To jump in way at the end here, I think the comparison that would be more valid concerned which is "more work" would be the complete cycle from "seed to seed". As far as heirloom goes, it is a pretty basic plan for "seed to seed" - plant seeds, grow plants, pick quality fruit, save seeds. (While each step has some more complexity than I enumerated, it really is that "simple"). There is very little cross-pollination between tomatoes (although it CAN happen). If you are worried about it, a simple net can be placed over your fruit branch that you want to save the seeds for, and not worry about cross-pollination, as most tomatoes self-pollinate. Compared to hybrids, you cannot go from "seed to seed" in most cases. So there is no cycle. You MUST purchase new seeds every year (that have been crossed from their parents, year after year to produce new hybrid seeds). If you want to talk about economics - there is NO comparison! Even if heirlooms were twice as expensive as hybrids (which is not the case for the spectrum of varieties available), it would still be more economical in the long run to go with heirlooms and save the seeds. Tomato seeds are viable (if properly stored for up to 4 or 5 years - many times longer), so you could save yourself the hassle of saving seeds every year and just save MORE seeds than you need and save them every second year or every third year. In short, heirlooms can be a one time investment, if you so choose - hybrids are a yearly expense. (And yes, I did mean to use the different terms - investment vs. expense.)

Hi, smokeymist! Oooh I love collecting heirloom beans. If you have any left of: Barnes Mountain Striped Hull Greasy Cut Short North Carolina Speckled Long Cutshort Greasy Doyce Chambers Grandma Barnett I would like to trade 7 of my beans (seven seeds) for 7 of your beans (seven seeds), so I can grow some out. If you'd rather have squash or carrots, I can spare 12 squash, or about 30 or 40 carrot seeds or so, again in trade for 7 beans. This is what I have - These are all packed for 2011 from Baker Creek or Territorial Seeds: Hidatsa Shield Bean Beurre De Rocquencourt Bush Wax Bean White Rice Bush Bean Bolita Pole Bean McCaslin 42 Pole Bean Red Dragon Carrots Tromboncino squash - I have never used it as a winter squash, but it is our favorite summer squash Thank you! Kathy

I am interested in any of these: Cherokee Purple tomato seeds Aunt Ruby's German Green tomato seeds Riesentraube tomato seeds Pink Oxheart tomato seeds Pineapple tomato seeds German Lunchbox tomato seeds Mortgage Lifter tomato seeds Amana Orange tomato seeds Brandywine tomato seeds Hillbilly tomato seeds (regular leaf version) Yellow Pear tomato seeds Homestead tomato seeds Red Pear tomato seeds Banana Legs tomato seeds I have to trade: crackerjack marigold spring onion leek heirloom tuscan melon cumin dill early bi color corn russian mammoth sunflower sunspot sunflower daisy bok choy arizona sun arugula purple sprouting broccoli atomic red carrot salsify cinnamon basil asparagus mary wash spaghetti squash florence fennel purple echinacea french lavender stinging nettle red yarrow hawaiian sweet hot pepper Indian silk pepper piment D' Espelette pepper blue vervain summer savory aji cajamarca pepper purple passion fruit jerusalem artichoke mugwort alfalfa milk thistle benajul market pepper cabbage "golden acre" cauliflower "snowball self blanching" broccoli "green sprouting calabrese" Onion "yellow spanish" carrot "scarlet nantes" beet "detroit dark red" radish "champion" cucumber "marketmore 76" pepper "california wonder" pea "lincoln" bush bean "blue lake" melon "hales best jumbo cantaloupe" watermelon "crimson sweet" heirloom tomato "beefsteak" squash "waltham butternut" lettuce "parris island cos" spinach "bloomsdale" swiss chard "lucullus" corn "golden bantam" zucchini "black beauty"

I have some cucumber and squash i can send you for some wolf pumpkin seeds. Email me if you are interested. my gw email is not working demarini09@gmail.com is my addy This post was edited by seedkeeper on Tue, Nov 4, 14 at 11:13