New "Old" Varieties for 2001

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Dec 12, 2000

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New "Old" Varieties for 2001

It might sound like a contradiction of terms to say that there are new heirlooms being offered in this year's seed catalogs, but actually new "old" varieties are being discovered all the time. Sometimes it's as simple as a home gardener offering seeds from a favorite crop to a seed saving company. The company builds up the supply of seed until there is enough to offer commercially. Other times a full scale scientific expedition may be held into remote areas where farmers are still growing open-pollinated, traditional varieties. The scientists will bring back seed to be stored for posterity in seed banks, as well as sharing it with the seed saving catalog companies who will again build up the supply and then offer it for sale with the hope of increasing its usage throughout the world. You could even see a new variety being offered because so many home growers are enthusiastic about it that a seed company has decided to add it to their offerings. No, none of these varieties are new, but they could be new to you.

That said, here is a sampling of the introductions for 2001 that you might want to consider for your garden.

Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co. has an impressive selection of melons in this years catalog. "Golden Honeymoon" is supposed to ripen 2 weeks earlier than regular Honey Dews. They claim it is a great keeper with excellent yields and a delicious, unique flavor. "Ananas D'Amerique a Chair Verte" (Green-Fleshed Pineapple or Jersey Green Citron) is a rare, old variety that was worthy of illustration in the Vilmorin Album in 1854. It was first offered commercially in the U.S. in 1824 and Baker Creek says Thomas Jefferson grew it. Ananas has a light green, sweet, highly perfumed flesh.

I'm fond of individual serving melons and "Vert Gimmpant" (Green Climbing) is another old French variety that bears 1-2 lb. fruits. Smaller fruits also lend themselves to growing on a trellis. This one lists as being a great cooking melon, which is something I have not yet tried. At the other end of the scale, Burrell's Jumbo is an improved selection of Hale's Best, developed by the old D.V. Burrell Seed Co. These have a very sweet, salmon orange flesh.

Baker Creek says their most exciting introduction this year is the "Tennessee Dancing or Spinning Gourd". These are bottle shaped, starting off green and white striped and drying to a tan. But they are just

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