What's All the Fuss About Growing and Eating Heirloom Vegetables?
You cannot believe how TOTALLY delicious heirloom veggies can be! So much more so than anything you've ever bought from a supermarket -- or perhaps even grown in your own garden if you've been using mainstream, hybridized varieties. Did you know there are thousands of heirloom vegetable varieties? That many have become rare -- even threatened with extinction? How many have you grown? How many have you tasted? Why don't we see more of them in our markets?
We will look at how these seeds became heirlooms, how to find them, and how to select ones that you'll both enjoy and that have a better chance of thriving in our area. We'll talk some about which ones are easy to make a part of your future planting stock through saving seed yourself.
TASTING ALERT! The instructor will bring some fresh heirloom veggies harvested from her own garden so you can taste some of what you've been missing!
details
- when: saturday, may 29th, 2010, from 11:00 am - 12:30 pm
- to attend: Please see the info page for more information on attending any of the workshops at the 2010 Boston Skillshare.
- facilitated by: Deborah Bier
lesson plan
1. Why growing heirlooms are important
2. How heirloom varieties have been handed down through generations
3. How they became scarce; what's being done about it
3. Where to find these seeds -- catalogs, seed saving gardeners
4. Selecting varieties for local gardens
5. Which ones are easy for beginners to save
6. Tasting veggies (fresh, raw) that the instructor has brought in.
facilitator experience
I've been gardening since I was 4 years old (51 now). My husband and I run a suburban backyard farm in Concord, MA. We have about 4000 sq feet in agriculture, using 95% open-pollinated, heirloom varieties of approximately 200 different types. I've taught about suburban backyard farming for Concord-Carlisle Adult Ed and the Audubon Society.
intended audience
Beginner gardeners of any kind. Intermediate gardeners who have not grown heirloom veggies before, or have grown a few and wonder what all the fuss is about. Cooks or consumers who want to feel more connected to their food supply.
other resources suggested by the facilitator
Would a computer projector be available? I can bring a laptop -- it's veeeery helpful to see photos of a garden and plants in action. I will bring catalogs to look through and the Seed Savers Exchange Yearbook, available only to members.