Spring in the yard - showing our prized American Redbud, a red leaf maple, lilac…and our straw bales (guarded by Koda).

Got lots of momentum now. Gardening season is starting to get really active, so I am thinking of taking this to tomato #250 and take a break until fall - gardening update blogs will become more prevalent once I take a tomato collection break. Let’s do this…two of the following are really good varieties. The rest are….interesting!

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Tomato #141 - Verna Orange - This tomato was obtained from SSE member IA CA D in 1989. I grew it several times, the first of which being 1990. It is typical for a heart shaped variety - very wispy foliaged plant, but quite early for its size and high yielding. It seems to be an Indiana heirloom, released by Southern Exposure Seed Exchange in 1990. It is similar to the historic variety Yellow Oxheart, released in the 1920s by the Livingston seed company. The lovely pale orange hearts are very meaty, with a mild flavor - pleasant, but by no means a knock out.

Tomato #142 - Yellow White - This rare variety was sent to me by SSE member KY AN C in 1989. It is also known as Viva Lindsey’s Kentucky Heirloom. The lovely story associated with the variety is that seeds of the tomato were given to Viva Lindsey on the occasion of her wedding, in 1904, by the Martin family. It is a tomato I respect for its wonderful story, more than crave eating. I first grew it in 1989. The very tall, indeterminate plant produces very pretty ivory colored tomatoes that are quite large, and have a faint pink blossom end blush on some of the fruit. They are quite firm fleshed and have a mild flavor that is on the sweet side. My 1989 experience with this variety showed first ripe fruit in just 70 days. I harvested but 13 tomatoes from the plant, at an average weight of 17.6 ounces - really large for a white tomato - giving the plant a yield of 14.3 pounds. I rated the flavor as B+, so I clearly enjoyed it more than I thought I did!

Tomato #143 - Banana Legs - I acquired this variety from SSE member ONT RE M in 1989, which is the first year I grew it. It is unusual in being a determinate variety, though the 3-4 foot bushy plant is a tomato machine. It is a Tom Wagner-bred variety, first sold by his Tater-Mater seed company, likely as a selection from a cross of various varieties with the red paste variety Long Tom. The fruit are slender paste types that have yellow skin with faint lighter stripes. The flesh is firm and somewhat dry, probably a better roasting or sauce than fresh eating tomato. My 1989 trial showed a first ripe fruit pick in only 59 days. The plant produced 43 tomatoes at an average weight of 3 ounces, so 8 pounds for the plant with a flavor rating of B (which seems generous).

Tomato #144 - Big White - I acquired this tomato from Glenn Drowns, as a SSE transaction, in 1989, and first grew it in 1991 (it was also the last time I grew it). It appears to be a collection from the large collection of Californian Don Branscomb. My records, and recollection, on this variety are very scant. My guess is that it was a medium sized oblate ivory colored tomato of no great flavor interest - not uncommon in most “white” varieties.

Tomato #145 - German Garden Time - From SSE member MI KL R in 1989, this is one obscure tomato that I grew one time - in 1989. My recollection is that it was a rather large ivory tomato on a tall, vigorous indeterminate plant with fully unexceptional flavor. In its 1989 trial, first ripe fruit was harvested in 80 days, making it quite a late ripener. I picked 23 tomatoes at an average weight of 14.6 ounces (another quite large white variety), so the plant yield was nearly 21 pounds. The flavor rating was, alas, B- - the worst rated tomato for flavor in 1989.

Tomato #146 - Sutton - Yet another in a group of white tomatoes (which I clearly had an interest in during this period of my seed collecting), I received this tomato from Dorothy Beiswenger, SSE member, in 1989, and my single experience with it was also in 1989. There is essentially no information about the variety, but some speculation it is from the Sutton Seed Company in the early 1900s. I remember the plant being quite short for an indeterminate, with first fruit in 58 days. I harvested 44 fruit from the plant with an average weight of 8 ounces. The plant yield was an impressive 22.4 pounds, with a B+ flavor rating. I remember thinking it was the best flavored of those early tested white varieties.

Tomato #147 - Sweet Million F1 hybrid - What a tomato machine this variety is! Purchased from Stokes in 1989, I grew it that same year and others as well, due to its incredible productivity and pleasant flavor. It was developed as an improvement on the very popular Sweet 100 hybrid. In 1989, first fruit was harvested in 59 days, and I harvested - get ready for this (and yes, I counted them!) - 1,045 tomatoes with a half ounce average weight. I picked over 32 pounds of tomatoes - and it got an A for flavor. How’s that for impressive!

Tomato #148 - Yellow Stuffer - Curiously, this variety was also purchased from Stokes in 1989, but I never got around to trying it. The original source is unclear, but stuffing tomatoes (firm walls, shaped like a bell pepper, relatively hollow with the seeds in a cluster in the center) have been known for a long time and are available in various colors.

Tomato #149 - Dutchman - This famous tomato was first carried by Gleckler seed company in 1958, and I obtained it from them in 1989. The history is known, but it is assumed to be very old - it is a large, oblate regular leaf pink tomato that I’ve yet to grow.

Tomato #150 - Watermelon Beefsteak - A famous variety first carried by the Gleckler seed company, I obtained it directly from them in 1989. Gleckler introduced it in 1958 - little is known about its history except it seems to have originated in West Virginia in the late 1800s. It is a regular leaf, large oblate pink beefsteak type that I have yet to grow.

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Well, we are now at 150. Pretty good milestone there, and it is still 1989 in my collection. I was madly accumulating at this point, but it was pretty scattershot, and of the above, although some well regarded varieties have yet to be grown, there are a few winners. Verna Orange, Sutton, Sweet Million hybrid and Yellow-White are the tops of this ten varieties.