Ten Well-Known Heirloom Vegetable Varieties

Hubbard squash is one of the top ten well- known vegetable varieties. In 1798, a sea captain brought the squash to Marble Head, Massachusetts. Some time in 1842, Mrs. Elizabeth Hubbard liked the squash so much she told her neighbor James H. Gregory about it. He harvested seeds for sale and named the squash after Mrs. Hubbard. Mr. Gregory later produced the Blue Hubbard Squash, which had a blue-gray rind and creamy yellow flesh. In 1984, the Warted Hubbard was cultivated because it was a hardy variety for storage. The heirloom variety of Hubbard Squash takes 100 to 120 days to mature and produces a squash weighing ten pounds or more.

The Old Homestead pole bean, re-named the Kentucky Wonder in 1877 by J. H. Gregory & Son one of today's favorites. The bean grows over nine inches long, but still is tender, free of fiber and brittle. The plants produce beans in 58 to 72 days.

In 1840, the Wakefield Cabbage came from England to the Jersey shore where the name became The Jersey Wakefield Cabbage. The cabbage is best when produced for early picking. The typical growing time is 60 to 65 days. The plant is compact with a cone shaped head that weighs from two to four pounds.

An heirloom carrot, the Early Scarlet Horn matures in 69 days or so with a three to four inch length. It originated in Hoorn, Holland in the 1620's.

An heirloom variety of corn is the Golden Bantam. A gardener who originally discovered the seed shared them with his neighbors. One of them served corn to E. L. Coy, a seeds man, who was visiting. He thought the corn was so good he sent some seed to his cousin W. Atlee Burpee. He ran trials on it and offered the corn in his seed catalog in 1902. The Golden Bantam is a dwarf variety of sweet corn with dark yellow kernels that mature in about 80 days.

The Improved Long Green Cucumber has been in existence for more than 125 years. D. M. Ferry & Co, a seed company offered the seed in their catalog in 1872. The vine produces fruit that is 10 to 12 inches long which is crisp and firm.

A classic romaine lettuce is the Paris White Cos. The lettuce originates back to 1835 in Europe. The plant produces crisp sweet leaves with a head that weighs around two pounds.

An heirloom musk melon is the Jenny Lind, named after a famous Swedish Opera singer. It became available for growing after 1840. The melon was favored for the sweet, juicy flesh it produced. The melon is ready to pick in 70-85 days.

The French farmers grew an oblong shaped radish with a red top and white tip with white flesh. It dates back to the 1800's in this country.

The Brandy Wine tomato is a flavorful vegetable with a purple red skin (which is very popular in certain kinds of tomato saus). It is one of the ten well- known heirloom vegetable varieties.