Re: Questions(edited)

We've grown heirlooms, with varied success. One of the problems with heirlooms is that if you plant more than one variety, or even if your neighbor is planting a like vegetable, there will be cross pollination. I think that there needs to be a mininum of 500' between varieties. So you're STILL stuck buying seed.
And all heirlooms hybridized at some point. That is the nature of evolution. We get our seeds from:

http://www.johnnyseeds.com

Excellent germination rate!

I believe that they're located in Maine, which has a short growing season, as we do. One heirloom variety of tomato I LOVE is "Black Prince". Dark, purplish greenish flesh, spicy, rich, taste...

Oh yeah! That's ANOTHER reason to garden! Variety! The stuff available in stores is there because of shelf life & the fact that it transports well...

That's cool that you've got straight razors. I'd like to get one for my husband. I dunno if I'd use one on my legs, though.

Oh, I posted on the "off-topic forum"(I think) a link to get plastic out of your life. Did you see it? There's a link in there for lightweight stainless water bottles... :D

Edited:

I wanted to add to this, regarding heirloom seed saving, because I gave incomplete/incorrect information. I was thinking of melons, of which we have grown many varieties, heirlooms included...Here's a link that explains seed saving.

http://vegetablegardens.suite101.com/article.cfm/SavingHeirloomSeeds Tweet