The movement is made up of backyard gardeners and organic farmers dedicated to preserving seeds. These are seeds that have not been inbred or genetically altered in any way. Most heirloom seeds date back hundreds of years to the early colonial period; however, an heirloom seed is any seed that was introduced before the 1920’s, before hybrid crops were first commercialized.
They are named as such because they can be traced back to their origins, connecting us to our own heritage. The movement preserves seeds used by ancient Mesoamerican and Native American peoples along with seeds brought across the Atlantic by early immigrant populations from all over the world.
Heirloom seeds provide farmers and gardeners the freedom to save seeds and breed new varieties. This in turn frees the agricultural industry from complete privatization and corporate takeover. The movement works to preserve plants that are adapted to specific soils of place, adaptable to climates, resistant to local pests and diseases, and produce healthier, more flavorful food. Saving and sharing heirloom seed encourages genetic plant diversity which gives us reliable food security.
These types of seeds are also referred to as heritage seeds, non-hybrid seeds, Non-GMO seeds, and open-pollinated seeds. The term “open-pollinated” means that the seeds are fertile and come back year after year true to type, looking like their parent plants because of no genetic tampering or severe inbreeding.
No comments:
Post a Comment