New Varieties on the Horizon
By Steve Peters - Product Development Manager

So what's new at Seeds of Change? What are the latest and greatest new varieties and unusual crops that taste good and are also nutritious? Our product development team has been dedicated to learning about, growing and selecting promising new vegetable, herb, and flower varieties and species, at our Research Farm in New Mexico, and at several trial sites throughout the country. As a result of this work, we will be offering many of these unique, new plants over the course of the next several years. Mother Nature's rich bounty of biologically diverse plants has given us the opportunity for discovery, which enriches us both physically and spiritually. We are continually surprised at how much we still don't know and are awed by the astonishing variation that exists in the plant world. Many of the potential new offerings outlined below are a part of this journey of discovery.

Beans, as a staple, leguminous food crop, are a key focus area. Last year we introduced several flavorful and colorful purple and green snap-bean varieties including 'Long Lake Giant', 'Purple Dove', 'Robert's Royalty', 'Purple Rose', and 'Rose Creek' from the late Robert Lobitz, an inspired and inventive independent plant breeder. Among some of the new Lobitz additions within the next year or two will be the lovely, extremely tender pink-podded variety, 'Red Swan'.

Edible soybeans, edamames, are a staple in Japan and have recently become popular in the U.S. We currently offer two varieties, Sayamasume and Shirofumi, but we are trialing many more Asian varieties that are adapted to various latitudes across North America. The emphasis is on high yields combined with good flavor and eating quality, and there will be good varietal choices for gardeners throughout the country.

Fava beans are another nutritious and productive legume in which there is great diversity. We recently have grown three rare, large-seeded varieties from Bolivia which potentially are better adapted to harsher environments than the varieties from North Africa and the Mediterranean. We hope to have these varieties available within 2-3 years.

Colored carrots - red, yellow, purple or white (but not orange), are attracting attention not just for their unusual color but for there nutritive value. We have projects underway with the USDA and the Organic Seed Alliance to develop and breed tasty, nourishing colored carrots that have never before existed. Commercial availability will occur within 4-5 years.

Corn is one of the most diverse of all crops, and although it has been around for several thousand years, it continues to evolve through breeding efforts. We recently introduced a white-kerneled corn with purple cobs - 'Martian Jewels' - that contains normal sugary (SU), sugary enhanced (SE), and flour corn genetics. It has a rich, sweet yet complex flavor that is unique among sweet corns. We will soon be offering a purple-kerneled version of this variety, and some multi-colored sweet corns that are useful for roasting and flour as well.

The brassica family (cabbage, broccoli, etc.) is one of our most important and health-giving crop groups, and the wide range of colors, textures, and flavors found in this family provide a constant source of discovery. One of our seed growers, Nash Huber, has been developing a sweet and tender curled-type red kale over the past several years, and the seed should be available for gardeners within a couple of years. Alan Kapuler, who has developed numerous crop varieties for Seeds of Change for over 20 years, has been crossing various collards, kales, and broccolis resulting in novel cultivars such as the dark, shiny-leafed 'Steely Green' kale. Currently, virtually all Napa-type Chinese cabbage varieties are hybrids. Alan Kapuler and Seeds of Change grower Alan Adesse have been selecting for an open-pollinated Napa cabbage that reliably produces the characteristic barrel-shaped heads, so that soon, for the first time, seed savers will have a variety they can maintain. We are also trialing red savoyed cabbages, and red and white turnip varieties that are truly a gourmet's delight.

Peas are another crop undergoing exciting new developments. Alan Kapuler has been breeding for improved sugar snap (edible podded) types for exceptional vigor and yield. In an ideal pea environment such as the pacific Northwest, these new varieties have attained heights of 12 feet or more, and last year's crop produced up to 80 seeds for each seed planted! Furthermore, these varieties have gorgeous pink and magenta flowers and yield peas with various shades of pink and purple-colored pods. Look for at least three varieties by 2011.

The Chile Institute, which is affiliated with New Mexico State University, has been developing improved NuMex (Anaheim-type) chile peppers, which we will continue to offer in the coming years. They also are close to having a mild Habañero that lacks the scalding heat but retains the wonderful fruity flavor of this chile pepper. Seeds of Change is poised to produce these Habañeros organically in the very near future.

Another crop with new varieties coming soon is winter squash. In particular, look for a single-serving sized Butternut squash developed by Cornell University, and a bush-habit Buttercup variety developed for small spaces.

While we currently offer dozens of tomatoes, there continues to be a surprising amount of innovation with this crop. Once again, Alan Kapuler is working on high-yielding, cherry-sized varieties that produce hundreds of flower on one tress, and resemble a cluster of grapes. This remarkable trait exists in yellow and red varieties, and represents a new development in tomato breeding. We are also working with independent tomato breeder, Fred Hempel, who bred last year's new introduction 'Maglia Rosa', a highly flavorful, unique cocktail tomato. Look for more new varieties from Fred over the next several years.

We will also be expanding our flower line, with an emphasis on greater diversity within the cottage garden flower types - columbines, dahlias, hollyhocks, nasturtiums, marigolds, snapdragons, sweet peas, and zinnias. We will also be offering a wider range of native wildflowers from several bio-regions across the country.

Finally, we are testing many new cover crops in order to provide you with the very best options for improving your soil and enhancing your garden habitat to attract beneficial insects and birds.

This list is a sampling of projects we are working on, but we encourage you to give us your feedback regarding crops or varieties you think we should be providing. We welcome your comments, and will continue to report on our progress as we work on producing the heirlooms of tomorrow.