Bright red double-petal poppies in a garden.

‘Chima Family Heirloom’: one pretty (remarkable) poppy

It’s little wonder the charming ‘Chima Family Heirloom’ poppy has garnered rave reviews from the gardeners who have grown it since it was introduced by Seed Savers Exchange in 2017.

Several small 'North Carolina Heirloom' cucumbers growing on the vine with some yellow cucumber flowers.

Varieties

‘North Carolina Heirloom’ Cucumber: A Garden Delight

Marian Hart was a frequent lister in the Seed Savers Exchange Yearbook in the 1980s and 1990s. A gardener since 1962, Marian listed an assortment of crop varieties. But none of those varieties was as popular and beloved as her cucumber variety: the ‘North Carolina Heirloom’ cucumber.

Three orange tomatoes on a wood plank surface.

Varieties

‘Oma’s Orange’ Tomato: A Tradition of Love

Betty Moore, a Seed Savers Exchange member from Stow, Ohio, holds a cherished family heirloom—a tomato variety that has been part of her family for years. This tomato has a rich history dating back to 1937, when Betty’s mother, Oma Rachel Lively Miller, received it from a relative upon her marriage. You might know it as ‘Oma’s Orange’ tomato.

Varieties

‘Early Jersey Wakefield’ Cabbage History

Discover the charm and utility of the ‘Early Jersey Wakefield’ cabbage, a beloved historic variety cherished by gardeners and food enthusiasts alike. First introduced in the United States in the 1840s, this short-season cabbage quickly won the hearts of gardeners for its reliable growth and delicious taste.

A garden with many plants and trees and a sign saying Edible Schoolyard.

Learn

Cultivating a Collard Curriculum

Seed Savers Exchange is excited to announce a multi-partner collaborative effort with Alice Waters’s Edible Schoolyard Project. This effort will continue the work of the Heirloom Collard Project and bring in longtime Seed Savers Exchange partner SeedLinked. The purpose of this project is to create a curriculum for middle school students around growing collard greens.

Learn

Decoding the DNA of Heritage Apples

As an orchard intern, it was my responsibility to learn about the heritage apples grown here and research information about these historical varieties.

Varieties

‘Aunt Mae’s Bibb’ lettuce checks all the boxes

In 1937, Nestor and Amber Keene acquired a very special Bibb lettuce from Nestor’s Aunt Mae Smith of Millheim, Pennsylvania, who had, in turn, received it from “local folks named Zimmerman who had grown it for decades in Brush Valley.”

A pile of orange-pink sweet potatoes of various shapes

Growing Guides

Growing Guide: Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes have significant cultural and culinary histories and uses across the globe. Growing sweet potatoes has very different requirements from growing potatoes.

A bouquet of yellow and orange 'Lorenzo Trussoni' safflowers with spiky safflower leaves

Varieties

‘Lorenzo Trussoni Heirloom’ safflower brings beauty, history to any garden.

In July 2015, a few Seed Savers Exchange preservation staff members drove about an hour-and-a-half from Decorah, Iowa, to Genoa, Wisconsin. Their mission? To meet Marilyn Leum, longtime steward of the ‘Lorenzo Trussoni Heirloom’ safflower, at an annual picnic held on the Fourth of July at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church.

An aerial view of a farm with a large garden, red building, and red barn, surrounded by trees

Events

50th Anniversary Plan Your Trip

Plan your trip to Seed Savers Exchange’s 50th Anniversary Conference & Celebration August 8-9, 2025 at Heritage Farm in Decorah, Iowa. Everything you need to know about where to stay, parking, food, beverages, pets policies and more.

Articles