digitS'
Garden Master
Tomatoes??!!
I think that part of what I'm suggesting comparing Swaps and Man o' War to tomatoes . . . (and, he's coming down the stretch!
) is that there were dandy varieties in years past. Even if not all of them were stars.
We know that there were dandy varieties in terms of taste, before the food industry got their hands around our entire diet. Also, I think there were some that did just fine in terms of production, even looks!
I like to grow Thessaloniki. It seems very well suited for this dry climate. You can find some history of the varieties on the web (Victory Seed likes to take a historical look at things, as one source). Thessaloniki came into the US during the 1950's.
Now, why would they bring this open-pollinated variety into the country at the same time that the industry was taking nearly total control of our food supply? I mean, I can remember when the farmers' markets were dying at that time!
My guess is that the industry, thought Thessa might fit with their requirements - it IS productive and attractive. Certainly it isn't flavorless but it is a mild tomato. There are other old time commercial varieties out there that may be suitable for our garden conditions and tastes. In fact, 'Dorie, your list of tomatoes that look "wonderful" might very well fall into that group.
I wish that my area had tomato farming 100 years ago. I doubt that there were varieties at all suited for commercial production here, at that time. One hundred and fifty years ago . . . I'd have to be happy with June berries, camas and bitterroots.
Steve
I think that part of what I'm suggesting comparing Swaps and Man o' War to tomatoes . . . (and, he's coming down the stretch!
) is that there were dandy varieties in years past. Even if not all of them were stars.We know that there were dandy varieties in terms of taste, before the food industry got their hands around our entire diet. Also, I think there were some that did just fine in terms of production, even looks!
I like to grow Thessaloniki. It seems very well suited for this dry climate. You can find some history of the varieties on the web (Victory Seed likes to take a historical look at things, as one source). Thessaloniki came into the US during the 1950's.
Now, why would they bring this open-pollinated variety into the country at the same time that the industry was taking nearly total control of our food supply? I mean, I can remember when the farmers' markets were dying at that time!
My guess is that the industry, thought Thessa might fit with their requirements - it IS productive and attractive. Certainly it isn't flavorless but it is a mild tomato. There are other old time commercial varieties out there that may be suitable for our garden conditions and tastes. In fact, 'Dorie, your list of tomatoes that look "wonderful" might very well fall into that group.
I wish that my area had tomato farming 100 years ago. I doubt that there were varieties at all suited for commercial production here, at that time. One hundred and fifty years ago . . . I'd have to be happy with June berries, camas and bitterroots.
Steve
I had such a terrible 2009 crop that I've run out of my own, EVEN the jars from 2007!!!! 
