Heritage is a very sentimental term. Whenever we associate heritage with something, it instantly tells us that it’s a valuable thing.
Whenever something is carried down through years and ages together, we know that it carries history with it.
Do you know plants also have their own kind of heritage? Well, plants sustain for ages, some if they could’ve evolved to fit into the modern world, but there are quite some plants that pertain same nature and would carry the same throughout the years to come.
You must have heard about heritage or heirloom vegetables. The most popular ones are the heirloom tomatoes.
Since we are talking about heritage, let’s travel back in time through these worlds and recall how people grew plants. The older generation were all organic farmers; they used natural ways to keep farming and produce crops.
It could be hard imagining how they managed to farm during the years before industrialization. When you look at the gardening ways today, it could be highly impossible not to use technological products and gardening.
What’s more, interesting with the older generation gardening practice is that the seeds are handed down to the next generation in the garden.
The environment could distinguish the plants that produce seeds they are growing in. This enabled the birth of a variety of seeds in different family farms.
The distinguishable seeds become the heritage of the family. Handing it down to the next generation will help in letting the heritage seeds live for longer when each generation perishes while making sure that the younger ones would continue the traditions.
You must have heard of Aunt Ruby’s German Greens or Box Car Willie. These were family plants that have slowly become popular throughout the continent.
Here’s what you must be aware of heritage seeds.
1. Heritage seeds are old and have a historical background
Like how we value and treasure antique goods, heritage seeds are also preserved by gardeners and many gardening associations to sustain themselves throughout the years.
You will find a wide variety of heritage seeds. These varieties date back years or centuries in the past.
Traditionally, the heritage seeds are handed down in the family, but you can also get them from gardening stores, associations, or some of the farmers with try to shift in lifestyles.
A seed can be entitled to heritage if it’s as old as 100 years. But some if claim that the seeds must be called heritage of heirloom only if they have emerged before hybridization.
Because once hybridization has emerged, especially at the start of the first world war, there were many varieties of crops. The traditional ones have become low-key.
2. Plants grown from the heritage seeds differ from other seeds
You can find the difference when you compare the produce.
When you look at the fruits and vegetables in the market, they are almost in perfect shape and size.
Almost everything available in the markets is hybrid, or they are produced from GMO seeds that are known as Genetically modified organisms. The GMO’s are genetically modified to produce good plants that would last longer than grown organically.
With GMOs, the production of fruits, vegetables, and all other plants is soaring high and capable of meeting people’s demands.
The heritage seeds must be grown with a lot of care. Natural fertilization and careful gardening are essential to yield the production of heritage seeds.
It needs more patience and maintenance compared to gr GMO seeds. But when it comes to nutrients, the heritage seeds would be dominating. Natural produce is purest all the time.
3. U-turn to Heritage seeds
With the growing concern about its health and benefits, most people are motivated to go for fully natural produce.
Already a lot of people have turned towards organic products. In the mere future, it seems that there will be a higher popular demand.
The produce from GMO seeds is raising concerns from a lot of people. Some have also started their own gardens to produce their edibles.
When you choose organic seeds and heritage seeds, you can be sure if safe. Anything outside organic farming can plunge high risks in health conditions sooner or later.
It’s noteworthy that the organic seeds grow in their natural environment while the other seeds are generated to sustain and grow in several climatic and soil conditions. This brings us to questioning if the plant can contain the right type of nutrients.
If it’s your home garden, it’s best to go for organic crops. GMO seeds will need lots of maintenance and fertilizers for the plants to thrive.
4. Heritage seeds are also economically the best option
You can save the seeds from the fruits and vegetables and replant them. Heritage seeds will help you save up money on the seeds. While you can’t do the same with the GMO seeds. You’ll have to buy and sow them in your garden.
The seeds from GMO products are not good for replanting. As these seeds have been genetically altered, you might end yo getting a different type of plant, or some of them wouldn’t contain seeds at all for you to collect.
Sticking to organic ways is very beneficial for farmers and gardeners who are looking forward to growing their edibles.
Another great advantage of the heritage seeds is that they are designed to be resistant to any type of soil condition.
Planting organic seeds will be beneficial for the product and the soil it’s growing on. You need not use any chemical fertilizers and pesticides while growing the heritage seeds.
The seeds were exposed to open pollination, which makes them sustain any type of soil or environment.
The heritage seeds make sure to keep the soil in good condition. They would avoid any kind of water contamination in the soil helping the soil to stay healthy.
5. Consuming produce that is grown from heritage seeds
There’s no safer way other than consuming organic produce. You are sure that the product is growing with the most organic techniques when it’s about heritage seeds. They are untouched by chemicals and pesticides that will lower any kind of health risk.
Plants that are thriving from heritage seeds are often taken extra care of. So you know that whatever you are consuming is carefully grown, assuring safety.
The most significant advantage is that natural and organic produce has a higher mineral and nutrient content in them.
Far away from chemical contamination, the product is of the best quality to consume. Being able to produce organic edibles with heritage seeds could fetch a lot to the farmers over time.
The heritage produce tends to have more flavour than those that are grown by GMO seeds.
Today a lot of aspiring farmers are making efforts to produce organic foods. Now, most people’s attention is shifted to health. People are cautious of what they are consuming.
Soon there will be high demand for organic produce. The awareness of heritage will prosper and create awareness on how people could gain good health by consuming produce from heritage seeds.
Imagine being able to sustain the traditional and heritage even after million years from now. Though the term tradition seems to fade away in the modern world, some persistent families and associations help keep traditions alive.
The farmers are coming up with yielding and distributing the produce. In the future, there could be ways in which we could produce organic produce in large numbers and would hopefully promote health and history through the heritage seeds and their produce.
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