Starting in 2008, the Kerr Center conducted trials of heirloom varieties of vegetables and sorghum.
Heirloom varieties:
- “old-fashioned” (non-hybrids)
- some developed in specific locations, well adapted to specific climates
- some with greater disease resistance and/or better flavor
- often a greater variety of colors and shapes
The Kerr Center’s informational resources on heirloom varieties include an overview of their importance for sustainable agriculture.
In previous years, Kerr specialist David Redhage conducted several trials of traditional vegetable varieties. In 2008, the Kerr Center’s horticulture program began a series of variety trials of different heirloom crops (see report listings below).
Educational Resources Listed by Year:
| Season | Crops Evaluated (click on crop name for trial report) |
| 2008 | Okra |
| Sorghum | |
| 2009 | Tomatoes |
| Squash | |
| 2010 | Sweet potatoes |
| Heirloom Tomatoes | |
| Grafted Tomatoes | |
| 2011 | Sweet Potatoes |
| Flour & Meal Corn (demonstration) | |
| Organic No-Till Pumpkins (demonstration) | |
| 2012 | Sweet Potatoes |
| Three Sisters (demonstration) | |
| 2014 | Small-Scale Technology and Practices for Sweet Potato Growing in Southeast Oklahoma |
