Ancient from the Netherlands with light green slightly savoyed leaves and white/pale green stalks. 

Round Zucchini have been popular in Europe for years. The Italians have their dark green Tondo di Piacenza, the French have the light green speckled Ronde de Nice, the Dutch have the "Roly Poly" (a loose translation from Burpee's marketers) and the British have their single serve striped marrow, Tender and True. There is even chinese produced seed of an almost white round zucchini. The common thread is that these zucchini are actually rather nice; solid, nutty, sweet, and as a bonus they are extremely early producers and are prolific if you keep harvesting the fruit. The compact plants are real workhorses of efficiency. They laughed at the limited nutrients and water of our sand lot trials!

These round zucchini from the above plants have matured to form a tough pumpkin-like or gourd-like rind. You must leave them on the plant until their colors have changed and they develop that hard skin. It takes several weeks beyond the immature stage that we usually consume summer squash at for the squash to mature. These are on the porch where they will "after ripen", for an additional month. The after ripening gives the seeds an extra amount of time to gain food reserves which will allow for healthier, more vigorous seedlings and better germination. Then they will be split with a sledge hammer (yes, the can be tough), seeds will be scooped out, washed in a mild soap solution and thoroughly dried to the "breaking" stage before storage. We used to spread out the seed on newspaper to dry but now we use drying screens which provide better air circulation.

Packet: 9-10 grams of seed

Asparagus has grown in the wild in France since the time of Louis XIV. Originally only three different types were available, they were distinguished mostly by their thickness, ‘la grosse’, ‘la commune’ and ‘la sauvage’.

Cultivation become widespread in the mid-19th century, with populations often identified according to countries and towns where they were grown. Arguably the best known asparagus was cultivated at Argenteuil, situated just 14 kilometres northwest of Paris. For centuries Argenteuil was an important asparagus-growing district: at one time several thousand persons were employed in cultivating the crop.

Asparagus 'Precoce D'Argentuil’ or ‘Early Argenteuil‘ was listed by Vilmorin-Andrieux in 1885 as a selection from 'Giant Dutch Purple'. It is one of three subvarieties of Argenteuil (early, mid, and late) and is highly esteemed for its thick, rose-purple spears with tender tips and an excellent flavour.

It is an excellent choice for the impatient gardener. Earlier and hardier than most asparagus varieties, the spears are usually produced from seed struck plants in the second year and it will shoot earlier in the season than other varieties.

In France, Asparagus D'Argentuil is the traditional variety used to create the popular white asparagus by blanching the plants. White asparagus, nicknamed ‘edible ivory’ and ‘white gold’ typically sells for two to three times as much as the green-skinned variety due to the high cost of production and the short season. However, it is simply created by mounding earth over the spears as they begin to push out of the ground, thus keeping them from sunlight and the photosynthesis that would turn them green.

This noble stalk may cost a king's ransom for much of the year but when cultivated in the garden it is affordable for even us commoners and is uncommonly delicious.

Dutch heirloom produces tight, tender medium-large heads often used for sauerkraut.

An excellent ‘baby’ carrot variety producing slender, cylindrical roots. Good colour with minimal core. Firm foliage that holds well. Will not produce oversize carrots even when harvested late.

Heirloom used as baby green, microgreen or bunched. Purple leaves.

Use in salads, stir-frys, soups etc. and enjoy the fine taste of this winter hardy variety that bears a resemblance to Red Russian but more tender and juicier  leaves.

A dutch heirloom with the most dense and curly varieties.

Stocky blue/green leaves which are very tender.

Very popular for dehydrating and making kale chips or bulking up a salad mix.

Cutting Celery is a form of celery that's grown for its leaves and seeds instead of its stems. Plants are closely related to wild celery, are looser and leafier than stalk-celery, and often have a stronger flavor.

Dutch French beans are a variety of green bean that can be bush or dwarf varieties. They are known for their flavor and can be used for baking, soups, or eaten fresh. 

Characteristics of Dutch French beans

Flavor: Dutch French beans have a buttery to nutlike flavor 

Texture: Dutch French beans are crisp, firm, and tender 

Color: Dutch French beans can be green, yellow, black, or purple 

Shape: Dutch French beans are small, round, and sweet 

Ease of growth: Dutch French beans are easy to grow and highly productive

Dutch Brown Beans or as they are known in The Netherlands, Bruine Bonen, are a plum oval-shaped bean with a caramel brown coloured skin. Dutch Brown Beans retain their shape and colour when cooked. Often served with rice or in a soup, Dutch Brown Beans have a rich buttery taste.