By Michael Nolan

When the summer started I moved to a home on the other side of town away from all of my precious seed-started vegetable plants that included thirteen heirloom tomato plants.

It took a while to adjust to my new surroundings that were veggie-free when on a last-minute trip to a local nursery I realized my summer gardening season may not be a complete loss.

A very sweet lady who works there recognized my sadness when I explained my situation to her as I perused row after row of azaleas.

She took me by the hand and led me to Read the rest of this entry »

By Michael Nolan

The beauty of heirloom tomatoes reaches far beyond the dinner table and into history itself.

They are a breath of fresh air in today’s world of genetically mutated plants that foster family and friendship.

Heirloom seeds are truly by the people, for the people. They are not mass manufactured and sold in every store, instead being handed down by generations of real people who value taste and purity over appearance.

In the early 1940s, a man without any formal education who went by the name of “Radiator Charlie” decided that he wanted to create a better tomato. Read the rest of this entry »