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Show iMTTfiMtam I Saving the seeds of our forefathers a Photos by Adele Starr by CYNTHIA ELYCE RUBIN When Tuscurora Indians need centuries old com varieties for ceremonial events, they go to William Woys Weaver. "Its almost embarrassing that they have to -- come to me, he muses, but its the only place to go, because Weaver has seeds that predate Amerimore ca. In fact, he saves, restores, and heirloom seed varieties about 3,000 than perhaps anyone in the country. With corn and beans alone he has roughly 500 varieties, not a one of which will you find in stores. These are the seeds of our forefathers, the seeds America grew up on and Weaver saves them because they liave characteristics not found in modem hybrids. One of these is taste. In the 1970s, commercial tomatoes looked like Christmas tree bulbs, but tasted like cardboard, he says. Not so with the heirlooms, such as the Brandywine tomato made famous by the Pennsylvania Dutch, or the Minnesota-born potato known as Cranberry Red, a huge potato with pink flesh and purple flowers that Weaver says could be grown for its blossoms alone, if it didnt taste so good. Its Weaver's favorite heirloom. Weaver lives in Devon, Pa., just outside Philadelphia, in a rambling, Federal-style house, the former Lamb Tavern, built in 1805. On the crossroads of the old routes to Lancaster and Valley Forge, the house and grounds breathe history only part of which are the gardens that have been growing here for 2(H) years. Page 6 American Profile From this, Weaver develpassions oped his present-da- y for great food and heirloom Gardening has been a part of Weavers life since early childhood, influenced greatly by his Mennonite grandfather and Quaker grandmother, and whose garden overflowed with a bounty of fresh herbs and vegetables all season. His grandmother was an vegetables. His organic garden covers two acres, including a greenhouse, where he not only grows a few hundred 60-fo- ot varieties of vegetables and herbs every year (breeding for the best seeds), but also plants such as com co excellent cook, so he ate the best. "I saw it come to the table back-bree- ds varieties grown before America was a nation, had pear such as the Tuscurora com. trees, apple trees, a sour cherWeaver prefer heirlooms for their taste. wonderful Weaver has written several and ry tree, grapes, rhubarb and strawberries," Weaver explains. books including Heirloom Vegetable Gardening (Henry Rhubarb-strawberr- y Holt Sc Co., 1997) while he also teaches culinary arts pie was one of grandmother's for She baked herself Drexel University and serves as a contributing edione at two specialties. always and the other for the tor at Gourmet magazine. (They hire me to keep food writers honest, he explains.) (extended) family. And with his love for heirhomemade ice cream. We Cooking goes made ice seeds Weaver loom because in an cream always says heirloom vegetables old crank-turne- d maker are unsurpassed for taste, canning, or winter storage. from whatever fruits were This makes them ideal for the home gardener, but they in season. Each month rarely show up in commercial catalogs or supermarkets seemed to have its own flabecause heirloom varieties may not ship well, or lack vor and color. the perfect look" of vegetables. They are because After his grandparents for or they are easitaste, perhaps grown only for well winter. died, Weaver salvaged seeds or store canned, ly that had been squirreled Unlike hybrids, the heirlooms also reproduce true food in from in seed, meaning that seeds from one tomato will away jars baby the bottom of his grandproduce the same variety again. And, in the case of mother's freezer. Later, he tomatoes, the variety is endless. Fruits go by such fanadded to them with variciful names as Russian Black, Roman Candle, German eties from an elderly QuakPink, Riesentraube, and Tommy Toe and come in er cousin, a dedicated seed every color from dark purple to shades of white, green, saver. Suddenly, he was orange, yellow, and even red. caretaker of an extraordiThese and countless other varieties have all been handed down by families through untold generations, nary collection of heritage in this country and elsewhere. Weaver grows little vegetables and herbs that became the foundation for Nubian Peppers, one of his grandfathers favorites, with his organic kitchen garden. leaves and violet flowers, which Original- its near-blafresh, he recalls. "Grandfather hand-in-glo- ve mass-mark- ck et |