15 Forgotten Vegetables Medieval Farmers Grew That NEED to Come Back

YouTube ^ | March 25, 2025 | Medieval Times Discovered

[SunkenCiv]

Did you know medieval farmers cultivated a variety of unique and nutritious vegetables that have almost disappeared from modern diets? From skirret to good King Henry, these forgotten crops were once essential for survival and they deserve a comeback!

In this video, we explore 15 incredible medieval vegetables, their health benefits, and why they should return to our gardens and plates today. Whether you're a history buff, gardener, or food lover, you won’t want to miss these lost gems of the past! 

15 Forgotten Vegetables Medieval Farmers Grew That NEED to Come Back | 22:55 
Medieval Times Discovered | 22.3K subscribers | 276,780 views | March 25, 2025

[Doctor Congo]

I have some chickweed coming up in a flower bed, looks very healthy and green. But I’m not sure I am going to eat it. I do eat water cress and dandelion in the early spring.

I still grow tennis ball and deer tongue lettuce, and I have heard of most of those old time varieties.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

While it is TECHNICALLY a 'fruit,' the tomato was re-classified as a vegetable in 1893.

“Botanically speaking, tomatoes are the fruit of the vine, just as are cucumbers, squashes, beans and peas,” he wrote. Score one for that irritating person we all know who insists that tomatoes are properly a fruit.

But he didn’t stop there: “In the common language of the people, whether sellers or consumers of provisions, all these are vegetables which are grown in kitchen gardens, and which, whether eaten cooked or raw, are… usually served at dinner in, with, or after the soup, fish, or meats which constitute the principal part of the repast, and not, like fruits generally, as dessert.”

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/even-supreme-court-maintains-tomato-vegetable-180963133/

[SunkenCiv]

:^)

[SunkenCiv]

:^)

[SunkenCiv]

At my age, what doesn’t? ;^)

[SunkenCiv]

In the early 80s and cutting my youthful swath, I mostly went out to eat a lot. Found a spinach salad with hot vinaigrette dressing and it became one of my frequent go-to’s.

[SunkenCiv]

Some of the old hippie organic gardeners recommend chickens to graze the garden to clean out insect pests and slugs.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks! I’d read that medlars fell out of favor because of more economical substitutes. There at least used to be a fruit tree catalog out of Ontario that carried those, plus heirloom apple varieties (Sops of Wine, etc), buffalo berries, a non-edible version of elderberry.

[SunkenCiv]

Whole milk moz might also work. :^)

[SunkenCiv]

The yellow-flesh watermelons are in my experience nearly always better. I grew a yellow-flesh Moon and Stars one year, outstanding.

[2nd amendment mama]

bookmark

[SunkenCiv]

• burpee.com | fall veggies
• commonwealthseeds.com | yellow moon & stars WM
• giantwatermelons.com | one page of giant melon varieties, seeds
• heirloom-seeds.ca
• holmesseed.com | yellow stuffer tomato
• johnnyseeds.com | scorzonera
• kokopelli-semences.com | vedrantais melon
• magicgardenseeds.com
• marysheirloomseeds.com | green stuffer tomato
• marysheirloomseeds.com | yellow moon & stars WM
• osborneseed.com
• plant-world-seeds.com | yellow stuffer tomato
• rareseeds.com (Baker Creek) | Hutterite bean
• www.rareseeds.com | Crane melon (Crenshaw type)
• reimerseeds.com | stuffer tomato
• revivalseeds.ca
• seedstrust.com | Hutterite bean
• snakeriverseeds.com | German striped stuffer tomato
• southernexposure.com | Costoluto Fiorentino stuffer
• southernexposure.com
• | yellow moon & stars WM
• superseeds.com | pink striped stuffer tomato
• thompson-morgan.com
• threshseed.com | Christmas Lima
• threshseed.com | Red Wethersfield onion
• tomorrowseeds.com | moon & stars WM
• totallytomato.com | striped stuffer tomato
• trueleafmarket.com | yellow moon & stars WM
• uprisingorganics.com
• vermontbean.com
• victoriananursery.co.uk | striped stuffer tomato
• victoryseeds.com | stuffer tomatoes
• willhiteseed.com | Yellow Belly Black Diamond Watermelon
• yonderhillfarm.ca

[Savage Beast]

No, it’s got to be mozarella de bufala and parmigiano reggiano. Nothing else will work.

[kiryandil]

Egyptian walking onions.

I have them in my backyard.

[dljordan]

:}

[ChildOfThe60s]

Score one for that irritating person we all know who insists that tomatoes are properly a fruit.

You hurt my feelings, I'm not really that irritating, except to my wife. ha ha.

But thanks for the info. The tomato's classification has never mattered to me, just thought I'd throw that out there

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

The foods that cause the opposite problem? :)

[redinIllinois]

.

[Nateman]

Medlar:The ugly fruit with ugly nicknames , that has to rot first. King Charlemagne liked them so much he had them planted in every city he visited.

[SunkenCiv]

It’s good to be King.