naturally pollinated, nonhybrid
Heirloom plants contribute a diverse storehouse of genetic characteristics that is at once valuable to the individual gardener and to the global supply of available food crops. Commercial cultivars are primarily selected based on their ability to travel long distances without bruising or because all their fruits ripen at about the same time, which makes large scale harvests less costly. Heirloom varieties, however, have been perpetuated by gardeners (some of them for hundreds of years) because of their flavor, resistance to pests or disease, and for some, because of their unique color or shape. And because they are open-pollinated, the seeds can be saved with predictable results (compare with hybrids).
Used in regards to many aspects of Scrapbooking. It can mean an old fashioned "looking" page, or an actual antique photograph or memory. Hermafix: A brand of dispensing tool for photo mounting squares.
a seed that was in existence before farmers began to genetically modify our food
Time-tested, open-pollinated varieties of primarily European descent, that have been passed down for at least three generations. For many reasons, including flavor, vigor, local hardiness and dependability, these have become favorites. Often, heirloom seeds are the repository of unusual genes that can help to preserve genetic diversity.
Used when referring to a variety of aspects of scrapbooking. It can mean simply old-fashioned looking, by using tea dying or vintage photo stamps, or it can refer to an actual antique photograph or memory.
(tomatoes) - Heirloom vegetables are increasingly popular as consumers re-discover older cultivars. Seeds have been saved and passed down through generations. Commercial tomatoes and other vegetables (hybrids) have been bred to meet the demands of mass market agriculture and to survive the farm-to-consumer transport. Older cultivars are often not as uniformly attractive as hybrids, but the flavor far outweighs many commercial hybrids. Kaiseki Kumquat
Plant varieties that have remained relatively unchanged in a particular region for several or more generations. They are always open-pollinated.
Also called "Heritage." Produce grown from an open pollinated seed variety usually at least 50-years-old; also livestock that is physically closer to its natural state, not having been bred or altered to fit commercial standards. The flavor of the heirloom food is thought to be superior because it is not cross-bred to create a product that will withstand cross-country shipping, or have a perfectly blemish-free skin.