Choosing Heirloom Seeds

Its a very exciting time of the year at our house!  Our seed catalogs have arrived and its time to plan our garden for 2015.  In past years I have bought seeds at stores, and ordered a few from catalogs.  This year we have decided to revamp our process and buy all Heirloom seeds.  Why are we choosing to go this route?

1. Ability to save seed  
You can replant heirloom seeds (open pollinated) that you have saved from the previous year's crop because the plant remains stable in its characteristics. This is different from hybrids (which have been cross pollinated).  If you save hybrid seed you never know what you are going to get! 

2. Greater Flavor 
Most heirloom varieties have a richer flavor (especially tomatoes).

3. Seeds with history & stories 
Typically these seeds are pre-WWII or at least 50 years old.  They have been passed down from generations and I love that our children can learn these stories.  A beautiful way to bring life and knowledge to your garden.  

4. Variety  
Not only do you get greater flavor but an amazing selection in size, color, taste and culture.  Why not grow a white eggplant or a purple tomato?  At the same time you will discover a beautiful range in the plants you harvest. 

5. Discovery  
The plants you harvest will vary in fruit size, and timing of harvest.  Unlike a hybrid plant that produces fruit that is similar in size and has a predicable harvest time.

First I started by looking at the seeds we didn't use from last year (below) and started a list of what we would like to grow this year!  The next step is to make sure we are rotating our crops from the last couple years........