As we always seem to do, humans found a way many decades ago to interfere with nature. We got greedy and started “playing God” when it comes to growing produce. With the demand for bigger and faster crops, farmers began to cave in to the pressure and began to explore ways to produce faster, bigger, and more bountiful produce with (what they thought was) less work. The hybrid seed was born.
The concept of a hybrid seems easy enough to understand: take two plants, of the same species, but from different parental lines, and cross them. The result is the hybrid. The idea, obviously, is to cross two plants, the best of the best in their lineage, and from them a combination of the two will be born. Sounds like a great idea, right?
However, despite the fact that the offspring are larger, more colorful and produce faster, the result is disappointing. The fruit or vegetable does not have as many vitamins and minerals, does not taste as tasty, and is much more difficult to grow due to the time, energy, and maintenance required. Hybrid seeds require a lot more water, a lot more fertilizers and pesticides (usually always man-made chemicals), and don’t produce yields year after year. Usually, one hybrid seed will produce two successful crops, and that’s it!
Let me see if I can give an example:
Purebred dogs can be wonderful companions, don’t get me wrong. A true thoroughbred is a cross between two dogs of the same species from completely separate lineages, who are chosen to breed because of the desirable traits and characteristics they possess. The result is a combination of the two parents. This pup, being a purebred (or hybrid), will seem like the best of the best, but the truth is that this dog will have many problems throughout his life.
You are most likely predisposed to certain genetic diseases. You may be prone to hip dysplasia, early blindness, digestive difficulties, hyperactivity, and other congenital and hereditary conditions. This thoroughbred will require better food, more exercise, more medical attention, and most likely more attention.
So the best of the best ends up being a facade in many circumstances. Many people will say that mutts are the best dogs. I don’t know if I agree with this statement, and in the analogy I’m using here (plants to dogs), I would tend to disagree that stray dogs make the best companions. But there is a middle term. There is a happy medium.
Enter Heirloom/Open Pollinated Seeds.
Heirloom seeds are open pollinated, so let’s get that straight. But, open pollinated seeds are not always necessarily heirlooms. Open pollinated seeds are produced naturally, without human interaction, and new varieties appear all the time. Open pollinated seeds are constantly changing. They adapt to their environment, their nutrient and water supply, and are not that difficult to grow.
Open pollinated seeds don’t produce a fast yield, don’t produce huge fruits and vegetables, aren’t as vibrant in color…but…they taste better, contain many more nutrients than hybrid fruits and vegetables, and are so much more! easy to care for! Plants grown with open-pollinated seeds are much hardier and better resist pests and fungi. They don’t require as much fertilizer and will certainly thrive on organic fertilizers. Because they are so dynamic and able to adapt to changing conditions, they don’t require as much water. And finally, probably one of the most important reasons to grow using open pollinated seeds, they will produce year after year, and all you have to do is save your seeds.
Hybrid seeds are less expensive, I know. By comparison, traditional/open pollinated seeds seem to be quite expensive, but think about it, after your initial purchase, you will never have to buy seeds again. Always. Save your seeds, plant them, grow your produce, harvest your produce, REPEAT. It’s that easy. I don’t know about you, but my mom always told me that it was worth spending more money to get better quality.
Without getting into the conspiracy theory idea behind it all (hybrid seeds have to be bought and planted anew each year), I hope you can see by now, if you haven’t already, why heirloom/open pollinated seeds are the way to go. Better option. We cannot think in the short term; we have to think long term. We need to be willing to look a little further and maybe spend a little more money to get a good quality product that will last us a long time.
It’s time to stop looking for the easy way out. It’s time to stop being greedy and inconsequential. It is time to start thinking about future generations.