What Are Heirloom Varieties?

An heiroom variety is a plant or variety of vegetable that is at least 50 years old. Furthermore, the seeds must be either open-pollinated or self-pollinated to be considered heirloom, not a hybrid. An heirloom variety usually has a meaningful story behind it, such as a history of being passed down within a community, culture, farm, or family – much like a family “heirloom” would.