In Season Now: Heirloom Tomatoes
Heirloom tomatoes are one of the highlights of summer produce here at Union Market, but what does “heirloom” mean anyway, and why are these funky looking tomatoes so special?
Heirloom refers to varieties of tomatoes whose seeds have traditionally been handed down from generation to generation of farmer and culled from each year’s harvest. Heirlooms are by definition open-pollinated, meaning they’re not hybrid breeds that have been developed specifically to resist disease and preserve shelf life.