[gracesdad]

““Heirloom” plants can be interesting, but if they were so wonderful, there’d have been no need for the hybrids we have today.”

One does not cancel the need for the other. There’s need for the hybrids, but there’s also need for a variety. If you narrow all our planted food down to nothing but a handful of hybrids, then you have a much higher chance losing those varieties, either through disease or terrorist attack.

Heirlooms also make for a much more interesting taste spectrum.

[Vigilanteman]

Heirloom seeds also contain genetic material which could be vital in the event of a massive crop failure. The sameness in hybrids, while great for yields and common disease resistance, may not be that great when the once in a century blight hits.

Some of the wiser agricultural extension services in the country actually subsidize and encourage swapping of heirloom seeds. If your county extension service does not, they may be able to refer you to grower's associations which do.

Tomatoes do fairly well here in SW Pennsylvania and I've swapped heirloom seeds with other hobby growers. For some reason, they are one of the few plants which the verminous rabbits which infest our neighborhood do not bother.