The Ark of Taste

The Ark of Taste is a living catalog of delicious and distinctive foods facing extinction. By identifying and championing these foods, we keep them in production and on our plates. Learn more at Slow Food USA.

Showing 1–24 of 27 results

Turnip Seeds - Seven Top

Brassica rapa HEIRLOOM. Seven Top has been the standard by which turnip greens have been measured in the American South for almost 200 years, earning them a spot on the...

Pole Bean Seeds - Cherokee Trail of Tears Pole Bean

Phaseolus vulgaris HEIRLOOM The Cherokee Trail of Tears bean memorializes the forced relocation of the Cherokee Indians in the mid-nineteenth century. They carried this bean throughout this infamous walk, which...

Slicing Tomato Seeds - Aunt Ruby's German Green, ORGANIC

Solanum lycopersicum ORGANIC. HEIRLOOM. This legendary tomato is as large as a beefsteak, but bright green which progresses from the shoulders, with a hint of pale yellow and pink on...

Winter Squash Seeds - Thelma Sanders Sweet Potato

Cucurbita pepo HEIRLOOM. Small acorn shaped fruit with deep ribbing. So delicious and well-loved, the Thelma Sanders squash is now part of the Slow Foods Ark of Taste! Fruit is...

Watermelon Seeds - Moon and Stars Red

Citrullus lanatus HEIRLOOM. The Moon and Stars Watermelon has luscious red flesh with a dreamscape rind of small yellow "stars" and large yellow "moons" on a dark green skin. Introduced...

Winter Squash Seeds - Seminole Pumpkin

Cucurbita moschata HEIRLOOM. Originally cultivated by the indigenous peoples around the Everglades and quite rare today, this squash is excellent for southern growers. Delicious 6-8" round fruits with buff-colored rind. Productive...

Paste Tomato Seeds - Amish Paste, ORGANIC

Solanum lycopersicum ORGANIC. HEIRLOOM. It's easy to understand the enduring popularity of this variety - thick meaty fruit with a small seed cavity means more flavorful sauce with less work....

Southern Pea Seeds - Mississippi Silver

Vigna unguiculata HEIRLOOM. This Southern favorite produces heavy yields of 6" long silvery pale green pods that produce large brown cowpeas. Easy-to-pick, disease resistant and well adapted to hot &...

Sweet Pepper Seeds - Jimmy Nardello

Capsicum annuum HEIRLOOM. Shhh! Don't let the other peppers know, but after growing this heirloom you may never choose another variety. The thin walls and concentrated sugars make this a...

Winter Squash Seeds - Long Island Cheese

Cucurbita moschata HEIRLOOM. Named for its provenance (the Northeast) and its doppelganger (a wheel of cheese), this squash would prefer to be known for its wonderful pie-making. 6-10 lb fruits...

Slicing Tomato Seeds - Big Momma

Solanum lycopersicum This tomato is amazing! Large, meaty, with few seeds and the perfect balance of sweetness. Wins the newcomer of the year award! We can't find too much history...

Winter Squash Seeds - Cushaw Green Striped

Cucurbita argyrosperma HEIRLOOM. Hailing from the Caribbean, this variety of Cushaw squash also goes by the name Tennessee Sweet Potato Squash and is part of the Slow Foods Ark of...

Watermelon Seeds - Moon and Stars Yellow

Citrullus lanatus HEIRLOOM. For the star gazers among us, which is to say everyone. This delicious variety has a moon and star speckled rind, but with a unique and tasty...

Hot Pepper Seeds - Fish Pepper, ORGANIC

Capsicum annuum ORGANIC. HEIRLOOM. Fish pepper probably came to the United States from the Caribbean in the late 1800s, and quickly became a garden staple among the African American community...

Pole Bean - Turkey Craw

Phaseolus vulgaris HEIRLOOM - This variety came to us from outstanding then-teenage gardener Kyler Johnson, of Greeneville, TN. It is stringless and has excellent flavor as a snap bean or a...

Winter Squash Seeds - Candy Roaster Melon

Cucurbita maxima HEIRLOOM. A North Carolina original and part of the Slow Foods Ark of Taste! Large, rampant vines produce 12-14 lb fruits. Produces delightfully warty, buttercup-shaped fruit, with pinkish-orange...

Winter Squash Seeds - Tahitian Butternut

Cucurbita moschata Sweeter than most other squashes, and only gets better with age! Large fruits shaped like butternuts with elongated necks and light golden-orange skin. Gets sweeter in storage. Vigorous...

Okra Seeds - White Velvet

Abelmoschus esculentus HEIRLOOM. Now very rare, this heavy producer of long, pale, velvety pods was once a favorite in the Southern states, especially Alabama. Spineless pods are ideal for pickling...

Inchelium Red Softneck Garlic

 *** Pre-Order Information *** Garlic bulbs will ship in early October, 2024 Allium sativum One of the best of the softnecks, considered to have a very fine flavor, both complex and...

$16.95 – $29.95 Select optionsSelect options

Slicing Tomato Seeds - Cherokee Purple

Solanum lycopersicum HEIRLOOM. Our most popular tomato, this beauty lives up to its praise. So tasty and adored, the Cherokee Purple is part of the Slow Foods Ark of Taste!...

Slicing Tomato Seeds - Mortgage Lifter

Solanum lycopersicum HEIRLOOM. Full, pure, old-fashioned tomato flavor! Irregular-shaped, HUGE reddish-pink fruits can weigh up to 4lbs, although they usually don't go past 1 lb. So good it's on the...

Drying Bean Seeds - Marrowfat

Phaseolus vulgaris HEIRLOOM. The Marrowfat bean, also known as the White Egg bean, became popular in the mid 1800’s in part because of its creamy texture and bacon-like flavor. This...

Nancy Hall Sweet Potatoes

Pre-Order Information Sweet Potato Slips ship in early June, 2024 Ipomoea batatas  Nancy Hall is an heirloom that dates back to the 1800s with a firm texture, complex sweetness, and...

$13.95 – $17.95 Select optionsSelect options

Norton Sweet Potatoes

Pre-Order Information Sweet Potato Slips ship in early June, 2024 Ipomoea batatas An heirloom that dates back to the 1800s with tan skin and bright yellow flesh when cooked. Moist...