Great Lakes Heirloom Seed Trial
Copyright Credits
Seed Descriptions (unless otherwise noted): Whealy, Kent. (2005).
Garden Seed Inventory: Inventory Of Seed Catalogs Listing All NonHybrid Vegetable Seeds. Seed Savers Exchange 6th Edition.
Photography: Noted per photo
Odawa Bush Beans
Photo: Blueflint
Phaseolus vulgaris: Rare heirloom from Odawa tribe in Harbor Springs, MI,
round white seeds with tan shield figure.
Black Seeded Kentucky Wonder
Pole Bean
Photo: Southern Exposure Seed Exchange
Photo: Seeds of Change
Kentucky Wonder type with long, large, stringless, fiberless, fleshy pods 6-8"
long, 8-10 seeds per pod, good flavor & texture, heirloom from central Ohio.
Original seeds from Tom Knoche's Aunt Marge who maintained this variety for
60 years.
Henderson Bush Lima Bean
Photo: Henry Field’s Seeds
Photo: Seed Savers Exchange
Introduced in 1889 by Peter Henderson Company of New York. A dwarf lima that
is very early, hardy, productive, and disease resistant. Produces small creamy
white limas for the home gardener and canner that are distinct in color and
excellent in quality. Desirable and dependable in adverse conditions. Bush habit,
60-75 days .This buttery flavored baby lima produces 3 to 4, excellent tasting
beans per pod. A very prolific variety that has been a favorite since 1883!
Detroit Dark Red Beet
Nearly globe blood-red 2.5-3" diameter roots, little zoning, main crop canner for
home gardens, all purpose, prolific, DM res, solid root, good keeper, the
standard for beets, heirloom from 1892.
Resistant Detroit
Aka: “Golden Acre”. Standard early baldhead, short-stemmed compact erect
plants, solid 5.5-7" round gray-green heads, 3.5-5 lbs, yellows resistant,
uniform, high yields, white interior, tightly folded, not long-standing, early
garden use. Widely adapted. Similar to Copenhagen Market.
Premium Late Flat Dutch Cabbage
Photo: Reimer Seeds
Aka: “Drumhead” “Surehead”. Introduced to the US by German immigrants
around 1840; listed in the 1924 catalog of D.M. Ferry & Co. Solid blue-green flat
heads with white interior weighs 10-15 lbs. Excellent for late fall or winter use.
Country Gentleman Sweet Corn
Photo: Nature Hills Nursery
Photo: Seed Savers Exchange
90 days. Introduced in 1890 by S.D. Woodruff & Sons. Sweet, delicious
and milky, tender white kernels on 8-inch ears. As this is a shoepeg type,
the ears have no rows. The kernels are packed in a zigzag pattern. One
of the best heirloom sweet corns.
Green Prolific Cucumber
Photo: Sustainable Seed Company
Photo: Garden Stuff
Aka: “Boston” Smooth, bright-green, 5.5-6 x 2.5-3” blunt ended, seldom
too large for pickles, slight taper, black spine, very high yeilds, bears
continually if kept picked, popular old reliable small cucumber for
pickling, listed by D.M. Ferry in 1880.
Chicago Pickling Cucumber
Photo: Reimer Seeds
Aka: “Improved Chicago Pickling”, “Westerfield”, “Westerfield Chicago
Pickling”, “Westerfield Pickling”. Old timer for home gardens, thick
square-ended med-green thin-skinned fruit, 6-7x2.5", high yielding,
prolific, well warted, most widely used pickling variety, early, fine quality.
Fruit medium green, 5-6 x 2-2.25" size, monoecious, pickling inbred, 58
day maturity, L/D 2.85, black spined, vigorous vines. Resistance: scab,
cucumber mosaic virus. 1888.
Grand Rapids Lettuce
Photo: Southern States
Photo: Sustainable Seed Company
Large erect bright light-green heavily frilled and curled leaves, for
greenhouse or field culture, early, holds well, slow bolting, TB disease
& rot res, for home gardens or greenhouses, MSU
Sanguine Amerliore
Photo: Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Photo: Seed Savers Exchange
Aka: “Strawberry Cabbage Lettuce”. Old French Butterhead
variety w/ deep red-brown mottling clustered toward the pink
center of each tongue shaped leaf, retains color, tender texture,
excel quality, intro to the U.S. in 1906 as Strawberry Cabbage
Lettuce by C.C. Morse and Co.
Sunset Lettuce
Photo: Seed Savers Exchange
Photo: Territorial Seed Company
All American Selections medal winner in 1987 and although a rather recent
introduction, very few commercial sources still exist. One of the most vivid deep
red lettuces available to home gardeners and market growers. Extremely slow
to bolt, 12" across and 5-8" tall. Looseleaf, 45-55 days.
Hanson Improved Lettuce
Photo: Reimer Seeds
A wonderful head lettuce that dates back to pre-1855. The large,
yellowish-green heads have lovely, frilly leaves, with delicious white
hearts. Tolerates heat. Introduced in 1871 by Henry A Dreer.
Honey Rock Melon
Photo: Sustainable Seed Company
Photo: Eden Brothers
Aka: “Sugar Rock Melon”. AAS/1933, 6 x 5.5 inch diameter, 3-4lbs,tough
grey-green skin, coarse open net,ribbed, thick sweet firm deep salmon
flesh, vigorous, res to FW, 5-7 melons per plant, for home garden and local
market in northeast us & southern Canada, MSU.
Emerald Gem Melon
Photo: Local Harvest
Photo: Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Introduced by W. Atlee Burpee in 1886 from seed sent by William
Voorhees of Benzie County, MI. The most popular melon of that
period, hailed as "altogether unapproached in delicious flavor and
luscious beyond description." Pale orange rich juicy flesh is sweet
and somewhat spicy in flavor. Heavy producer, 2-3lb fruits.
Hearts of Gold Melon
Photo: Victory Seed Company
Photo: Nature Hills Nursery
Developed by Roland Morrill of Benton Harbor, MI; the variety name
was trademarked in 1914. Similar to Hoodoo, which it replaced. Once
very popular in Michigan. Aromatic fruits typically weigh 2-3 lbs and
have firm, juicy flavorful, high quality flesh.
Chicago Warted Hubbard
Photo: Local Harvest
Photo: Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Aka: “Green Chicago Warted Hubbard”, “Hubbard Improved”. Vigorous vines, dark green
fruits, very hard shell thickly covered with heavy warts, true hubbard shape, 1214x10"diameter, 12-16lbs, thick dry sweet fine-grained golden-yellow flesh, keeps until
late spring, good shipper, for pies baking or freezing. This heirloom was developed by
Budlong Gardens of Chicago and was introduced by Vaughans Seed Store of Chicago in
1894. The 13 lb. fruit are dusky olive green, deeply wrinkled and warted, classic hubbard
shape. Fine-grained, sweet orange flesh.
Burgess Buttercup Winter Squash
Photo: High Mowing Organic Seeds
Introduced in 1932 by Burgess Seed & Plant co of Bloomington, IL.
Buttercup has set the benchmark over the years for all other winter
squash. Flattened dark green turbans with distinctive button on the
blossom end. Typical fruits weigh 3-5lbs. Super sweet brilliant
orange flesh with very fine eating qualities. Rind is thin but very
hard, medium length keeper.
Dwarf Gray Sugar Pea
Photo: Southern States
Photo: Seed Savers Exchange
Described by D.M. Ferry & Co. in 1892. Broad pale green 3-4"
pods are stringless and free of fiber, well suited for steaming or
stir-fry. Beautiful purple bi-colored blossoms. Vines grow 24-30"
and do not require staking, quite prolific. Edible pod.
Sheepnose Pimento
Photo: Seed Savers Exchange
Photo: Dave’s Garden
Tomato-type peppers are exceedingly flavorful with sweet juicy flesh.
Very meaty, good for canning. An Ohio heirloom from the family of Nick
Rini. Keeps for an extended period when refrigerated. Plants 22" tall by
16" wide, sparse foliage, cheese pimento shaped red fruits, 3" deep x 4"
diameter, very meaty and good for canning, cold tolerant, Ohio
heirloom.
Miniature Yellow Bell
Photo: Seed Savers Exchange
Short, stocky plants covered with lovely 2" long miniature bell peppers with
an excellent fresh flavor. One of three miniature bell peppers from Ohio SSE
member, Lucina Cress. She stuffed these peppers with cabbage, pickled and
canned them, and then sold them at her church fundraiser. Great for salads
Amish Paste
Photo: Nature Hills
Photo: Tall Clover Farm
This heirloom tomato was discovered in Wisconsin although its origins
are in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, which is the heart of the Amish
Country. The tomatoes are teardrop or heart-shaped with a brilliant
red orange color. The Amish Paste tomato has a balance of acid and
sweetness. When it is sliced fresh the juicy flesh sparkles and has a
solid texture. The Amish Paste is eaten fresh or in sauces.
Tasty Evergreen
Photo: Rutgers
Photo: Seed Savers Exchange
A favorite of Ben Quisenberry. Originally introduced by Glecklers
Seedmen of Metamora, OH in 1956. A green-when-ripe variety with
medium-sized beefsteak fruits. Grapefruit yellow when fully ripe; flesh
and gel remain green inside. Luscious & tender, strong, sweet flavor.
Very productive.. Indeterminate.
Livingston’s Golden Queen
Photo courtesy of Gina Fiorillo
Livingston’s Golden Queen tomato is a pale yellow medium-sized fruit that develops a pink blush
on the bottom when ripe. According to Livingston, he examined a very pretty yellow tomato at a
county fair. The grower gave him one and he took special care to preserve, test and improve it.
After a number of years he introduced it and in 1882 gave it its current name to give it wider
circulation. He called it the best flavored tomato in existence.
This tomato has a light fruity aroma and a nice thin skin. It is meaty with a nice acidity, leaving a
little sting on the tip of the tongue and a long lingering finish. It slices very well. This tomato
incorporates all the pleasures of a red tomato with a lovely golden color.
–Slow Food USA (www.slowfoodusa.com)
Beam’s Yellow Pear
Photo: Rutgers
Photos: Tomatotown
Introduced to SSE in 1983 by John Hartman of Indiana. Our favorite when
we compared 25 different yellow pears in 1998. Endless supply of 1 1/2”
fruits with great flavor. Ideal for salads. Indeterminate.
Livingston’s Stone
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Photos: Victory Seeds Company - www.VictorySeeds.com
Old reliable canner, large vigorous indeterminate vines, smooth solid
bright deep-scarlet oval fruits, 10 oz, heavy yields, uniform ripening,
wilt res., remarkable holding qualities, bred by the Livingston Seed
Company of Columbus OH, late 1800's.
Kellogg’s Breakfast
Photo: Victory Seed Company-www.VictorySeeds.com
West Virginia heirloom obtained from Darrell Kellogg of Redford, Michigan. Large
orange beefsteak fruits weigh 1-2 pounds. Delicious rich flavor with a good acid/sugar
balance. Very productive. Indeterminate, 80-90 days from transplant.
Livingston’s Honor Bright
90 days, indeterminate — According to Alexander Livingston himself, 'Honor Bright'
was, "a sport found in a field of Stone tomatoes in 1894" and released in 1897. The
plant is quite unique exhibiting yellowish (lutescent), regular leafed foliage, cream
colored flowers, medium sized fruits that turn from green to white to yellow to
orange to red.A very unique and interesting tomato. The plants look sickly with young
green leaves turning pale yellow. This is its normal appearance attributed to a specific
genetic trait. The color changes of the fruit is also an unusual show. Each packet
contains approximately 20 seeds.*
*Copyright - www.victoryseeds.com
Cincinnati Radish
Aka: “Long Scarlet”. Heirloom described in Vilmorin's The Vegetable Garden (1885); now
becoming scarce. Deep red radishes are 6" long and tapered (like a carrot). Flesh is tender, crisp,
and mild. Medium tops are good for bunching.