Back by popular demand! Part II of the appeal on behalf of Garden Organic, in its effort to save rare and endangered vegetable cultivars. Part I appeared yesterday–technically, the day before yesterday, but I refuse to call it that, since I've only slept once since posting that part. Onwards–
Source: Garden Organic, on-line newsletter, Endangered Seed Appeal, March 2009.
So, you want to know what heirloom vegetables are? Sit down nicely, children, and granny will explain.
Once upon a time back at the green dawn of the world, all seeds were open-pollinated by wind, gravity, or insects. Horticulturalists (once they came along) developed a particular flower or vegetable strain by painstakingly selecting plants that had the look or smell or taste they liked, saving and planting their seeds, and when they sprouted, discarding seedlings and plants that did not have the desired traits and saving seeds from those that did.