And the winners are… extra early great tasting tomatoes!
Sunday, August 31st, 2008Latah are the earliest ripening tomatoes this year. They are a small red tomato which vary in shape from round to miniature beefsteak (flattened). They have green shoulders, as do many heritage varieties, which makes people think they are under-ripe. They are super juicy with a well balanced flavour; the perfect mix of sweet and acid.
Greg Wingate of Mapple Farm in Weldon, NB grows the seed (which is also available from Hope Seeds and Perennials) along with seeds for a selection of other early ripening and unique vegetables suitable for growing in our short season conditions.
They are a ‘determinate’ tomato, meaning that they produce all of the fruit at the same time and have a more compact bushy form (not vining) which is the reason that they ripen early when other tomato plants are still getting taller and sending out new growth.
Bloody Butcher are another winner this year. Slightly later ripening than Latah but with larger fruits and a greater yield. They also taste phenomenal. I was introduced to this variety by my Dad who told me that they were the best tomato he had ever eaten. Tracking down the seed proved to be tricky however as they are very rare, but I managed to find it at Cottage Gardener Heirloom Seeds in Ontario.
They have an oval form and green shoulders. They are juicy and are a taste test winner this year. They also have ‘potato leaves’ like Brandy Wine and Pruden’s Purple. Perhaps the greater surface area allows them to photosynthesize better because they started to ripen only 2-3 days after the Latah Tomatoes and have produced a heavy crop on small sturdy plants.
Gold Nugget are tiny yellow cherry tomatoes with a really intense flavour; this is unusual in yellow tomatoes which are normally very mild. They are also super productive and very early ripening.
They grow on sprawling bushy plants that are literally covered in berries.
Legend was our first large tomato to ripen. It is a round, red tomato with no green shoulders, so it looks more like a ‘typical’ tomato. However, its flavour is far superior. I sat in the field last week and ate one of these tomatoes picked fresh from the vine and all I could think about for that minute or so was how darned good it tasted. Quite an accomplishment for a very stressed and overworked farmer who can think about nothing but what needs to be weeded next!
The plants are bushy, compact and determinate and produce a very early heavy set of tomatoes. Seeds for Legend are available from Mapple Farm.
Tomato seedlings for all of the above, plus a wide selection of other Heritage tomatoes will be available from the farm next year. Call in advance to reserve your preferred varieties:-)
Subscribe