Seed Varieties

TOMATO:

STUPICE TOMATO - One of the four original Czechoslovakian varieties sent to the U. S. by Milan Sodomka. Potato-leaf 4' plants loaded with 2½" by 2" diameter fruits borne in clusters. Extremely early, great flavor. Heavy yields all season. Produces well in northern climates.

SUNRAY TOMATO - Another great tomato from the Ben Quisenberry. Golden-yellow fruits are uniform and virtually blemish-free. Sturdy productive 4' vines. Excellent full tomato flavor. Our finest yellow tomatoes.

One of the two original Bavarian varieties that started SSE. Potato-leaf plants produce large 1-2 pound meaty fruits with few seeds, very little cracking or blossom scars. Full sweet flavor. Excellent for canning and freezing. Dale Ott, Babtist Ott's son, is still growing this variety today in Festina, Iowa. In a typical season Dale will grow 30 plants and harvest 400 pounds of tomatoes for local customers. Indeterminate, 85 days from transplant.

CORN:

BLOODY BUTCHER CORN - I've tried a lot of corn and many do well but this variety of bloody butcher is extremely resistant to pests and disease and is easy to dry for winter eating or seed saving.

MANDAN INDIAN MULTI COLORD CORN- From the Mandan Indians of Minnesota and North Dakota. Extensive color range, including some beautifully striped kernels, used as a flour corn or for highly ornamental fall displays. Ears are 6-8" long on 6' plants.

GENTLEMAN YELLOW CORN- The original strain of Golden Bantam was introduced by W. Atlee Burpee in 1902. This improved strain was selected for longer ears and tenderness. Excellent sweet flavor, early main crop variety for home gardeners. Still the standard for home gardeners and market growers. Ideal for freezing and fresh eating. The variety of choice for eating at Heritage Farm

Grown in the U. S. since 1845. Plants grow 9-12' tall and have 2 ears per stalk, each ear is 8-12" long. Good drought tolerance. Good for flour, cornmeal or corn-on-the-cob when young. Great for fall decorations. 100-110 days.

ONION:

AUSTRALIAN BROWN ONION- In 1894 C. C. Morse & Co. obtained 5 pounds of Brown Spanish seed from Australia and sold the seed to W. Atlee Burpee in 1897 who renamed the variety Australian Brown. Medium-size flattened globes, yellow firm pungent flesh, great keeper.

PHILADELPHIA WHITE BOX RADISH - Historic radish variety from the 1890s, listed by D. Landreth Seed Company (the oldest seed house in the U.S., established in 1784) in 1938 as a good variety for open cultivation or forcing in boxes. Nice and mild, sow in early spring or early fall.

LETTUCE:

SAISONS LETTUCE- French heirloom described in Vilmorin’s The Vegetable Garden (1885). Pretty reddish bibb-type rosette, crispy, excellent flavor. Darker red color in cool weather. Butterhead

SPECKELED LETTUCE - Sent to SSE in 1983 by Mark Reusser. His father obtained it from Urias Martin, whose Mennonite family brought it to Waterloo County, Ontario in 1799 in a covered wagon from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The Martin family immigrated to America from Germany, and earlier from Holland in 1660. Looseleaf.

FORELLENSCHUSS LETTUCE - Austrian heirloom that translates literally as "trout, self-enclosing" meaning it’s a speckled romaine. Gorgeous romaine lettuce with medium green leaves and splotches of maroon. Superior flavor. Holds very well in the heat.

CARROT:

DRAGON CARROT - The finest, most refined purple carrot available, grown and maintained by Dr. John Navazio. Sure to be the best selling carrot at specialty and farmers’ markets. The beautiful reddish-purple exterior provides an amazing contrast with the yellowish-orange interior when peeled or sliced. Sweet, almost spicy flavor.

BEANS:

HIDASTA RED BEAN - Originally grown by the Native Americans in the Dakotas. Introduced to gardeners by the Oscar Will Seed Company. Dark red seeds, used as a shell bean or dry. Sprawling bush plants, will climb to 3' if given support.

TIGER EYE BEAN - Originally from either Chile or Argentina. One of the most beautiful of all the dry beans. Wonderfully rich flavor and smooth texture. Very tender skins almost disappear when cooked. Great for chili or refried beans. Can also be used as a fresh shell bean. Very productive 24" plants

CALYPSO BEAN - (a.k.a. Orca or Yin Yang) One of the all time best for baking and soups. Strong 15" plants, round black and white seeds with contrasting eye. Averages 4-5 seeds per pod, productive.

SPINACH:

AMERICAN SPINACH - Long-standing compact Bloomsdale type, 8" tall plants, thick deep-green savoyed leaves, slow-growing, slow-bolting, heat and drought resistant. Fine quality, suited for spring sowing in long-day areas. Fresh use, can or freeze.

MELON:

BOULE D'OR MELON - (a.k.a. Golden Perfection) Famous French melon listed by Vilmorin in 1885. Hard yellow skin, lightly netted, pale-green flesh is an absolute delight. Fruits will keep for several weeks if kept cool and dry. Very hard to fine. Fragrant, sure to be a new favorite.

CANOE CREEK MELON- Large, deeply ribbed, football-shaped fruits can top 20 pounds if kept well watered. Typical fruits range between 8-15 pounds. Great flavor, should be picked when they just begin to slip. The biggest melon ever grown at Heritage Farm. Must keep well watered for largest melons. Sure to impress all of your neighbors.

COLLECTIVE FARM WOMAN MELON- First offered to American gardeners by SSE in 1993. An old Ukrainian variety, very popular on the island of Krim in the Black Sea. Smooth round 7-10" melons are ready to harvest when the skin turns yellowish-orange. Yellowish-white flesh is extremely sweet and fragrant. Early, ripens in central Russia and can even be grown in Moscow.