Harvest time is in full swing, and stores and farmer’s markets are overflowing with the bounty. we’re used to our produce looking a certain way. But many crops are grown all over the world in varieties that appear quite different than what we’re used to. These links introduce some unique varieties of vegetables?and give tips on how to get your own heirloom garden going!
Yellow, red, even blue potatoes: you’ve seen them all, right? Not necessarily. Check out this National Geographic gallery of potato species you’ve never even heard of. Many of them are native to the Andes, the area in which the potato originated. It’s not just appearances, either?the varieties are so different nutrition-wise that you could exist solely on a diet of potatoes!
Not all tomatoes are red and round?but mix them together and you’ve got a very unique salad. These photos, from TLC’s cooking guide, show various types of heirloom tomatoes (and how they look on the serving platter!).
Heirloom gardening?propagating seeds that have been passed down throughout the generations?is the latest trend among green gardeners and foodies. These vegetables may look weird compared to what we’re used to, but growing and using heirloom vegetables can bypass concerns about hybridization and genetic modification. The practice also keeps a variety of genetic strains in existence, something That’s important to preserving the world food supply.
