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Re: [seedsavers] Looking for seeds for Yellow Cabbage Collards and Macomber Turnips



Hi Lawrence.

Yes, Cabbage Collards are a regional specialty heirloom of the
Carolina's. I am still learning more, but as far as I can tell, there
are two basic versions, yellow and green with a blue-ish tinge. I had
a few seeds for the yellow ones in my hands several years ago and
planted them in the spring. They are beautiful, perky plants of a
bright yellow green with a soft, velvety texture. They are described
as being incredibly fine-flavored and very tender. Unfortunately the
cabbage worms loved them! I fought for them daily, but lost to the
worms when I had to be out of town one weekend.

Morris Heading is easily available here, but no, it is no replacement
for these old-style ones.

Recently in the news:
http://southeastfarmpress.com/news/042406-Marketing-vegetables/

Review from Dave's Garden:  http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/54730/

Picture:  http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/12902/


The Macomber Turnip is not really a turnip, but a rutabaga. It's a
regional specialty heirloom born in Westport, Massachusetts sometime
around 1877 from a cross between a rutabaga and a radish on the farm
of Adin and Elihu Macomber. It is described as fine-textured and sweet
with a hint of horseradish. There is a festival and unnumbered recipes
built around it. The folks who grow it are very tight with the seed.

I am investigating the claim that the Macomber and the Gilfeather are
the same. So far, I do not believe this to be true. Although both come
from Massachusettes, each one has a festival built around it. And
their stories name very specific families as their originators. Both
are, however, rutabagas rather than turnips.

See top of page 2 for a discussion of the history:
http://www.edibleboston.net/pages/articles/fall06/pdf/spillingTheBeans.pdf

Recently in the news:
http://archive.southcoasttoday.com/daily/03-03/03-04-03/a07lo045.htm

This fellow has since died:
http://archive.southcoasttoday.com/daily/08-02/08-03-02/c01li075.htm

Elise

On Jan 22, 2008 4:20 PM, Lawrence F. London, Jr. <lflj@intrex.net> wrote:
> Elise Lutrick wrote:
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > I am looking for seeds for these two East Coast regional heirlooms. If
> > you have these to spare, please email me.
>
> Yellow Cabbage Collards and     Macomber Turnips
>
> Do you have any pictures and descriptions of these?
>
> Cabbage collards is a real variety? Morris heading is a preferred variety
> with better growth habit and improved flavor.
>
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>
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