The one that got away!
I am very fortunate to have lines of seeds and plants that run deep from both sides of my family. Some of these plants are from as far back as the 1600’s, and some of them, well as some of them being from Native Americans so are even older . My family had always said that they where traded, but I am going to have to say that is most likely a load of crap and these plants where taken, stolen and misused.
My deep seed connection was with a jar of beans that I got from my maternal grandfather from Lancaster County PA.
My paternal grandmother, Katherine lived very close to us and she was also a wonderful plants person. Aloe for your burns, pennyroyal tea for your belly and on and one. I have lots of plants from her that she gave to my parents as cuttings when they built their house, which I have propagated and moved to my house. But I also missed great opportunities as well. The two that stand out to me are the Jerusalem Artichokes that she grew and pickled. But the one that stings the worst is I can remember her saving tomato seeds on a paper towel and storing them away till late winter when she would start them on her kitchen window sill above her sink. I can remember the tomato as well, large fruited pinkish red. I don’t remember what they tasted like, probably because I was a picky kid! Most likely a Brandywine but I can not be sure, I can never be sure, because the connection from one generation to the next was broken. Our food, culture, stories, and seeds. So simple to give up, but almost impossible to get back. Save your seeds, cook with your grandma and tell stories to anyone that will listen.
So this got me thinking about the Brandywine tomato I have a few in my collection but I want to do a grow out this year of all the ones I can get my hands on.
Seed savers list a lot of different ones, so I am asking readers and followers if they would like to do a seed swap.
Our field irrigation comes right out of the Brandywine River that the tomato was named after so I want to bring as many home as I can.
So DM or email me let me know what you have I have a spreadsheet started, if I need what you I will trade you for it. I will send you two packs of something local and rare for one sample of your seeds.
Thank You
Tim