|
|
WEBSITE
HOME / INDEX
HEIRLOOM SEEDS
INTRO PAGE
BEEFSTEAK TOMATOES
PASTE TOMATOES
CHERRY TOMATOES
TOMATOES BY COLOR
RED TOMATOES A - L
RED TOMATOES M- Z
ORANGE / YELLOW TOMATOES
PINK /PURPLE TOMATOES
TOMATOES OF UNUSUAL COLOR:
BLACK, GREEN, WHITE, STRIPED
ALL TOMATOES
ALPHABETIZED
TOMATOES A - B
TOMATOES C - G
TOMATOES H - M
TOMATOES N - R
TOMATOES S - Z
HOLLYHOCKS
and FLOWERS
LETTUCE
LEGUMES:
BEANS, PEAS
PEPPERS
SEED STARTING
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Homestead Activities:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CASTILE
OLIVE OIL
HANDCRAFTED SOAPS
FIBER,
YARN,
and KNITTING NEEDLE
ORGANIZERS
SOCKS & HAT PATTERNS
ABOUT OUR
FARM
THE SHEEP
THE RABBITS
BEEKEEPING
AND HONEY
CONTACT US
--TOP
|
Tanager
Song Farm is my hobby. I raise over 600 varieties of rare Heirloom Vegetable and Flower seeds from around the world because it is important to maintain the rare seeds that are quickly becoming difficult to find due to large seed companies, hybrids and terminator technology. The Heritage varieties that I raise include Tomatoes, Lettuces, Peppers, Beans, Peas, Hollyhocks, and other exotic edible and ornamentals found in diverse corners of the world. The Heirloom Seeds are saved from the most perfect specimens in the garden using the techniques described by Suzanne Ashworth in her Seed to Seed book.
When I began to offer my seeds in 1998 on the internet, I was one of the pioneers in introducing Heirloom Seeds on the Web. In 2004, Tanager Song Farm was recorded on page 72 in the Seed Savers Exchange, 2004 Harvest Edition, as introducing 96 “New Unique Varieties” of heirloom seeds commercially, the sixth largest introduction in the nation. On page 71 of the same publication, I was listed as being the sixth largest in offering the most “One Source Varieties” in the Garden Seed Inventory of 2006. I have tried to promote the importance of maintaining rare varieties and their genetic diversity. I enjoyed being a small part of a large effort in helping to maintain disappearing heirloom seeds.
I have signed the "Safe Seed Pledge". Although I cannot afford the costs of being Certified Organic, I consider my seeds organic because no pesticides or herbicides are used in the gardens.
I do not grow hybrids and I do not support
"terminator technology" or "genetically engineered" seeds. If you wonder how I deal with the bugs and pests, I plant double what I think I need and figure that 1/2 is for us and 1/2 is for the bugs. And we wear gardening gloves to "pop" the crawly things that we manage to locate.
My life long interest in Heirloom Vegetables began when my parents grew Yellow Pear Heirloom Tomatoes along with the other vegetable heirlooms
in our garden. Later, when I travelled to different countries while studying languages, I became aware of the many varieties of vegetables that are not normally seen in the United States. As a homeschooling mother, I wanted to grow as many of these fascinating vegetables as possible so that my children could experience, in a small way, the
incredible diversity of Heritage Vegetable varieties that exist worldwide.
I now have an large collection of Heirloom Vegetable and Flower seed that represents many of the areas of the world where I have visited and studied. The histories of the seeds that voyaged with the people groups as they migrated from one area of the world to another are fabulous. Some seeds have become acclimated to high altitudes, others to drought, and others to heat.
Cultures and civilizations depend on the availibility of fruits, vegetables and grains for sustenance. During Charlemagne's reign in Medieval Europe, he ordered that lists and records be kept of seed inventories to insure a uniform stocking of his royal estates throughout Europe. Charlemagne's lists and other ruler's lists around the world help us trace the existence and the propagation of many species of edible plants. The discovery of the New World brought the introduction of the potato, corn, and tomatoes to Europe and the rest of the "Old World". Indians helped the first New World settlers survive by introducing them to new seeds that thrived here.
Along with growing out several hundred of America's favorite Heirlooms, I have also accumulated a large number of
Native American Seeds from both North and Latin America. In Thailand, I found that I recognized very little of what I was eating, and the dishes included many peppers too hot for my palate. I did not collect seeds while visiting these countries but I have imported the seeds from the countries and cultures that are particularly fascinating to me. Since I my graduate studies were concerned with the Latin Languages, I find that my interests focus more on the countries that speak one of those languages because I am more familiar with their histories and cultures.
I take all of my own photographs of my Vegetables and Flowers. Also included are my original photographs of where I have travelled. All my photographs are copyrighted and represent a lifetime of dedication to photography and growing these wonderful Heirloom Seeds.
These are some books written by one of my favorite authors,
William Woys Weaver, that I highly recommend. He has a lovely relaxed style that is very well researched and informative. It is like sitting across the table listening to a gardening friend chat about their plants and how they use them in cooking. He intertwines the history of vegetables and their cultures and reaquaints us with their heritage.
|
