagans

Black Beauty, Ukrainian Beauty, Blush

Purple Ball

Thai Round Green Petch Parisa

Thai Long Purple

Lao Purple Stripe

Listadia di gandia

Thai Long green, Louisiana Long Green

When people ask for recommendations, of course I always say, they are all good! I truly only grow what I believe to be the most worthwhile. But over the years some prove to be standouts.

I love Ping Tung Long, and Slim Jim! Ping Tung Long is a gorgeous purple-white marbled fruit that is long and slim, with a very mild and delightful flavour.

Slim Jim is a shorter thin dark purple fruit that some customers always return to every year.

Slim Jim is also good for pot culture.

PEPPERS

Yes, they all ripen to red! Last year I sold out of sweet peppers so I have cut down on the number of hot, and increased the number of sweet I am growing.

Sweet-

Sweet Pimento, Franks

Sweet Chocolate, Golden Treasure

Corno di Toro Red ,Wisconsin Lakes

Corno di Toro Yellow, Amish Pimento

Mini Yellow Bell, Diamond

Mini Red Bell ,Tangerine Pimento

Mini Chocolate bell, Yellow Cheese Pimento

Red Ruffles Pimento

Orange Bell *

Jimmy Nardello**

King of the North***

Golden Greek

Sheepnose Pimento

Best sellers and my favourites have a star (or more) beside their names. Fabulous bells are Orange Bell, big ,sweet and King of the North, by far the best OP bell for the north, in my humble opinion. Jimmy Nardello is so GOOD for frying, luscious!

HOTS

Criolla Sella

Lemon Drop,Fire

Aji Yellow (aka Aji Limo)

Hungarian Hot Wax

Golden Cayenne

Purple Cayenne

Pasilla

Jalapeno

Chapeau de Frades

Bulgarian Carrot

Filus Blue

Pili Pili Ho HO

White habanero

Chile de Arbol

Pasillo Bajio

Purple Serrano

Trinidad Perfume

Ancho

Guajillo

Some of these peppers are SUPER hot, but yummy if you are a hot pepper fan. I am considering that when I have my heirloom tomato festival out here at the farm on August 22, we should try a hot pepper tasting. Of course , included would have to be the Naga Jolokia pepper, hottest in the world. People would likely need to sign a waiver!!

Keep checking back in as I update what else will be available, including cukes, zucs, brassicas, ground cherries and more!

SEEDS-SOLD OUT!

If you are looking to buy seed, sadly I regret to tell you I am completely sold out of the fabulous Orange Bell sweet pepper seed! Lots of other yummy ones on the listing, but sadly, this is gone for this year!

Also sold out as of today is Dragon carrot, that yummy purple carrot with the orange interior.