One of the joys of community supported agriculture is never knowing exactly what the harvest will bring. While most crops are carefully planned, sometimes nature tosses in a few unexpected surprises. At Green Heart Garden, we save seeds from the previous year’s vegetables to plant for the new season. Occasionally, those seeds carry a little secret: they’ve cross-bred with another variety. The result is a naturally occurring hybrid that shows up in our fields, waiting to be discovered.
This year’s unexpected stars? A jalapeño-poblano cross that offers the smoky depth of poblanos with the zesty kick of jalapeños, and a zucchini-tromboncino hybrid that grows with the curvy shape of tromboncino but has the deep green color of zucchini. These are the kinds of surprises that make farming both challenging and exciting.
Cross-breeding happens when two related plants share pollen. Bees, wind, or even careful human hands can carry pollen from the flower of one variety to another. When seeds form from that union, the offspring may carry traits of both parents. Sometimes the new plants look just like one parent, other times they blend characteristics—or occasionally create something completely unexpected.
This natural exchange has been happening since long before farms existed, but humans learned to harness it thousands of years ago. By saving seeds from plants that tasted better, lasted longer, or were easier to grow, farmers slowly reshaped the foods we eat.
The vegetables that fill CSA boxes today look very different from their wild ancestors. The cabbage family is one of the clearest examples of how human selection transformed plants over time. From a single wild Brassica plant that resembles mustard, farmers encouraged different traits:
What started as one scrappy wild green eventually became a whole lineup of vegetables that now feel like staples of local produce. The same process has shaped nearly every fruit and vegetable we enjoy, from corn to carrots.
For a small sustainable farm like Green Heart Garden, unexpected hybrids are reminders of the living, changing nature of agriculture. They add variety, spark curiosity, and sometimes lead to brand-new favorites for CSA members. By saving seeds, supporting biodiversity, and working in rhythm with nature, we not only grow vegetables and fruit but also honor the cycles that connect us to the land.
When you open your CSA box and spot something unusual, know that it’s part of the story of farming—an experiment written by bees, wind, and time. It’s another reason why the food we grow for our customers throughout Portland, OR is never just about produce and eggs; it’s about discovery, sustainability, and the relationship between farm and community.
