Summer Seeds 2010

Here are the seeds I bought for summer planting. All these are from Baker Creek Heirloom seeds. This is a duplicate of what's in the farm scrapbook, but I wanted it here for backup and searchability. Some of the seeds were bought this winter, while most were bought 4-15.

Christmas Pole Lima Bean
95 days. Very large, white beans, with beautiful, dark red splashes, rich flavor; heavy yields even in very hot weather; long vines. Heirloom

Dragon Tongue Bush Bean
This famous Dutch heirloom bean has an incomparable flavor. The tender and superbly delicious 7" pods are yellow, with amazing purple streaks! Also makes a tasty shelled bean. Popular with chefs and gourmets. Compact plants set high yields.

Old Homestead Bean
(Kentucky Wonder Pole)
65 days. This homesteaders' heirloom was first mentioned in The Country Gentleman magazine in 1864 under the name of Texas Pole. It was not until 1877 that it was introduced as Kentucky Wonder by James J.H. Gregory & Sons and has been popular ever since. It is a pole bean with 6"- 8" green pods that are very tender when cooked and have a great flavor. In 1896 Peter Henderson & Co. said, "This we regard as far ahead of any other green Pole Bean." They also said it was 10 days earlier.
 
Pigott Family Heirloom Cowpea
A Louisiana variety that has been in the Pigott family, Washington Parish, LA, since the 1850's. Prized by the family as the best-tasting cowpea of them all. Brown seed is speckled and of good size.

Dixie Speckled Butterpea Lima Bean (not shown)
76 days. Very productive. Beans are about the size of peas; red-speckled with a deep purple-rust color, and grow well in hot weather. A delicious baby lima. Bush plants.
Bidwell Casaba Melon
This melon was grown by General John Bidwell, who received his seed stock from the USDA in 1869. He was a soldier in the Civil War and also became a US senator. He grew this melon in Chico, California. It produces massive fruits that weigh about 16 lbs each and are football shaped. The orange flesh is sweet and creamy. Dr. Amy Goldman says it "...tastes like heavenly orange sherbet," in her book Melons for the Passionate Grower.

Tigger Melon
The most amazing melon we have grown. The fruit are vibrant yellow with brilliant fire-red, zigzag stripes, (a few fruit may be solid yellow), simply beautiful! They are also the most fragrant melons we have tried, with a rich, sweet intoxicating aroma that will fill a room. The white flesh gets sweeter in dry climates. Small in size the fruits weigh up to 1 lb. - perfect for a single serving. The vigorous plants yield heavily, even in dry conditions. This heirloom came from an Armenian market located in a mountain valley. It was the most popular melon at our Garden Show last August and makes a unique specialty market variety.

Tennessee Dancing Gourd

A tiny gourd just 2" long! They are bottle-shaped and green and white striped- turning tan when dry. This unique heirloom was sent to us by Mr. Junior G. of Primm Springs, Tennessee. They used to be popular there, and his Maw had said that, when she was going to school, kids would bring 'em to play with. Dancing gourds spin just like a top.

Boston Marrow Squash

90-110 days(C. maxima) Lovely 15 lb fruit are hubbard-shaped and a brilliant red-orange in color. This variety was first documented back to 1831 by Fearing Burr, the author of Field & Garden Vegetables of America. This variety was first mentioned being grown by Mr. J.M. Ives of Salem, MA. Mr.Ives had received seeds from a friend in Northampton, MA who had obtained his seeds from a friend in Buffalo, N.Y. This variety came to be grown in the Buffalo area after a tribe of Native Americans traveled through the area and distributed seed. From this historic introduction, Boston Marrow soon became one of the most important commercial squashes for 150 years, but as the 21st century approached, nearly every seed company had dropped this unique treasure. In 1881 D.M. Ferry’s catalog said, "Very dry, fine-grained, and for sweetness and excellence, unsurpassed; a very popular variety in the Boston market." It has rich, orange flesh that won it a place in Slow "Foods-Ark of Taste" for having superior flavor and taste!

Triamble or Shamrock Squash
(C. maxima) A very rare and unique variety that was imported from Australia in 1932, from seed secured from Arthur Yates and Co. of Sydney. This light-sea-green squash is lobed like a three leaf clover, making it highly unusual in apperance. They weigh about 10 lbs each and have sweet orange, fine-grained flesh. A fine variety for eating and decorating!

Galeux D Eysines Pumpkin
(C. maxima) Possibly our most beautiful heirloom squash. This flattened, round 10-15 lb fruit has a gorgeous salmon-peach colored skin that is covered with large warts! The sweet orange flesh is used in France for soups and also can be baked. We are delighted to offer this French heirloom.

Costata Romanesco Squash
52 days.(C. pepo) Famous, ribbed zucchini from Rome, Italy. The distinctive, long fruit are flutted with medium, green-striped skin. The cut slices are scalloped. When small, they are popular fried whole with the flower still on. Rich and very flavorful. A perfect, gourmet variety for the market grower.

Zucchini Gray Squash
49 days.(C. pepo) Great tasting, high quality gray Zucchini squash. Yields are very good; flesh is firm, mild and very tasty. We have been getting favorable reports back from customers about this squash. A real favorite.

Ronde De Nice Squash
50 days.(C. pepo) The delicious, Italian heirloom round green zucchini, the fruit are very tender and fine flavored, an ideal squash for stuffing, A popular variety for home gardens and specialty growers. Vigorous, quick-growing plants.


Tarahumara White Seeded Sunflower
Grown by the Tarahumara tribe for their mostly white seeds, plants produce beautiful 8”-10” golden yellow flowers on tall plants. We are proud to offer this rare heirloom that may have originally been brought to Canada by Russian Mennonite farmers.


Mammoth Grey Sunflower
The standard giant variety that produces delicious seeds. The 10’ plants produce heads that average 12” across. A stately garden plant.

Harlequin Marigold

This antique variety dates back to 1870 and has recently become popular again. It is quite unique with its yellow-and-red-striped flowers that are both charming and flashy. It makes a good cut flower, too!