Staff Picks: The 2015 Seed Directory
Over the past few weeks, the staff at Seeds of Diversity have been browsing the directory as we plan our gardens as well. Here are our favourite varieties from this year's amazing listings.
Bob Wildfong, Executive Director
Haricots Vert Buissoneux
I got some green bush beans called Haricots Vert Buissoneux from member Don Kellums about five years ago. They're the tastiest and most productive green beans in my garden so far. The name just means green bush beans, so maybe this one has been unjustly overlooked.
I have lots of seeds for any members who'd like to request some.
Judy Newman, Office manager
Arikara Yellow Bean
This bean has a fascinating story. It was first grown by the First Nations communities of the Dakotas, and included in Oscar Will’s Pioneer Indian Collection of seeds in 1915. Since then, it has been saved by seed savers in the US and Canada, is sold by Prairie Garden Seeds, and has been submitted for variety registration (as a public domain variety) in Canada. It is very hardy, drought resistant, and has yellowish beans that are great for baking.
Lyne Bellemare, French Program Coordinator
Boston Marrow Squash
I have a weakness for Boston Marrow squash (Cucurbita maxima), which always amazed me as much for its size as its flavor, but also because it has been popular for over 150 years in the US. This commercial squash used to be found everywhere! As we approached the 21st century, almost all seed producers dropped this treasure. Its decline was rapid and led to its inevitable demise. What happened to it? Was it just a fad? A marketing decision? A little of each? Today, every time I pull out the seeds of a freshly cut Boston Marrow, I reflect that its future lies in the hands of a few enthusiasts who, like me, are determined to perpetuate their favorite varieties.
Paul Hrycyk, Vegetable Seed Producers Network Coordinator
Shintokiwa Cucumber
The thin skinned Shintokiwa cucumber combines looks, health and flavour making it a suitable choice when looking for a new cucumber variety to experiment with. The dark green, straight fruits ranked among the top 3 picks in a trial of over 60 varieties. This reliable variety has become a standard for many farmers and gardeners.
Angie Koch, Seed Library Coordinator
Oxheart Tomato
Oxheart (Ox Heart) tomato is one of the few tomatoes I've regularly saved at my farm. It's an amazing multi-purpose variety that's flavourful for sandwiches or salads, and meaty for thick sauces. It also has some of the best disease resistance I've found in an open-pollinated variety, producing quite reliably even in the cool, wet summers we've had recently.
Taarini Chopra, Publications Coordinator
Udmalpet Eggplant
This lovely little eggplant from South India is perfect to cook the stuffed eggplant I grew up eating in my grandmother's house. The plants are compact, and produce lots of small purple and green streaked, egg-shaped fruit. This eggplant likes it hot, so does best in a sunny spot in the garden, and its seeds are easy to collect and save.
Interested in trying any of these or any of the other 3059 varieties offered by our members this year? You can!
Seeds of Diversity publishes a paper and online version of our Member Seed Directory annually. This member-to-member seed exchange gives Seeds of Diversity members access to many varieties of vegetables, fruit, flowers, herbs and grain seeds saved by other members across the country. If you are not already a member, sign up to get access to this amazing collection of seeds at www.seeds.ca/member.
Not yet a member?
An annual membership to Seeds of Diversity gives you access to our seed exchange, seed grow-out programs, and our online news.
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