Great Lakes Heirloom Seed Trial

Copyright Credits

Seed Descriptions (unless otherwise noted): Whealy, Kent. (2005). Garden Seed Inventory: Inventory Of Seed Catalogs Listing All Non-Hybrid Vegetable Seeds. Seed Savers Exchange 6th Edition.

Photography: Noted per photo

Odawa Bush Beans

Phaseolus vulgaris: Rare heirloom from Odawa tribe in Harbor Springs, MI, round white seeds with tan shield figure.

Photo: Blueflint

Black Seeded Kentucky Wonder Pole Bean

Kentucky Wonder type with long, large, stringless, fiberless, fleshy pods 6-8" long, 8-10 seeds per pod, good flavor & texture, heirloom from central Ohio.

Original seeds from Tom Knoche's Aunt Marge who maintained this variety for 60 years.

Photo: Southern Exposure Seed Exchange Photo: Seeds of Change

Henderson Bush Lima Bean

Introduced in 1889 by Peter Henderson Company of New York. A dwarf lima that is very early, hardy, productive, and disease resistant. Produces small creamy white limas for the home gardener and canner that are distinct in color and

excellent in quality. Desirable and dependable in adverse conditions. Bush habit, 60-75 days .This buttery flavored baby lima produces 3 to 4, excellent tasting beans per pod. A very prolific variety that has been a favorite since 1883!

Photo: Henry Field’s Seeds Photo: Seed Savers Exchange

Detroit Dark Red Beet

Nearly globe blood-red 2.5-3" diameter roots, little zoning, main crop canner for home gardens, all purpose, prolific, DM res, solid root, good keeper, the

standard for beets, heirloom from 1892.

Resistant Detroit

Aka: “Golden Acre”. Standard early baldhead, short-stemmed compact erect plants, solid 5.5-7" round gray-green heads, 3.5-5 lbs, yellows resistant,

uniform, high yields, white interior, tightly folded, not long-standing, early garden use. Widely adapted. Similar to Copenhagen Market.

Premium Late Flat Dutch Cabbage

Aka: “Drumhead” “Surehead”. Introduced to the US by German immigrants around 1840; listed in the 1924 catalog of D.M. Ferry & Co. Solid blue-green flat heads with white interior weighs 10-15 lbs. Excellent for late fall or winter use.

Photo: Reimer Seeds

Country Gentleman Sweet Corn

90 days. Introduced in 1890 by S.D. Woodruff & Sons. Sweet, delicious and milky, tender white kernels on 8-inch ears. As this is a shoepeg type, the ears have no rows. The kernels are packed in a zigzag pattern. One of

the best heirloom sweet corns.

Photo: Nature Hills Nursery Photo: Seed Savers Exchange

Green Prolific Cucumber

Aka: “Boston” Smooth, bright-green, 5.5-6 x 2.5-3” blunt ended, seldom too large for pickles, slight taper, black spine, very high yeilds, bears continually if kept picked, popular old reliable small cucumber for

pickling, listed by D.M. Ferry in 1880.

Photo: Sustainable Seed Company Photo: Garden Stuff

Chicago Pickling Cucumber

Aka: “Improved Chicago Pickling”, “Westerfield”, “Westerfield Chicago Pickling”, “Westerfield Pickling”. Old timer for home gardens, thick

square-ended med-green thin-skinned fruit, 6-7x2.5", high yielding, prolific, well warted, most widely used pickling variety, early, fine quality. Fruit medium green, 5-6 x 2-2.25" size, monoecious, pickling inbred, 58 day maturity, L/D 2.85, black spined, vigorous vines. Resistance: scab,

cucumber mosaic virus. 1888.

Photo: Reimer Seeds

Grand Rapids Lettuce

Large erect bright light-green heavily frilled and curled leaves, for greenhouse or field culture, early, holds well, slow bolting, TB disease

& rot res, for home gardens or greenhouses, MSU

Photo: Southern States

Photo: Sustainable Seed Company

Sanguine Amerliore

Aka: “Strawberry Cabbage Lettuce”. Old French Butterhead variety w/ deep red-brown mottling clustered toward the pink

center of each tongue shaped leaf, retains color, tender texture, excel quality, intro to the U.S. in 1906 as Strawberry Cabbage

Lettuce by C.C. Morse and Co.

Photo: Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds Photo: Seed Savers Exchange

Sunset Lettuce

All American Selections medal winner in 1987 and although a rather recent introduction, very few commercial sources still exist. One of the most vivid deep

red lettuces available to home gardeners and market growers. Extremely slow to bolt, 12" across and 5-8" tall. Looseleaf, 45-55 days.

Photo: Seed Savers Exchange Photo: Territorial Seed

Company

Hanson Improved Lettuce

A wonderful head lettuce that dates back to pre-1855. The large, yellowish-green heads have lovely, frilly leaves, with delicious white

hearts. Tolerates heat. Introduced in 1871 by Henry A Dreer.

Photo: Reimer Seeds

Honey Rock Melon

Aka: “Sugar Rock Melon”. AAS/1933, 6 x 5.5 inch diameter, 3-4lbs,tough grey-green skin, coarse open net,ribbed, thick sweet firm deep salmon

flesh, vigorous, res to FW, 5-7 melons per plant, for home garden and local market in northeast us & southern Canada, MSU.

Photo: Sustainable Seed CompanyPhoto: Eden Brothers

Emerald Gem Melon

Introduced by W. Atlee Burpee in 1886 from seed sent by William Voorhees of Benzie County, MI. The most popular melon of that

period, hailed as "altogether unapproached in delicious flavor and luscious beyond description." Pale orange rich juicy flesh is sweet

and somewhat spicy in flavor. Heavy producer, 2-3lb fruits.

Photo: Local Harvest Photo: Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

Hearts of Gold Melon

Developed by Roland Morrill of Benton Harbor, MI; the variety name was trademarked in 1914. Similar to Hoodoo, which it replaced. Once very popular in Michigan. Aromatic fruits typically weigh 2-3 lbs and

have firm, juicy flavorful, high quality flesh.

Photo: Victory Seed Company Photo: Nature Hills Nursery

Chicago Warted Hubbard

Aka: “Green Chicago Warted Hubbard”, “Hubbard Improved”. Vigorous vines, dark green fruits, very hard shell thickly covered with heavy warts, true hubbard shape, 12-

14x10"diameter, 12-16lbs, thick dry sweet fine-grained golden-yellow flesh, keeps until late spring, good shipper, for pies baking or freezing. This heirloom was developed by Budlong Gardens of Chicago and was introduced by Vaughans Seed Store of Chicago in

1894. The 13 lb. fruit are dusky olive green, deeply wrinkled and warted, classic hubbard shape. Fine-grained, sweet orange flesh.

Photo: Local HarvestPhoto: Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

Burgess Buttercup Winter Squash

Introduced in 1932 by Burgess Seed & Plant co of Bloomington, IL. Buttercup has set the benchmark over the years for all other winter squash. Flattened dark green turbans with distinctive button on the

blossom end. Typical fruits weigh 3-5lbs. Super sweet brilliant orange flesh with very fine eating qualities. Rind is thin but very

hard, medium length keeper.

Photo: High Mowing Organic Seeds

Dwarf Gray Sugar Pea

Described by D.M. Ferry & Co. in 1892. Broad pale green 3-4" pods are stringless and free of fiber, well suited for steaming or

stir-fry. Beautiful purple bi-colored blossoms. Vines grow 24-30" and do not require staking, quite prolific. Edible pod.

Photo: Southern States Photo: Seed Savers Exchange

Sheepnose Pimento

Tomato-type peppers are exceedingly flavorful with sweet juicy flesh. Very meaty, good for canning. An Ohio heirloom from the family of Nick Rini. Keeps for an extended period when refrigerated. Plants 22" tall by 16" wide, sparse foliage, cheese pimento shaped red fruits, 3" deep x 4"

diameter, very meaty and good for canning, cold tolerant, Ohio heirloom.

Photo: Seed Savers Exchange Photo: Dave’s Garden

Miniature Yellow Bell

Short, stocky plants covered with lovely 2" long miniature bell peppers with an excellent fresh flavor. One of three miniature bell peppers from Ohio SSE member, Lucina Cress. She stuffed these peppers with cabbage, pickled and canned them, and then sold them at her church fundraiser. Great for salads

Photo: Seed Savers Exchange

Amish Paste

This heirloom tomato was discovered in Wisconsin although its origins are in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, which is the heart of the Amish

Country. The tomatoes are teardrop or heart-shaped with a brilliant red orange color. The Amish Paste tomato has a balance of acid and sweetness. When it is sliced fresh the juicy flesh sparkles and has a

solid texture. The Amish Paste is eaten fresh or in sauces.

Photo: Nature Hills Photo: Tall Clover Farm

Tasty Evergreen

A favorite of Ben Quisenberry. Originally introduced by Glecklers Seedmen of Metamora, OH in 1956. A green-when-ripe variety with

medium-sized beefsteak fruits. Grapefruit yellow when fully ripe; flesh and gel remain green inside. Luscious & tender, strong, sweet flavor.

Very productive.. Indeterminate.

Photo: Rutgers Photo: Seed Savers Exchange

Livingston’s Golden Queen

Photo courtesy of Gina Fiorillo

Livingston’s Golden Queen tomato is a pale yellow medium-sized fruit that develops a pink blush on the bottom when ripe. According to Livingston, he examined a very pretty yellow tomato at a county fair. The grower gave him one and he took special care to preserve, test and improve it. After a number of years he introduced it and in 1882 gave it its current name to give it wider circulation. He called it the best flavored tomato in existence.

This tomato has a light fruity aroma and a nice thin skin. It is meaty with a nice acidity, leaving a little sting on the tip of the tongue and a long lingering finish. It slices very well. This tomato incorporates all the pleasures of a red tomato with a lovely golden color. –Slow Food USA (www.slowfoodusa.com)

Beam’s Yellow Pear

Introduced to SSE in 1983 by John Hartman of Indiana. Our favorite when we compared 25 different yellow pears in 1998. Endless supply of 1 1/2”

fruits with great flavor. Ideal for salads. Indeterminate.

Photo: Rutgers Photos: Tomatotown

Livingston’s Stone

Old reliable canner, large vigorous indeterminate vines, smooth solid bright deep-scarlet oval fruits, 10 oz, heavy yields, uniform ripening, wilt res., remarkable holding qualities, bred by the Livingston Seed

Company of Columbus OH, late 1800's.

Photos: Victory Seeds Company - www.VictorySeeds.com

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Kellogg’s Breakfast

West Virginia heirloom obtained from Darrell Kellogg of Redford, Michigan. Large orange beefsteak fruits weigh 1-2 pounds. Delicious rich flavor with a good acid/sugar

balance. Very productive. Indeterminate, 80-90 days from transplant.

Photo: Victory Seed Company-www.VictorySeeds.com

Livingston’s Honor Bright

90 days, indeterminate — According to Alexander Livingston himself, 'Honor Bright' was, "a sport found in a field of Stone tomatoes in 1894" and released in 1897. The plant is quite unique exhibiting yellowish (lutescent), regular leafed foliage, cream

colored flowers, medium sized fruits that turn from green to white to yellow to orange to red.A very unique and interesting tomato. The plants look sickly with young green leaves turning pale yellow. This is its normal appearance attributed to a specific

genetic trait. The color changes of the fruit is also an unusual show. Each packet contains approximately 20 seeds.*

*Copyright - www.victoryseeds.com

Cincinnati Radish

Aka: “Long Scarlet”. Heirloom described in Vilmorin's The Vegetable Garden (1885); now becoming scarce. Deep red radishes are 6" long and tapered (like a carrot). Flesh is tender, crisp,

and mild. Medium tops are good for bunching.