Thanks to the Web, there’s a new way to find old seeds.It's 15 degrees outside. I'm checking my garlic, which is covered with plastic and frozen in the soil. The sun hits my cheek, but there’s little warmth in its kiss.
To me, nothing provides more comfort on a winter day than sipping coffee and cruising through seed catalogs. In those pages rest the promise of spring and childhood memories of my Grammie's beans, hot and seasoned with bacon, salt and pepper.
Today, it's easier to sprout past memories in real life, because old is new in seeds. Heirloom varieties, considered new and improved in their day, are now old and reliable. That's because "heirloom," means varieties introduced at least 50 years ago that are open-pollinated, not the result of hybrids. People are re-discovering the diversity in color, texture and taste that heirlooms provide.
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