Want to grow Thomas Jefferson’s favorite lettuce variety? How about the potato given to the Makah people by seagoing Spanish explorers?  Maybe the tomato that helped a radiator repairman retire his mortgage?

Tennisball Black-Seeded Lettuce, Ozette Potato and Radiator Charlie’s Mortgage Lifter Tomato are just three of the hundred-plus varieties in the book Edible Heirlooms: Heritage Vegetables for the Maritime Garden.

Explore the history and vitality of these well-loved old favorites, and what made them "keepers." The origin stories add to the delight of growing them, but the real payoff comes at the harvest, when the rich flavors will cause you to exclaim, “Now, that’s a tomato!”

Edible Heirlooms offers history, growing tips and variety descriptions for more than 100 varieties of 26 of the most common home garden vegetables. The book includes a color illustration of each plant type created by Susie Thorness.