"Have you ever wondered how everyday staples such as peas, kale, asparagus, beans, squash and corn ended up on our plates? In The Seed Detective, seed guardian and award-winning film and television producer Adam Alexander tells of his far-flung seed-hunting adventures, revealing the surprising histories behind many of our everyday vegetables. How the common garden pea was domesticated over 8,500 years ago; that the first carrots originated in Afghanistan...

From Michael Pollan to locavores, Whole Foods to farmer's markets, today cooks and foodies alike are paying more attention than ever before to the history of the food they bring into their kitchens--and especially to vegetables. Whether it's an heirloom tomato, curled cabbage, or succulent squash, from a farmer's market or a backyard plot, the humble vegetable offers more than just nutrition--it also represents a link with long tradition of farming...