Country Gentleman Corn

Antoine D'Avignon was a ancient vegetable lover. A pioneer in Quebec for heirloom seed saving, he grew, harvested and shared the seeds of numerous varieties that would have otherwise been forgotten by now. Notably, Louis-Marie's Crotte d'ours potato, Suzanne Bourgeois's Ice Grow tomato, Huron wheat, and... this corn. In an interview in the late 1990s he reached out for help to the public: the Quebec corn that our grandmas used to cultivate has disappeared. Nobody is growing flour corn anymore. After the interview, a lady called the radio station claiming that she did have seeds of a flour corn that had been grown by her family for ages. This is how she came into contact with Antoine and shared with him her precious treasure. Then, during that summer, Antoine ends up mentioning the corn to a friend, Mrs. France Bouffard. She is really interested and ask for a couple seeds. Reluctant as he as only a few, he ends up giving her 6 seeds. She grew those and multiplied them, enough to make flour for her pancakes. The story could have ended there. Sadly it did not as Antoine died still young and took with him the corn story. More recently, Mrs. Bouffard reached out to me while I was working for Seeds of Diversity. We chatted, and she ended up mentioning the corn. She then sent me some seeds by the mail. We had a good first harvest from those seeds and, thanks to that, we can now share this variety with you. Luckily, Antoine has also gifted a few to another one of his friends, René Paquet, who has since carefully kept the envelope. On it, a name: Anita Fournier, from Nicolet. We are looking for this lady (probably deceased by now) or her offsprings. Please let us know if you know her. Please note that some of the seeds have been sent to Seeds of Diversity for preservation. With the hopes that you might also contribute to writing a chapter of this story. For more information, please visit (in French): Antoine d'Avignon (1948-2003), jardinier de la dernière chance" Please send us pictures of your crops and harvests! We will share them! Package: 40 seeds

Indeterminate. Plant approximately 1,20 meters tall. Fruits between 150 and 250 grams. This tomato is a cross between Black Krim and Zapotec tomatoes. It combines the best traits of these two heirloom classics. The flavor of the Black Ruffle is exceptional. The red purple fruit is pleated like an accordion. It is a rare variety really worth discovering.   Package: approx. 35 seeds

Originally from Europe, rose campions can be a great addition even to North American gardens. It is easy to grow, being able to establish itself in very difficult soils, on top of being pretty. Its soft-to-touch, silver foliage highlights nicely its deep pink flowers. It produces flowers over a long period, and reseeds itself. Short-lived perennial, biennial. Package: 100 seeds

High-yielding yellow bush bean. Can withstand comparison with the Beurre de Rocquencourt. Delicious long yellow pods with black seeds. Can be eaten when young and tender or as a dry bean. Very productive over a long period of time, the more you pick the more it will give you beans. This old variety comes from Sainte-Hélène, Kamouraska County, where it has been cultivated since time immemorial by Rollande Labrie (born in 1923) and her family. We are proud to offer it and ensure its preservation. Wax bean originally comes from Algeria. Under the name Algiers Bean, it made its appearance in France in the 1840s. From then on, the French selected and developed many yellow wax beans with black seeds. The most famous one is the Beurre de Rocquencourt, named after a town near Versailles.   Package: 30-35 seeds

Indeterminate. Italian red tomato. Heart-shaped fruit with a pointed tip, which inspired its name. Flavorful and dense flesh, perfect for sauces and sandwichs. Very good yields, although it is a late season variety. It is resistant to diseases and will handle transportation and manipulation, I would recommend it for vegetable markets. One of our top 3! Package : 35 seeds.

Crisp green lettuce with long serrated leaves. Its taste is mild and not at all bitter. Very easy to grow and self-seeding if you let it bolt. Cut and come again variety. Italian heirloom.   Package: 200 seeds