Part 1 in a series

Sometimes the algorithm in social media gets it right. I saw a suggested post through Facebook from Slow Food USA calling for gardeners to participate in a seed adaptation trial called ADAPT Seed Trial 2024.

I wasn’t quite sure what I was getting into, the description concerning it was brief and to the point. Seed Savers Exchange is the organization running this program and working in conjunction with Slow Food USA. Participants plant seeds and record data from its growth to its taste. There is no fee to participate and it is recommended to download an app called SeedLinked to be a part of the program. They mentioned that this year’s focus was on popcorn, sorghum, tomatoes, and carrots. These seeds are all heirloom seeds and are open-pollinated.

It was important to complete the registration process completely and in a timely manner. When that was done, I waited several weeks for another e-mail which announced the varieties. You may choose up to four varieties with the recommendation of planting at least three plants per variety. When I finally saw the list, I went into the SeedLinked App and chose the items I wanted to plant. Some plants have fewer openings in their trials due to limited availability. The complete list included different types of flowers, peppers, potatoes, as well as those items mentioned previously.

I chose carrots and tomatoes as I felt confident as a gardener that it was something I could handle and I could see it growing in my small garden. Also, they are items that I enjoy eating myself so I thought it would be a good opportunity to try something new.

In late February, I received my seeds with a record keeping sheet. The packet was fun to receive. There were vegetable seed packets with plastic markers so you can identify your plants and a sheet for recording your observations. Again, it is recommended that three plants of each variety is planted. I was given 15 tomato seeds of each variety and 75 of each carrot.

The carrots I received was Kuttigen Ruebli, Flakkee Long Red Giant, and Red Surrey. The tomato was Large Red Cherry, Little Pink Plums, and Pearly Pink Cherry tomatoes. I researched the varieties online and while I was able to find one source on each of the carrots, it was much harder to find information on the tomatoes. The carrots were from a European heritage and were given one of each color type in beige/light yellow, orange, and red. And from what I gathered, of varying sizes. The tomatoes were all cherry types and while I couldn’t find exact information on each of them, I found something that closely resembled in name. I figured they had cherry tomato attributes but differed in that one was more oval, one was a large cherry of about 2 inches in size, and another was a regular cherry.

The data sheet required you to list the date the seed was first planted and to observe when the seeds sprouted and when the plant was harvested. If successful, one of the boxes require you to rank the taste. Depending on the results, these varieties may become the next successful resurgence of an heirloom variety to be included in the Seed Savers Exchange catalog.

I will write more blog posts concerning this seed trial experience in the upcoming future.

Related topics you can find from my blog site:

I have previously written summaries on seed saving and heirloom seeds in my previous “Book Talk” blog posts. Feel free to refer to these posts to understand the significance of heirloom seeds: The Seed Detective and Ten Tomatoes that Changed the World.

Also, see my post on the 10th National Heirloom Expo , specifically the section on David Shields, a member of the Slow Food movement and the “Ark of Taste.” His lectures were a great influence in deciding to participate in this seed adaptation trial.