Microgreens and Heirloom Seeds
We spent a few hours recently with Frank Sepko on an episode of Gettin' to Know the 570. Early on in Episode 279 from 3/12/2025, Frank's health journey (eating a carnivore diet) came to light. Although it might not be readily apparent that there's a place for microgreens at the carnivore table, the conversation shifted toward the concept of getting to know your farmer. This topic is near and dear to me and Luke because that's us. We're the farmers. We grow and sell food, albeit, not meat. But, we still had a great conversation with Frank! We talked about USDA Certified Organic, and non-GMO, but one related topic that didn't come up is heirloom produce and seeds. This post is going to cover what heirloom seeds are, why you might want to look for produce grown from heirloom seeds, and where Back Mountain Microgreens' products stand when it comes to heirloom seed status.
First, what are heirloom seeds?
Heirloom seeds are simply seeds that are passed down from generation to generation, usually, for 50 years or more. The crops these seeds produce are open-pollinated, meaning they're pollinated by the wind, birds, bees, or even self-pollination—most importantly, they're not pollinated via selective cross-breeding in a lab. This means they're not hybrids, the crops they yield are predictable, and the seeds produced from the mature crops can be sown again year after year. Heirloom seeds often have some sort of historical significance as well... i.e... there's usually a good reason they've been passed down through the generations... they're reliable performers in their geographic region and produce crops that are valuable in the local economy.
Second, why heirloom seeds for microgreens?
Well, there are a few reasons you might want to focus on heirloom seeds when you're growing mature produce; qualities such as resiliency due to genetic diversity, being able to save the seeds for use next year (self-sufficiency), and generational adaptations that make the seeds able to withstand the local environment. Although these characteristics don't impact our farm because we don't let produce, "go to seed," there are two big benefits to heirloom seeds even when they're harvested at the microgreen stage, and it sort of makes me laugh because these two traits are also reasons people find microgreens appealing in general compared to mature produce: awesome flavor and nutrients!
"We eat with our eyes," is a common saying around here... and it's one of the reasons chefs use our products... to give an eye appealing look to their dishes. Unfortunately, you can't see flavors or nutrients and it seems plausible to me that when agricultural crops are modified, either genetically or through cross-breeding, flavor and nutrient profiles aren't the characteristics for which the scientists are aiming. Bright colors and less bruising sell and it means nutrients and flavor get the short end of the stick.
My dad says there's nothing like the taste of a fresh garden tomato. Along those lines... have you ever bitten into a piece of store bought fruit that looks amazing, but doesn't have any real flavor to speak of? Expectations run high because the fruit looks amazing, but the flavor is a huge disappointment! It's exactly the opposite with produce from heirloom seeds. The flavor and nutrients that are often bred out, that have been swapped for more eye-appealing characteristics, are retained and so heirloom seeds produce crops that offer superior flavor and nutrition compared to their GMO and hybrid counterparts.
Are Back Mountain Microgreens' products grown from heirloom seeds?
All I can say for now is that some of our products are grown from heirloom seeds, and some aren't. I don't have an organized list at the moment for each crop, but this topic is an important part of the conversation surrounding getting to know your farmer, and living and eating healthy, so in the future, heirloom (as well as non-GMO) status is something we'll make searchable on our site. Keep an eye out for labels to designate the status on each product, or just search "heirloom" using the icon at the top of the page. As we receive new seed batches, I'll be sure to label them so it's clear to you what you're getting.
Have thoughts on USDA Certified Organic, Non-GMO, and heirloom designations? Let us know in the comments!
Get started with microgreens in our online store here.
