Heirloom vs. Hybrid Plants.
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In my house I have a cedar chest that is filled with lots of random things. Pictures, blankets, jewlery, stuffed animals, baby clothes and all of these are mostly family heirlooms. Heirloom by definition is a valuble object that has belonged to a family for several generations. When it comes to heirloom seeds, the defintion stays basically the same except that valuble seed may not necessarily exclusivley stay with the family that started that heirloom seed. Produce from heirloom seeds are a nice twist on traditional agriculture that often times leaves you with an amazing and unique product. However, their tends to be some confusion when it comes to the difference between heirloom and hybrid crops.
So, lets use tomatoes as an example. When a hybrid vegetable is created, a gardener or farmer intentionally cross pollinates two different tomato varieties, aiming to produce an offspring that produces the best tomato from the best traits of its two parent plants. Cross pollination is a natural process that occurs in nature unlike it's GMO counterpart that is done in a very unatural way. Hybrid tomatoes and other hybrid crops have pros and cons. The pros are that they are usually very hardy plants, their taste and size are pretty consistent and they have a reputation for being more disease resistant than their counterparts. The cons when compared to its heirloom counterpart is that hybrids are not as flavorful.
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Now, when it comes to heirloom tomatoes, there is no other tomato that tastes as good. I want to say its just my opinion but come to think of it, I've never met anyone who disagrees with me, lol. Heirloom seeds come from plants that have been handed down generation after generation in a particular region or area. Heirloom varieties are open pollinated naturally without human intervention. The true deifintion of heirloom varies but usually they are seeds that are at least 50 years old. The pros are that heirloom crops have a wonderfully distinct and unique flavor. The cons are that the size and shape of heirloom crops very greatly from plant to plant. One thing to keep in mind about heirloom or hybrid crops is that while a lot of the time they are organic, that isn't always the case. You have to read your labels and ask the seller so that you know you are getting an organic product.
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Typically neither of the plants are GMO's. Hybrid and Heirlooms are pollinated in a way that is naturally occuring whereas GMO plants are altered by humans in a non natural way. I can honestly say that even though both of these types of crops can definately be non-organic, I don't think it is something you would run into very often. I mean, why take the time to carefully preserve a seed or cross pollinate two plants just the way that you want only to dowse them in chemicals? It's not impossible but it is not very likely. As summer gets closer and closer, I really encourage you to venture out to your farmers markets and give either of these seed varities a try. You never know what wonderful things you may experience and taste!