heritage crops
Old-time plant cultivars
Heritage crops are plant varieties passed down through generations, typically predating modern industrial agriculture.
Unlike commercial hybrids bred for uniformity and shelf life, heritage crops—also called heirloom varieties—were selected over centuries for flavor, local adaptation, or cultural significance: The farm specializes in heritage crops like Cherokee Purple tomatoes and Jimmy Red corn.
The term often implies both genetic diversity and agricultural tradition worth preserving.
- seed banksStorage for genetic diversity
- seed libraryCollection for borrowing plantable material
- seed swapTrading plant starters
- seed savingPreserving plant material for replanting
- ancient grainsLong-cultivated, unmodified staple seeds
landrace · genetic diversity · traditional farming · agroecology · organic farming · backyard garden · traditional recipes · seed catalogs · rare species · indigenous knowledge · permaculture · plant breeding · agroforestry · rootstock · crop rotation · pollination · provenance · soil
- agricultural historyancient farming, traditional farming, green revolution, harvest traditions, harvest festivals
- farm heritagefarmstead, barns, farm tools, farmhouses, barn dance
- heritage plantsseed saving
- smallholder farmingsubsistence farming, smallholders, smallholdings, family farms, hand tools
- specialty producepurple carrots, golden beets, romanesco, fingerling potatoes, white asparagus
- Tribal Agricultureallotment, farming rights, land leasing, land trusts, traditional farming
heritage cropsgenetically modified crops
Plants with altered DNA