Sometimes we forget that not everybody understands all the garden language. While some words may be familiar that doesn't mean that everybody understands them. Often, people new to gardening might not want to come right out and ask what is meant by words like heirloom or hybrid. So I thought I would take a few minutes to clarify a few words.
First, an "heirloom" seed or vegetable is generally one that was grown prior to 1951 when the first hybrids were marketed by seed companies and many are much older. They are also "open pollinated" which means that they will produce the same kind of vegetable every time they are planted. Seeds saved from them can be grown year after year reliably. No hand pollination is necessary.
An "open pollinated" seed is one that is pollinated naturally by wind, water or insects. Because they ARE open pollinated it also means that they CAN produce their own "hybrids" through natural crossing in nature. A bee floats from one variety to another spreading pollen between varieties. If not enough space is placed between some plants the seeds which are produced may end up being mutts. There is nothing particularly WRONG with mutts other then the fact that you won't know what to expect from their offspring from year to year. You know you will get SOMETHING but it may not be something good or expected. You won't get a cross between two completely different vegetables BUT you can get a cross between different varieties of the same vegetable family like squash or beans.
Whether the cross is created on purpose by some gardener or seed company or whether it is done naturally by an insect or wind, the result is still a "hybrid". They are only a cross from two varieties of similar vegetables. They are often done similar to the way plants would cross in nature but rather then a random cross it can be a cross hand performed by the gardener. Someone may like one bean that is a certain length and another one that is a certain color. So the two plants are hand pollinated to see if the new crossed variety has both those good qualities. Seed is saved each year until the cross is perfected. Often the seeds cannot be saved because the seeds will not produce the newer crossed vegetable. Instead the seed may be sterile (like a mule) or revert back to the traits of only one of the parent plants. These vegetable seeds are fine to plant but the seeds have to be purchased every year. They are not usually the best choice for a survival garden because the seeds aren't usually dependable.
Eventually, through very careful selection over many harvests, a hybrid can become stabilized. It can begin producing reliable off spring from year to year naturally and no longer needs to be hand pollinated. You can bet that the seed companies don't have thousands of employees out in the fields with paintbrushes cross pollinating hybrids every year forever to create a favorite seed. Those hybrids are STILL hybrids BUT they become reliably open pollinated. By the same concept those plants that are heirlooms can accidently cross pollinate creating a hybrid without our knowledge. You wouldn't KNOW that it happened until you try to grow your saved seed and get something different from what was planted. In that case, it is caused because plants of the same type were planted too close together ruining your seed saving efforts. The seeds of those plantings shouldn't be saved so that you can preserve the original seed.
Then there are the GMO seeds. GMO stands for genetically modified organism. There is nothing natural about a GMO. They CANNOT be created in nature. Crosses are done in a laboratory. Genes are extracted from one organism and mixed with the genes of the plant. Often it is not just a cross from plant to plant but from animal to plant or some other such thing. They are unstable combinations that will not reproduce from saved seed. GMOs are not readily available and are not sold in lowes or the seed catalogs. They are usually planted under contract between the seed source and large farms. However, GMO vegetables (especially corn) have been found to contaminate the vegetables in nearby farms and gardens. Corn is a particular seed source that has become contaminated. While what you buy may say its an heirloom, it is estimated that 80% or more of ALL corn has been contaminated by GMO varieties. In that case, buying from a source that tests for contamination is the only way to guarantee you don't start out with GMO contaminated seeds. On the other hand, if you have someone growing corn nearby, your corn seed could become contaminated the first year of planting if you don't take precautions against it.
Just a few more words to understand when buying seeds. An annual is a seed that grows from seed to plant in one season and then dies at the end of the season. Seeds from annuals have to be saved if you want to plant more the next year because it will not come back on its own. A perennial is a seed that grows a plant that may or may not die back but will come back on its own the following season. A biennial is a plant that has a two year growth process where seeds are produced the second year. Many perennials in warm climates are grown as annuals in harsher climates because they cannot withstand the winter weather. When a plant can be grown as a perennial in a permanent bed then it becomes a crop that just reproduces without having to save seeds every year. Although saving seeds is sometimes a good idea in case you have a die back due to weather or some other problem.
So which kind of seed should be grown in a survival garden? Mostly the heirlooms BECAUSE you can save seeds from year to year which will reliably reproduce. You can also grow some hybrids just because you like a certain variety and they can be somewhat less temperamental and fussy. Don't grow ALL hybrids who's seeds can't be saved but don't necessarily throw out the baby with the bath water either. A few here and there with the proper care and knowledge about seed saving are perfectly fine in my opinion. Growing only heirlooms is also perfectly fine. Growing some perennials is also a good idea when you can.
Just know that seed saving and vegetable gardening should be a part of your survival strategy. Eventually your food storage WILL run low even if you have a mountain of food. At that point you may only be able to replenish it through growing a victory garden. Practice and plan for it now so you will be prepared when it is time.
Southern Wood Elf