Langwater Farm

I came across a new variety of melon the other day that I’m adding to my list of best-named varieties. Collective Farm Woman melons are grown by an organic farm up in the Capay Valley, the hotspot for organic/sustainable agriculture in the northern Central Valley. My favorite variety name is still Charlie’s Mortgage Lifter, but my friend Beth recently told me about another heirloom tomato called Cosmonaut Volkov (also from the Ukraine like Collective Farm Woman–they really know how to name them).

I used to think that working for Crayola naming new colors would be a plum job, but maybe the action’s at Seed Savers Exchange naming the heirloom varieties they uncover.