Heirloom gardening is becoming a trend in the United States and globally, which is evidenced by the number of companies that are dedicated to selling seeds that will grow heirloom vegetables. But why are these crops becoming so popular" One reason is that they could be the solution to food insecurity and a possible key […]
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Heirloom gardening is becoming a trend in the United States and globally, which is evidenced by the number of companies that are dedicated to selling seeds that will grow heirloom vegetables.

But why are these crops becoming so popular" One reason is that they could be the solution to food insecurity and a possible key to solving world hunger.
It?s not an understatement to say that heirloom seeds are critically important to the future of food. Here?s why.

1. What Are Heirloom Seeds"

At the most basic level, heirloom seeds are those that were developed before farmers and food-growers began developing hybrid seeds.

This occurred around 1950, but some purists believe that heirloom seeds began phasing out prior to World War II.

The timeline notwithstanding, the main trait of an heirloom plant is that it produces fruit that is, in most cases, identical to the parent plant.

This contrasts with hybrid plants, which are designed to produce a different fruit from the parent plant. 

Over time, these hybrid plants were geneti...