As spring dribbles in, I find myself dreaming of a garden. I’ll have Golden Wax beans, Parade and True Lemon cucumbers, Pintung Long eggplant, a large selection of lettuces including Lolla Rossa and Red Velvet, Charantias melons, Amish Snap peas, and French Fingerling, Yellow Finn and Yukon Gold potatoes. It will be a beautiful garden, and much easier to weed than those that exist in the real world. Since I live in the city with no access to even a tiny plot to tend, my garden must exist only in my head…but for those of you who will be getting your hands dirty in real soil within the next few weeks, I encourage you to consider trying a few Heirloom varieties of your favorite vegetables (or flowers). Organizations like the Seed Savers Exchange are a great resource and have an inspiring array of rare and delicious fruits and vegis. Seed Savers is the largest non-governmental seed bank in the United States. They maintain thousands of rare and unique vegetable varieties at Heritage Farm in Iowa, which have been saved over the generations by their members. There are many other resources for heirloom seeds — including, I’m sure some that are local to your area. Check in with the local university or agricultural department to find more information. Happy Gardening!!