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Show CoveiJStocjTB Saving the seeds of our forefathers Photos by Adtlt Starr by CYNTHIA ELYCE RUBIN WhenTuscurora Indians need centuries-olcom varieties fbr ceremonial events, they go to William Woys Weaver d Its almost embarrassing that they have to come to me," he muses, but it's 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 com and beans alone he has roughly 300 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 have 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 fbr its blossoms alone, if it didn't taste so good. It's Weaver's favorite heirloom. Weaver lives in Devon, Pa., just outside Philadelphia, in a rambling, Federal-style house, the former Lamb Tavern, built in 1803. 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 fat f 200 yean. Page $ American Profile iMiN From this. Weaver Gardening has been a part of Weavers life since early devel- passions oped his present-da-y fbr great food and heirloom vegetables. His organic garden covers two acres, including a 60-fogreenhouse, where he not only grows a few hundred varieties of vegetables and herbs every year (breeding fbr the best seeds), but also plants such as com to varieties grown before America was a nation, such as the Tuscurora com. Weaver has written several childhood, influenced greatly by his Mennonite grandfather and Quaker grandmother, and whose garden overflowed with a bounty of flesh herbs and vegetables all season. His grandmother was an excellent cook, so he ate die best. I saw it come to the table flesh, he recalls. Grandfather had pear trees, apple trees, a sour cherWimp pivfMi Mriooms for their ry tree, grapes, and wonderful books including HeriaiMV VtgabUGani)uitg (Henry Weaver explains. rhubarb and strawberries, Rhubarb-strawberr- y Holt Sc Ca, 1997) while he also teaches culinary arts pie was one of grandmother's fbr herself at Drexel University and serves as a contributing edispecialties. She always baked two one and the other for the tor at Gummt magarinr. (They hire me to keep food writers honest, he explains.) (extended) family. And homemade ice cream. We with his love fbr heirGooldqg goes always made ice cream in an loom seeds because Wfeaver says heirloom vegetables maker are unsurpassed fbr taste, canning, or winter storage. old crank-turne- d from whatever fruits were This makes them ideal fbr the home gardener; but they in season. Each month rarely show up in commercial cacalqgs or supermarkets because heirloom varieties may not ship well, or lack seemed to have its own flavor and colon the perfect look of vegetables. They are After his grandparents grown only for caste, or perhaps because they are easidied. Weaver salvaged seeds ly canned, or store well for winter: that had been squirreled Unlike hybrids, the heirlooms also reproduce true away in baby food jars in from seed, meaniog that seeds from one tomato will the bottom of his grandproduce the same variety again. And, in die case of mothers freezer. Later, he tomatoes, the variety is endless. Femes go by such fanadded to them with variciful names as Russian Blade, Roman Candle, German eties from an eldetly QuakPink, Ricsentnubc, 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 roundest other varieties have all been collection of down by families through untold generations, handed nary heritage ' vegetables and herbs that in this country and elsewhere. Weaver grows Little became the foundation fix Nubian Peppers, ok of his gtand&thrrs favorites, with 1 his organic kitchen garden. its nearblack leaves and violet flowers, which originar- ot back-bree- hand-in-glo- ve mass-mark- . JLl et ds |