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**buchmausar** · 09-22-2012, 06:40 AM

Seeds collected from native, or heirloom, plants can be planted to produce the same fruits or vegetables as the original. In fact, many people the world over save seeds from year to year to ensure their ability to have sustainable crops. They share and trade these seeds with others. Seeds saved from times of plenty are used in harder times.

Seeds collected from a hybrid vegetable or fruit may produce something entirely different from it's mother plant; possibly not even fit to eat.

The advantage of heirloom gardening to a home gardener is that a variety of nutritional and delicious fruits and vegetables can be grown year after year with very little expense, particularly if they are grown organically. It is easy to see the advantage to rural communities in all parts of the world to practice this type of gardening. It is a way for families to have better nutrition and variety in their diets and be self reliant in doing so. In fact, in some large cities also, community gardens have been planted in vacant lots to enable it's members to have access to fresh vegetables. Market consumers take advantage of these benefits when they purchase heirloom fruits and vegetables. The advantage is strengthened when they are grown organically.

Gandhi said (quoting from memory with slight para-phrasing) that if you give people food they can eat for a day, but if you give them a plow (or seeds) they can eat for a lifetime.

Many hobby gardeners are also interested in heirloom gardening for the sake of diversity, nutrition and variety of taste. Advocates of heirloom vegetables & fruits generally believe their taste to be superior to hybrid or genetically altered ones.

Scientists are studying native plants worldwide for their nutritional & medicinal properties in the interest of preserving those values. For example, many modern medicines are synthetic counterparts of natural herbs and plants. Without preservation of native species we may never have cures for many deseases.

I am in no way a scientist, but this is a simple interpretation of what I have read on this all important subject.

I am sure there are others who can add much valuable information to this. Please do!

09-22-2012, 06:40 AM	#8
buchmausar Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 548 Senior Member	Seeds collected from native, or heirloom, plants can be planted to produce the same fruits or vegetables as the original. In fact, many people the world over save seeds from year to year to ensure their ability to have sustainable crops. They share and trade these seeds with others. Seeds saved from times of plenty are used in harder times. Seeds collected from a hybrid vegetable or fruit may produce something entirely different from it's mother plant; possibly not even fit to eat. The advantage of heirloom gardening to a home gardener is that a variety of nutritional and delicious fruits and vegetables can be grown year after year with very little expense, particularly if they are grown organically. It is easy to see the advantage to rural communities in all parts of the world to practice this type of gardening. It is a way for families to have better nutrition and variety in their diets and be self reliant in doing so. In fact, in some large cities also, community gardens have been planted in vacant lots to enable it's members to have access to fresh vegetables. Market consumers take advantage of these benefits when they purchase heirloom fruits and vegetables. The advantage is strengthened when they are grown organically. Gandhi said (quoting from memory with slight para-phrasing) that if you give people food they can eat for a day, but if you give them a plow (or seeds) they can eat for a lifetime. Many hobby gardeners are also interested in heirloom gardening for the sake of diversity, nutrition and variety of taste. Advocates of heirloom vegetables & fruits generally believe their taste to be superior to hybrid or genetically altered ones. Scientists are studying native plants worldwide for their nutritional & medicinal properties in the interest of preserving those values. For example, many modern medicines are synthetic counterparts of natural herbs and plants. Without preservation of native species we may never have cures for many deseases. I am in no way a scientist, but this is a simple interpretation of what I have read on this all important subject. I am sure there are others who can add much valuable information to this. Please do!
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