William Woys Weaver - Heirloom Vegetable Gardening: A Master Gardeners Guide to Planting, Seed Saving, and Cultural History

Aji escabeche (Capsicum baccatum) from Peru is an indigenous pepper that is hot while green but sweet and mild once ripe. It is used to make ceviche (seafood marinades).

T heres nothing like sitting down to dinner with Dr. William Woys Weaver at his beautiful Pennsylvania gardens and home. The last time I went, every dish was not only prepared traditionally, but accompanied by stories about the ingredients, the people, and the preparation methods. For Will, preserving heirloom history begins with the meal, but also includes colorful local history and stories of how these old heirlooms ended up on his table. His gardens are like a living museum and Will is like a gardener from another era. He is a person of national importance, but at the same time, talking with him feels like chatting with a kind uncle who cares about every detail of your garden, your family, and of course, whats in your kitchen.

Heirlooms are a living history that everyone can appreciate. Using heirlooms, you can enjoy the same vegetables as Thomas Jefferson or you can plant the same varieties as your great-grandmother. In short, they offer a taste of the past. For many people, heirloom seeds are the most direct connection to a part of their history (personal or cultural). Heirlooms tell the stories of those who came before us, and we can pass them down to those who come after us. They tie life together through the bonds of the kitchen table and the family garden, and through their own stories.

Will is probably the most important figure in heirloom gardening today. Through his books and the Roughwood Seed Collection, he is the person responsible for introducing America to the culinary side of heirlooms, as well as their historical value. The Roughwood Seed Collection was started by Wills grandfather during the Great Depression; it now comprises more than four thousand varieties of heirloom food plants. Wills grandfather had a two-fold interest in creating one of the finest kitchen gardens in Southeastern Pennsylvania, and in growing old-time varieties that had been cultivated in the Dutch Country for many generations. His passion for plants historical backgrounds, interest in culinary history, and Master Gardener skills were obviously passed on to Will.

Wills gentle Quaker ways and deep knowledge have been an inspiration and source of information for me and Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, as well as dozens of newer seed operations. Will and his collection of heirloom seed varieties are a national treasure and will be celebrated for many future generations. He has taken rare plants from near extinction and nurtured them to the point where they are now loved and grown widely.

I first started receiving seeds from Will in 1996, and he has been instrumental in many ways, including speaking at our many food and gardening events in Missouri and California. He has remained a friend, mentor, and an important source of rare seeds for Baker Creek. Will is a larger-than-life figure who serves as an encyclopedia of knowledge for others as well. Anyone who has a question about food history, gardening, or Pennsylvania Dutch cooking turns to him. His books are not only authoritative works on food history and gardening, but also fun and humorous; they read like hes right there in the room telling the stories and giving the how-to information. (That is even more true for this edition of Heirloom Vegetable Gardening.)

This book is evidence of Wills tireless work to educate people about their food supply and how to change it on a personal level. If he is the face of the heirloom movement in America, Heirloom Vegetable Gardening is his calling card. Its a must-read for anyone who is interested in the heirloom food and garden movement, bringing heirlooms to the forefront once again through Wills powerful knowledge and stories. This book is sure to be a modern classic and is one of the most important books on gardening in the current century.

Jere Gettle, founder
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

Big Red Ripper is a preCivil War era cowpea originating in Arkansas.