Paper Short Abstract:

There is growing recognition that building sustainable food systems demands revisiting the past and drawing valuable lessons from historical practices. This presentation, grounded in ethnographic research and qualitative interviews, examines the role of heirloom plants in reimagining sustainable food systems. These traditional plant varieties, now experiencing a resurgence of interest, offer a vital link between age-old agricultural practices and future sustainability. In the Slovenian micro-region of Prlekija, which serves as the focus of this study, heirloom apples hold a particularly significant place. Local enthusiasts invest considerable time, resources, and passion into cultivating these traditional apple varieties, underscoring their deep cultural and ecological value. At the heart of this research lies a pivotal question: can the growing interest in heirloom fruits reshape mainstream food systems and catalyze a broader shift toward sustainable agriculture? Exploring this possibility sheds light on how food heritage can play a transformative role in addressing the challenges of the Anthropocene.

Paper Abstract:

Living in the Anthropocene underscores the urgent need to respect planetary boundaries, especially in food production, distribution, and consumption. In Slovenia, there is widespread recognition that agriculture and food systems exert significant environmental impacts, driving calls for transformative change. Yet, strategies for addressing this cultural and economic challenge vary. Despite differing approaches, there is a shared understanding that building sustainable food systems requires revisiting the past and drawing inspiration from historical practices.

This presentation focuses not on history itself but on contemporary discussions about the future of food heritage. Drawing on ethnographica research and qualitative interviews, it examines the role of heirloom plants—traditional varieties of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and other crops that have been preserved across generations without genetic modification or hybridization. These plants hold irreplaceable genetic value; once lost, their foundations cannot simply be recreated through genetic engineering, which remains unable to replicate the biodiversity and resilience inherent to heirloom varieties.

Now receiving renewed attention, these plants symbolize the potential to connect past agricultural practices with future sustainability. They offer valuable insights into how Slovenia might reimagine its food systems in alignment with environmental sustainability and cultural heritage. In the Slovenian micro-region of Prlekija, which is central to this ethnographic research, heirloom apples are particularly significant. Enthusiasts dedicate remarkable resources and effort to cultivating these apple trees. Does the growing interest in heirloom fruits hold the potential to influence mainstream food systems, paving the way for a broader transformation toward sustainable agriculture and food practices?