Why Do Heirloom Seeds Matter?

When did you last really taste a tomato? The first thing we learned from the soil at Şifa Köyü was this: the finer the seed you plant, the better and more natural the crop you gather.

What is an heirloom seed?

An heirloom seed is one that has been grown in the same region for generations, saved at each harvest for the following year, and reproduces naturally. You plant a tomato seed this year, take the seed from its fruit, and plant it again next year. The plant largely keeps its character; the taste and resilience stay familiar from year to year.

With hybrid (F1) seed, the traits can separate in the second generation: the plant may not resemble the parent, and yield and taste can change. That is why growers of hybrid varieties generally buy seed again every year.

Why does it matter so much?

• Heirloom seed has adapted to its soil and climate over generations. In our experience it settles into local conditions more easily and asks for less intervention.
• Its taste and scent are noticeably different from varieties bred for shelf life; it is the first thing visitors to Şifa Köyü remark on.
• When a variety is lost, it does not come back. Saving seed is saving biodiversity.
• It helps growers be more independent when it comes to seed. A farmer who saves their own seed does not have to buy it every year.

You can start on a balcony

You do not need land. One pot of tomatoes and one pot of basil is enough. When you eat the fruit, separate the seeds, dry them, and keep them in a paper envelope somewhere cool and dark. When you plant them next spring, that seed will already know your balcony.

Growing while protecting our environment, our nature and our soil; for us this is one way of approaching the land and ourselves with the intention of healing. You could start with a single pot. If you do, write and tell me; it would make me very happy.

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