Many ethnic groups preserve seed as part of their heritage. According to Karin, one of the best ethnic groups at preserving seed heritage are the Italians, who save seeds from tomatoes known to make the best sauces and pastes. Karin Buchan Shares Fascination With Heirloom LOU ANN GOOD Lancaster Farming Staff BLAIRSVILLE (Indiana Co.) Heirloom vegetables and fruits are attracting new interest among gardeners. taste, flavor, and diversity are wonderful,” said Karin Buchan of Blairsvillc. “You can't purchase such a wonderful array of taste, color, and variety in a grocery store.” To be considered an heirloom plant, the variety must have been introduced at least SO years earlier. Many heirloom varieties have been brought to America by immi grants. Women often stitched seeds in the hems of their garments or hid them in their undergar ments. Karin became a vocal fan of heirloom gardening about five Jim McMath shows how his antique ginseng digger throughout Pennsylvania, but works. The nursing rocker belonged to Jim’s grandmoth* most chenshed ones are • ArMsMeth a*id»is«ouer»l6<Kyeare«old» Gardening years ago. “After I saw the size of the plant and realized what I had paid for it, I thought I must have a hole in my head,” she joked. But that first taste convinced her that heirloom vegetables were definite ly worth pursuing. After that, she kept finding more and more varieties that she wanted to try. The crop was so prolific that the family couldn’t use them all so she decided to try and sell some. Things took off from there. Karin has a greenhouse with more than 100 varieties of toma toes an# SO varieties of peppers. People like the heirloom variet ies, but they don’t want to bother growing them from seeds. Karin fills this gap by growing the plants and selling the starters. “The neat thing about my green house is that customers can buy only one plant rather than a six pack like many greenhouses insist,” Karin said. In addition, she has many variet ies of flowers and other vegetables—all grown with organ ic methods. Some may ask if heirloom veg etables taste so great, why aren’t the seeds and plants readily available? “They are not as disease resis tant as many newer varieties,” Karin said. But she hastens to add that they can be grown without using any pesticides. "The secret is in using crop rota tion and soil testing in the fall. Some plants grow better in certain zones than in others” she said. Karin sells plants for 35 cents each compared to $2-$3 charged by most gardening centers for heir loom plants. (Turn to Page B 3) fpMESTEAD Antique Collectors Keep Farm History Alive GAIL STROCK Mifflin Co. Correspondent SHIRLEYSBURG (Hunting don County)-Jim McMath of Huntingdon County stands in the wide archway between the kitchen and addition of his 17705-era stone farmhouse. No matter which way he looks back the hallways or into the kitchen or addition he sees antiques. What began as a hobby more than 30 years ago has slowly turned the McMath home into a museum in its own right. Jim and his wife Barb have collected more than 400 antique farm toys, 100 plus milk bottles, and many antique tools and house hold gadgets. They've restored 10 tractors plus an assortment of farm implements. Jim and Barb have collected antiques Karin Buchan of heirloom vegetables. She has a green house with mdre than 100 varieties of tomatoes, 50 varieties of peppers, and other fruits and vegetables—all grown with "onic method! Not all seeds saved are to produce food. Many beautiful flowers are grown from seeds passed down through fami lies. To be considered an heirloom plant, the variety must have been Introduced at least 50 years earlier. practically in their own back yard. "That's called a hanging kerosene reflection lamp," Jim says pointing to a lantern sus pended from a rafter. "It came from my great-grandparents, and it hung in my aunt's kitchen. My great-great-uncle carried this pistol holder in the Civil War." From shelves that frame a great stone fireplace, Jim picks up a rare porcelain-lined iron bucket made in 1874 or 1875. "I found this in Mother's attic. It had bricks of ore inside. I'm guessing it is a vegetable steam er." Tow of the family's most prized antiques are a fork and a flail, hand carved from oak by Jim's great-uncle. In the front parlor sits a complete case of Workman soda bottles pur- chased from Barb's aunt. Her Peanut in a bubble of water. He ~ jiupts. fptfver ported, qt.tjie hoi,- ,. ~ > . ft ?*?* or, ai tling plant in Mount Union. The case is designed to store the bot tles upside down. Their Bossier cabinet with original jars and spice wheels was built in 1917 and purchased in Shirleysburg at the former Rockview Academy. But Jim and Barb's interest in antiques goes beyond family heirlooms. "I like to buy local things, of families I knew, to have pieces of their lives," Jim reflects. Many of the pencils in his extensive bullet pencil collection are from what were once local businesses G. W. Crissman & Sons, a John Deere dealer in Milroy and Belleville; Ehrenzeller Lime, McVeytown: Meadows Country Scrapple, Holidaysburg; M. C. Packing Company, Reedsville; Atlantic Breeders; Morton Salt (When It Rains It Pours!); and several 1950 s pencils with Mr. are woi
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers