Utopian Ultracross Collards
An opportunity to share in the amazing diversity, beauty, and flavor of heritage collards, and to carry their story forward in your own back yard.
"In 2020 Utopian Seed Project in Asheville, NC, along with 8 other trial sites grew 20 collard varieties as part of a nationwide collard trial for The Heirloom Collard Project. The Utopian Seed Project also grew "Lottie" Collard bringing the heirloom total to 21. During the winter of 2020 the collards survived lows of 8°F and in spring/summer 2021 seeds were saved from the surviving plants. ....These seeds represent massive genetic diversity, firstly because the original heirloom collards are genetically diverse, and secondly because they’ve cross pollinated with each other. Collard grower and Heirloom Collard participant, Melony Edwards, described them as an ultracross: this is not a technical term, but captures the spirit of these collards!" --Ira Wallace. You can see the scope of the project and a charming film of Ira and her collards on the Heirloom Collard Project site https://heirloomcollards.org
The varieties that make up this genepool include some, like Henpeck, Brickhouse, and Louisiana Sweet, that were regional specialties, as well as many that only survived in the garden of one individual, like Annie Pearl Counselman, Moses Smith, Tabitha Dykes, Weldon Rouse, or Granny Hobbs. Planting these seeds helps carry on that amazing heritage in two ways: By growing them (and perhaps saving seeds) you help keep them alive. And by buying these seeds, you help the Heirloom Collard Project find, document, multiply, and preserve these historic varieties. Half the packet price goes directly to The Heirloom Collard Project.