What's an Heirloom?

Several days ago, I received a mysterious email saying "We're holding your heirloom tomato plants from Paul. Garden is now open. Please come pick them up this week." and there was a number to call. I had know idea who Paul was.


I called the number and ended up speaking to Bill (the email sender), who was put in charge of distributing the tomato plants to members of the Community Garden. Apparently, the plants were donated by Paul, who turns out to be the unofficial Community Garden chairman. Since the plants were kept indoors, they looked a little sickly, with leaves beginning to yellow. Fortunately, I was the first to pick up my plant so I got to choose what I thought was the healthiest looking one. However, when my daughter Emma returned home from school, she eyed the plant suspiciously. Her look brought back memories of my discovering a plant that looked strikingly similar to cannabis growing in my parents' greenhouse. Fortunately, when she asked "What's that?" I could answer honestly that it was a perfectly legal heirloom tomato plant. The questions continued "What's an heirloom?" I explained that it's something that can be passed around from generation to generation, like a quilt. "But this is a plant." she exclaimed. "Yes, seeds can also be passed on from generation to generation." "How?" I provided a pretty lame explanation, but was saved from further interrogation by my neighbor's kids who stopped by looking to trade silly bands. Emma found this activity of much greater interest than debating the finer points of heirloom tomatoes, so our conversation prompty came to an end.

Emma did get me thinking that the sooner we got this plant into the ground the greater the likelihood of ensuring the next generation would get to enjoy it's tomatoes. So, I guess we're off to the garden this afternoon.