The Heirloom Garden: Preserving the Past and Protecting Our Future {Archived}

Written by Courtney, Contributing Writer

An heirloom zucchini plant from Courtney's garden.

(Zucchini is especially important to choose from an heirloom

variety because most zucchini has been genetically modified.)

Our food supply is changing. The introduction of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) has drastically altered the way we grow food. Even on a small scale, gardening is not the same as what it once was. Our gardens may look similar to those of our grandmothers’, but are the vegetables and fruits we grow the same? Would our ancestors have recognized some of the modified varieties we grow today?

Malnourished in the Land of Plenty

We want bigger, better, faster, more.

Plants are now altered to produce desirable traits, most commonly the ability to withstand certain herbicides and pesticides. In this case, bacteria and other cells are inserted into crops such as corn and soy so that they will produce their own “herbicides and pesticides” and are able to resist the toxic chemicals that are sprayed on them.

The most notorious GM crops are soy, cotton, and canola, but advances in GMOs are growing fast. Just like other areas where man thinks he can outwit nature (think antibiotics and vaccines for prime examples), he must constantly up his game to stay one step ahead.

Genetic modification is different from natural breeding because genes are transferred unnaturally across species barriers. Foreign cells or bacteria are forced into a plant, altering its genetic make up. The plant’s natural genes can be rearranged, turned off, deleted, or mutated, resulting in an end product with little genetic resemblance to the plant it was meant to modify.

Furthermore, it is believed that the foreign genes and bacteria can transfer to our cells and infiltrate the bacteria inside us. Allergies are the most common problem associated with genetically modified food. Reproductive problems are another major concern. But it is possible that we have yet to discover the magnitude of the consequences of GMOs since, like the consequences of smoking, they may not show up for decades.

What we do know is that we are not being nourished in the way we would from natural, unmodified food and we are experiencing unintended consequences that only worsen our health and threaten our food supply. 

From the Seed Savers Exchange website:

The genetic diversity of the world's food crops is eroding at an unprecedented and accelerating rate. The vegetables and fruits currently being lost are the result of thousands of years of adaptation and selection in diverse ecological niches around the world. Each variety is genetically unique and has developed resistance to the diseases and pests with which it evolved. Plant breeders use the old varieties to breed resistance into modern crops that are constantly being attacked by rapidly evolving diseases and pests. Without these infusions of genetic diversity, food production is at risk from epidemics and infestations.

Just how dangerous is genetic erosion? The late Jack Harlan, world renowned plant collector who wrote the classic "Crops and Man" while Professor of Plant Genetics at University of Illinois at Urbana, has written: "These resources stand between us and catastrophic starvation on a scale we cannot imagine. In a very real sense, the future of the human race rides on these materials. The line between abundance and disaster is becoming thinner and thinner, and the public is unaware and unconcerned. Must we wait for disaster to be real before we are heard? Will people listen only after it is too late."

Our Creator Had a Better Plan

“And God said, ‘Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.’ And it was so.” ~ Genesis 1:11 (ESV)

Have you ever studied botany in depth? Wow. It’s amazing to learn how intricate the process of seed to plant is and how well it works on its own. Each seed according to its kind.

In our own little gardens in our own little communities, we can help preserve traditional seeds. We can make a small difference when we simply choose to plant an heirloom garden, and together, all of us can make a great impact.

Why Grow Heirloom Seeds?

1. Health

Not all non-heirlooms are genetically modified, but one sure fire way to avoid GMOs is to opt for the heirloom seed.

2. Cost

One major benefit to heirloom seeds is that they can be saved and planted again the next year. Most commercial varieties of seeds today cannot survive past the growing season they were prepared for. Genetically modified seeds are sterile and must be purchased again in subsequent years.

Seed Savers Exchange offers information on planting and saving a wide variety of seeds.

Throwback Road has some great tips for garden planning.  Check out this great idea for saving and organizing seeds! And take a look at her garden plans while you’re at it.

3. Preparedness

Unless we preserve the seeds of the past and keep them in tact and unmodified, we are at risk of losing the ability of the plant to sustain us. Monsanto will not sustain us. I promise you that.

In the event of a major crisis, being prepared could make the difference between survival and starvation. Those packets of sterile seeds that are good only for one growing season are a far cry from the properly preserved heirloom that can nourish generations to come.

4. Taste

The flavor of an heirloom vegetable or fruit just can’t be beat. Sometimes when a gene is inserted into a plant for a specific trait, there are other traits within that plant that may be lost. Flavor is often sacrificed in favor of say, pest resistance.

A waxy, sprayed store-bought tomato doesn’t even compare to biting into a ripe Brandywine tomato fresh from the garden.

5. Tradition

There is satisfaction in passing along a tradition that has been preserved for decades, sometimes hundreds or thousands of years. I enjoy reading the history behind the heirloom plants I grow. Each year I try to plant at least one new heirloom and I enjoy learning about the history behind it. The Cinderella pumpkin is new to my garden this year.

Resources for the Heirloom Gardener

If you’re wondering where to start, below is a small list of resources with information on heirlooms as well as sources for buying seeds.

Seeds Savers Exchange is my favorite source for heirloom seeds AND informational resources on growing them!

Baker’s Creek offers another wide selection of heirloom seeds. They don’t offer the educational resources like Seeds Savers Exchange does, but they still offer quite a variety of seeds.

Seeds of Change offers all organic (but not all heirloom) seeds.

There are so many great blogs on gardening out there. Deep Roots at Home is just one that I enjoy reading for gardening knowledge and for encouragement in my home. You will surely find a wealth of inspiration there!

What resources for the traditional gardener have you found helpful? I’d love for you to share yours!

Courtney blogs at Simply Nurtured, where she shares her passion for laying a strong foundation for baby and sells products that help mothers to do so.

Courtney is married to her best friend and is a homeschooling mom to 5 children, and she and her husband are expecting their 6th blessing in April.

Courtney is reminded daily of God's amazing grace and tries to not take one moment for granted. She strives to live simply in order to follow Christ fully and experience joy abundantly. When she is able to, she loves to spend time reading, writing, sewing, painting, doing crafty projects, and planning and organizing projects.

Thanks so much for visiting Purposeful Homemaking. Please take a moment to "Like" me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter and Pinterest or stay connected with Google Friend Connect so you don't miss a thing!

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While these companies are not in direct support of this sponsored post, I am blessed to have them on Purposeful Homemaking. Please take a minute to check out their links.

Interested in adding your name to the list? Check out my advertising policies.

• Halifax ISA-Individual Savings Accounts
• Usborne Books-excellent books for children of every age
• drinkmamatea-teas for Preconception, Pregnancy, After Delivery and Nursing
• doTerra-certified pure, therapeutic-grade essential oils

Gardening Tips (Archived)

Work With What You Have

We do not have a great space for our garden, but we make do with what we have. For us, that means it needs to be alongside our children's large sandbox because there really is no other place for it.

Because of our smaller area, we chose to go with Square Foot Gardening. This is obviously great for small spaces and can still have a high yield. Last year our garden was about 10x10 ft and this year we are expanding it to 10x20 ft.

But, if you don't have the desire to plant a whole garden or just simply don't have the space (perhaps you live in an apartment), you can at least consider planting one plant in a container or a tiny herb garden in your kitchen. As long as you do something it will be better for you and your family than if you did nothing.

Keep Records

If you keep records of your gardening, it will help you immensely the following year. Last summer, I sketched a scale of the garden and noted what we planted, where and how many of each plant.

The placement will come in handy for crop rotation. Especially for things like tomatoes and potatoes. If you rotate them, not only will it help specific soil nutrients to not become depleted, it will also help keep pests at bay, such as the potato bug that will be down in the ground just wating for next years batch of potatoes. But, you're too smart for that and your potatoes will be somewhere else. :)

I also kept track (as much as possible) of what our yield was for each vegetable. For example, the number of quarts of green beans (or in my case 1/2 quarts since we didn't plant enough) that I froze and the number of tomatoes we canned. That way, as we eat these vegetables during the winter, I can see where we end up and will know if we need to plant more or less of that particular produce.

Resources

Those that have gardened for awhile are probably your best resource. My husband loves getting gardening tips from family members that have been at it much longer than us. Those old timers especially, have a lot of good tips!

What We Learned From Last year

• If your expecting a frost, simply use a tarp over your garden to help keep those plants going.
• if you need to pick your green tomatoes at the end of the season because it's getting too cold for them to ripen, put them in a paper bag in your home. It'll take a couple weeks, but they will ripen. I did scores of tomatoes this way last fall.
• buy tomato plants that are specific for containers. Otherwise they will not produce healthy tomatoes.
• rotate the placement of your tomatoes and potatoes from year to year to help reduce pests
• when dealing with a pesky rabbit or two, it might help to scatter hair clippings throughout the garden or to put soap shavings around the ede of the garden. Marigolds are also supposed to help (and if nothing else, they make the garden look prettier!) However, they are an added expense so the kids and I harvested the seeds from last year to plant this year. We hope to start them indoors and then transplant them to the garden.

Do you garden? If so, do you have your garden in? If you don't garden, do you think you might give it a try?

Thanks so much for visiting Purposeful Homemaking. Please take a moment to "Like" me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter and Pinterest or stay connected with Google Friend Connect so you don't miss a thing!

********************************************************************************************************

Current Sponsors

While these companies are not in direct support of this sponsored post, I am blessed to have them on Purposeful Homemaking. Please take a minute to check out their links.

Interested in adding your name to the list? Check out my advertising policies.

• Halifax ISA-Individual Savings Accounts
• Usborne Books-excellent books for children of every age
• drinkmamatea-teas for Preconception, Pregnancy, After Delivery and Nursing
• doTerra-certified pure, therapeutic-grade essential oils

Garden Challenge

Our garden is coming along well (I think, anyway)! The tomatoes are starting to grow (although still green), the cucumbers plants are getting big and I've already picked some of our lettuce varieties for a salad.

The zucchini and summer squash I'm not too sure about...the plants still seem small (although some are starting to get blossoms) and the plants seem a bit yellow. Any suggestions? I really, really would love these plants to produce a lot since I love to fry them in summer stir-frys and I usually freeze a lot of shredded zucchini for bread in the fall and winter.

We've had some pests eating the leaves on our green pepper plants, but not too much--yet.

We've had the cutest little bunny show up, however, I really want him to stay out of the garden. He's only been in once (that I know of). Since we found him in there, we've done a couple things to keep him out and I guess they're working since I've only seen him nibbling on clover in the back yard now.

The first thing we did to keep "Peter" out of the garden was to line the border of the garden with marigold plants (which makes the garden look pretty anway!). Their scent is supposed to help keep the rabbits away. Then, after I gave the family haircuts I spread the hair throughout the garden. Lastly, I shredded a bar of soap mostly around the perimeter, but a little bit throughout the garden as well. Hope it all works to keep any pesky rabbits out!

And...here's a recent picture of the garden. :)

How are your gardens coming along? Having any troubles? If so, what are you doing to resolve them?

Garden Challenge Part 2

I'm ready to post about Part 2 of our Garden Challenge with the Homeschool Village! Unfortunately we don't have a lot to report as far as progress goes in the actual garden! :( That could be because we've still been getting a little snow recently! Spring is having a hard time showing up around here this year. I hope we get some warm weather soon.

What we have done though is: decided on what we're planting, changed the location of our garden and figured out the spacing we'll need for our square-foot garden. (This is our first year doing square-foot gardening.)

We learned last year that there is always a learning curve to gardening and I think it's something we have to keep fine-tuning. It also helps to talk to some "old-timers"! They usually have good "tried and true" tips when we need some trouble-shooting done.

If you're doing square foot gardening and want help trying to decide how much space you will need for your plants, check out this website. It is very helpful!

And, as I mentioned, we changed the location of our square foot garden since the last time I posted. We decided to give away one of our play structures to some friends (this is a neat story--we were trying to decide if we should get rid of our smaller play structure or not since the kids still used it a little bit. In the end we decided they played more in the sandbox and the other play structure and that we would rather use that space for our square foot garden. We prayed about who to give it to and after calling to see if some friends wanted it, they said they'd actually been looking for one on Craig's list but that they were so expensive. It was a provision for them and we were so happy that they could use ours!) So, here is our new location for our garden:

I really hope the square foot garden works out this year. The kids are looking forward to planting time! We hope the weather warms up so we can start! :)

We're taking on the Garden Challenge This Year!

We are participating in The Homeschool Village's Garden Challenge this year. This will be our first year participating (and our 2nd year gardening)! I'm not sure yet if we're going to do a big garden with the neighbors, but regardless, we're going to try some square foot gardening even if we still do a large garden. The reason we're going to try our hand at the square foot gardening is because from what I've read, it can yield just as much as a larger garden, but in a smaller space!

Here's the small area next to our raspberry patch that we'll use for our square foot garden

our garden from last year

I know gardening is so important because, although it's a lot of work, it's the most economical way to get healthy food. Plus, there's so much for the kids (and us!) to learn. They loved looking in the garden last year to see how things were growing and they were such a help (honestly) when it came time to pick things.

Some of our first produce from last year

Thankfully, this year I was able to get 25 packets of organic seeds for only $4.99! This will be a good start to getting our plants and seeds together. Since we live in the north we won't be doing too much planting for awhile yet, but probably by the end of April or beginning of May we'll be able to plant our peas and lettuce since they do well even when it's cold out. I think last year I was still picking lettuce into October!

As for what we'll be planting this year, we'd like to do: cucumbers, tomatoes (we plan to learn how to can these this year!), lettuce, peas, beans, zucchini and summer squash.

The kids are super excited about all this gardening talk and we even got started with our unit by planting a few wildflower seeds for Mother's Day gifts. I found some great gardening supplies in the $1 section at Target! (The kid-sized garden tools were in the gardening section and were only $3.99 for a pack of 3 tools.)

 Putting the dirt in the bucket. Hopefully the flowers will be

growing in time for Mother's Day to give to the Grandma's! :)

 Carlee working hard!

 Adding the seeds

 Adding the Wildflower sign

Also, to start off our Gardening Unit I checked the Plants and Seeds Theme Kit out from our local library. The kids always enjoy these!

I love the book that Carlee is holding. It does such a great job explaining on a child's level the parts of a flower and how a plant grows.

Well, that's the start of our gardening unit. I'll be sure to add posts as we go to keep you updated. :) Plants and seeds were always some of my favorite units as a teacher and now I get to do them with my own kids. And, if you want to particpate in the Garden Challenge you don't have to have a large garden! It could just be a pot of your favorite vegetable, flower or herb that you're growing. To join along, click on the link below!

Do you plan to have a garden this year? If so, what are you planting? Do you do square foot gardening or just the usual garden?

Free Organic Seeds

If you're planning to do some gardening this year you can get free organic seeds here. Offer is limited so you have to act quickly. You do have to pay a $4.99 s/h fee. Thanks for  the heads up Saving Naturally!

Gardening

We did a garden with our neighbors this year. We planted quite a variety: corn, tomatoes, zucchini, summer squash, 3 varieties of lettuce, several varieties of peppers, green beans, sugar snap peas, pumpkins, watermelon and canteloupe. I'm probably forgetting something, but I think that's most of it. Anyways, we are just starting to be able to harvest a handful of green beans and sugar snap peas. The lettuce has been in full swing for about a month now. I can't tell you what a great feeling it is to know that our food hasn't been sprayed wtih a bunch of pesticides! Today I froze a handful of green beans. Not a huge crop yet (plus I have to save some for the neighbors!) =) but some were ready so I wanted to get started freezing them. Here is a great link if you want to learn how to do it yourself. It's super easy, but if you've never done it before it's nice to have some directions. :) www.pickyourown.org/beansfreezing.htm. I'm sure there's a bunch more helpful info on this website when it comes to freezing other veggies.  Have fun!