heritage varieties
Old-fashioned plant strains
Heritage varieties are older cultivated strains of plants—fruits, vegetables, grains—preserved from earlier generations of farming.
Unlike modern commercial cultivars bred for uniformity and shelf life, heritage varieties prioritize flavor, regional adaptation, or historical significance.
The farm specializes in heritage varieties of tomatoes.
The term overlaps with heirloom, though heritage sometimes emphasizes agricultural tradition over family lineage.
- ex-situ conservationProtecting species elsewhere
- seed banksStorage for genetic diversity
- ancient grainsLong-cultivated, unmodified staple seeds
- rare breedExceptionally uncommon type
- culinary traditionsInherited food preparation practices
artisanal markets · traditional farming · ethnobotany · community gardens · farm to table · seed saving · landrace · agroecology · genetic diversity · biodiversity hotspots
heritage varietiesindustrial agriculture
Large-scale mechanized farming
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