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‘Cultivate varieties that thrive in your climate and that you can (and want) to maintain.’
Jay Tracy , Exchange lister , reflect on the importance of saving and sharing heirloom salmagundi — peculiarly Cucumis sativus .
I begin saving seed in 2008 in my first garden in Tucson , Arizona . While garden there , I discovered the snake melon and carosello cucumbers as well as many other muskmelons that , for millennium , have been cultivated as delicious cuke . In addition to growing dozens of type of these cucumber - melon vine , I have modernise lasting friendships with fellow gardeners in various countries — including Italy , India , and Indonesia — over the long time .
generation of growers who save seeded player before them enable my horticulture friends to entrust their cherished heritage seed with me to steward and then share with others . Though I have since moved to California , I love to grow and share these Cucumis sativus - melons because of their fine , supply ship , yet crisp , texture ; their bitter - free , complex smell ; their ease of digestion ; and their variety of shapes , sizes , and colors . My current pet are the Italian cultivars‘Meloncella Fasciata di Salento’and ‘ Minuncedda di Sternatia , ’ both carosello cucumber vine . [ Note : The carosello is alandracevariety ofmelon(Cucumis melo ) from Southern Italy . ]
Cucumbers, anyone? Jay Tracy shows off one of the cucumber varieties he stewards.
I initially contact Seed Savers Exchange in 2019 or 2020 hope that I would find a secretary for some improbably rare endemic cucumber - melon seed . After learning that SSE was primarily interested in heirlooms with a story from the United States , I eventually decided to offer a few of the extremely rare variety show that I saved the previous twelvemonth to someone through theExchange , and I have been doing that for the last couple years .
With the elision of one Italian friend with whom I share everything , a few of the varieties that I steward are found nowhere else . I was fortunate to have individuals share these varieties with me or to take place upon them — but I have been doing a great deal of caretaking on my own . Given that many of these varieties were being grown long before historical records were kept , it would be a comfortableness to know that , if anything were to bechance to me , they would not be lost .
I encourage other gardeners and seed saver to cultivate diverseness that thrive in their climate and that they can ( and desire ) to keep , both for this generation and into the future . The variety that are both live in your climate and extremely merchantable will most in all likelihood be the ones that are occur on to future generations .
Cucumbers, anyone? Jay Tracy shows off one of the cucumber varieties he stewards.
Jay Tracy of Fairfield , California , has give himself to grow open - pollinated cucumbers and cuke - melons from around the populace for over a decade . In August 2024 , he presented “ Confronting Climate Concerns with Indigenous Heritage Cucurbit Varieties”at SSE ’s one-year virtual conference . Theowner of the avocation businessCucumber Shop , Jay lists four variety of cucumber - melon in the 2025Yearbook .
To celebrate Seed Savers Exchange ’s 50th day of remembrance , we are featuring the body of work and inspiration of Exchange listers in the " Hope and Practice " series .
Try these unique cukes!
Armenian
This cucumber - melon ’s crunchy flesh is burpless , never blistering , and gross for making pickles .
Poona Kheera
Delicious , smooth - skinned fruits turn from white to golden - yellowness to russet- chocolate-brown and may be eaten at any stage , skin and all .
3094 North Winn RoadDecorah , Iowa 52101(563 ) 382 - 5990
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Seed Savers Exchange is a tax - nontaxable 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of heirloom seeds .
