Thomas Jefferson - our Father of Slow Food

So we all think we know a lot about the big TJ, but did you know he was one of our nation's first true experimental farmers?  He liked "killing plants" in the form of importing stuff from across the pond and trading stuff from different zones in the US, planting them, and seeing what would and would not survive.  He experimented with terracing and placement for sun and wind, and was an avid "seed swapper" (shhhhh....don't tell Monsanto).The farm went into disrepair and mostly became a flower garden for a long time but in 1977 things took a turn and under new direction, the Director of Horticulture began reaching out to people and places like The National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation.  Even individuals came to the rescue like John Coykendall of Knoxville, TN, who gave back the Red Calico Lima Bean seed that was once grown on Monticello's farm.Jefferson considered seed saving and swapping to be really good insurance.  And so should you.  If you want to know more, or buy seeds from Monticello, click here.