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The following varieties are planted at Historic Forestville for the Living History Program.
More on page two
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Beans: Beste Von Allem Wax Bean (60-75 days to maturity). Grown before 1900, this is a yellow wax bush bean that was very similar to the Improved Golden Wax (which was more of a trade name than a variety name), which was sold in Meighen's store. Plants have long yellow pods, and white seeds with a black eyes.
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Beets (Field Beets-for livestock): Red Mangelwurtzel (100 days). This was a forage crop for livestock, which had large roots and after thinning, needed to be spaced 12 inches apart. Beets have red skin and white flesh. This variety was sold in Meighen's store.
Click thumbnail for larger image.
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White French: This is a garden-variety beet, and was sold in Meighen's store. Extremely rare today, it is now considered a gourmet beet. Click thumbnail for larger image.
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Cabbage: Winnigstadt (or Early Winnigstadt). Pre-dating 1860, this cabbage seed was sold in Meighen's store. Grown in cooler, shaded areas of the garden, it has firm pointed heads with fluted, yellowish-green leaves.
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Red Drumhead (74-90 days). Another Meighen variety, this deep purple-red cabbage has slightly flattened heads, is very sweet, and can be a very hardy winter keeper.
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Cantaloupe (Musk Melon): Jenny Lind (70 days). Known in the Philadelphia markets before 1840, it was renamed after one of the most popular vocalists of the mid-19th Century. Each melon is about 1 to 2 pounds and has smooth green flesh. Fruits are slightly ribbed, and have a striking small button or knob on the blossom end.
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Carrots: White Belgian (also known as White French--not to be confused with the White French beet). Introduced in 1885, this variety was sold in Meighen's store and is extremely rare today. This carrot is pure white and very productive.
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Cauliflower: Early Snowball (60 days). A pre-1884 variety, this cauliflower is noted for its compact habit and smaller-sized heads. The plants ripen at different rates, prolonging the harvest.
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Corn-Field Corn: Reid's Yellow Dent (85-110 days), first developed in 1846 in Illinois. Although undocumented for the Meighen farm, this was widely popular in the upper and lower Midwest in the 1890s, and is typical of other yellow dent varieties that no longer exist. It was very popular in Fillmore County, Minnesota (where Historic Forestville is located).
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Corn-Garden Corn: Country Gentleman (88-100 days), introduced in 1891. This is a sweet corn that Meighen sold in his store. It is of the "shoe peg" type, being excellent for cream corn, corn-on-the-cob and canning. Click thumbnail for larger image.
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Corn-Garden Corn: Stowell's Evergreen (80-100 days), introduced in 1848. This is another sweet corn grown in Forestville, and is currently the oldest named garden variety still available today. It has medium tapered ears and clear white kernels.
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Cucumbers: Long Green (65 days). Also sold in Meighen's store, this cucumber is both vigorous and prolific, displaying tapered ends, and a warted, black spine. This variety was popular for pickling and slicing. It contains few seeds. Click thumbnail for larger image.
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Ground Cherry: Huberschmidt Ground Cherry. Grown before 1800, ground cherries are in the tomato family, and were popular for pie making and preservatives. These were common in many Yankee gardens and grow like weeds. It is a prolific grower, with the fruit encased in green husks, which turns brown and papery as the fruit ripens.
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Leeks: Giant Musselburgh (110 days). This variety dates to about 1840, this very large leek is sometimes called "American Flag." It is very winter hardy, with the edible portion of the stem typically at least a foot long and 2 to 3 inches across.
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More on page two
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About Forestville
