What does "Heirloom" seed mean?

Farmers Markets are usually great sources of heirloom tomatoes

I was shopping at Whole Foods with my parents, who are from Calgary this summer, and they seemed a little  bit startled by the selection of tomatoes, are Yellow ones ripe? What is with the weird shapes? How do they taste?  

Fear of new food is natural, evolutionary, really. It is odd, though, that to my parents Heirloom Tomatoes are new, because, as the name suggests, they are very old varieties. Food practices had already been industrialized through my parents lives and they were already totally accustomed to supermarket tomato varieties, who are bred to ripen slow, or not at all (for ease of travel and storage,) and be consistent in their colour and appearance. This way they can consistently offer the consumer a beautiful, sellable tomato. A few of the many things being sacrificed with this method are taste, variety and local small scale growers. 

SO WHAT ARE HEIRLOOMS ANYWAYS? Heirloom varieties are open pollinating varieties that have been kept around by the farmers and gardeners saving seed from their favourite and best performing plants through the years, resulting in a gradual adaptation of the variety to the area with which it is being grown. 

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF HEIRLOOM SEED? You can save the seeds from Heirloom plants, and the next generation will be consistent with the last, something that Hybrids do not do. 

-The seeds, if grown in your area, will be the absolutely best suited to your area, having thrived there already for generations. 

-There is a lot of variety, which gives us many options in case one crop fails. And gives your palate and plate a lot of interest.

Heirloom seeds are the buzz these days, I'm sure it will be easy to find a supplier in your area, or you can save the seeds from the heirloom fruits you buy at farmers markets. Here in Vancouver, my favorite seed provider is Salt Spring Seeds: www.saltspringseeds.com