-Laelth

I'll just sit back here and imagine how fine that would taste

from Grainger County, TN? Best in the world, just about. Something about that red clay dirt and Tennessee sunshine….! They are working to make those as famous as Vidalia onions. Up here in VA we have the "Hanover tomato" and I promise you they are not a patch on the Grainger County ones Our local Rockingham County heirloom ones are lots better but still not quite there.

own personal tastes and memories of what you like. There are few absolutes with tomatoes - which makes it all so much fun!

Pretty much all tomatoes - color, size, shape - have the same acidity (pH range extremely narrow)....the sensation of sweet or acid is entirely due to the genetics of the variety, combined with how it is grown (impact of the particular season, growing technique, etc). So the myth of the "low acid pink" or "high acid red" tomato is just that...a myth!

Fun stuff, hey!

By the way, the tomato on the cover is either Cherokee Green or Green Giant. If you've not tasted one of the green when ripe large fruited varieties, you are in for a treat - they are nearly all wonderful (and there aren't very many of them). The smaller greens, like Green Zebra and Green Grape, aren't favorites of mine (too tart or firm).

How will I know when the green fruit is ready to eat?

Looking forward to it!

So look for a change to an amber color. Evergreen is another with such skin color; Aunt Ruby's Green and Green Giant have clear skin, making it more challenging (they turn to a softer green tone and get a faint pink blush on the bottom).

Let me know what you think of it!

He sure is a DU treasure

I'm with you on Green Zebra, just couldn't warm up to that one.

Eating a homegrown Cherokee Purple as I write this.

I want to try growing an heirloom variety next season, preferably one that I can get pre-started plants for. Any recommendations for what would be good (and preferably likely to be available if you happen to know) in Michigan? Thanks!

Edit: ideally a low-maintenance/strong variety as I'm not actually good at gardening... I just water the plants and pick the fruits pretty much

And I am happy to ship plants as well - got a good way to do so.

So many good suggestions! Send me a DU mail.

inspired my wife and I to grow tomatoes this year. Just the regular type so far.

Next year heirlooms.

Thanks NRaleighLiberal

let me know anything at all I can do to help!

Makes my mouth water. We have no farmers market here and I've never seen heirloom tomatoes in local store. My grandma grew tomatoes by the bushels, and she saved the seeds from year to year, storing them in mason jars down in the basement.

I remember one variety with a particolored skin that was streaked with pinky-red, green and orange that had a lighter, orangish color inside. Grandma didn't like those too much because they didn't have that deep red look of other tomatoes when canned. I've never had any luck growing tomatoes, but Grandma's pink tomatoes sure were delish to eat warm and juicy right out of the garden.

Growing cherry tomatoes. try that you might surprise yourself

other produce so you can keep them off the ground or for horizontal space/limited space container gardening. I had one but gave it away before I used it so I don't know how good they are. It was only about $10. I'll see if I can find a picture.

It looked like a great idea for tomatoes/produce. Now I wish I hadn't given it away.

Jalapenos and herbs work well for me.

You can make a kick ass salsa from them, or ... Yep, I've done it, pasta sauce. Tangy, warm and loaded with a unique flavor!

Look at how meaty it looks...would make a nice tomato sandwich.

Too bad people don't have access to more veggies like this...what you find in most stores is tasteless.

Jim Hightower did about how fucking with tomatoes has robbed them of all flavor.
Nice post..... thanks.

Genetically modified version. Perhaps we could call it the "Cherokee AFTER the trail of tears Tomato."

in zone 9/10 west central florida. If the tree rats would just stop eating the sprouts I would be one happy grower.

there is a tomato growers supply company in ft myers that has a great catalog of heirlooms.

this is my second year growing the cc, last year I only got about 10 off of three plants but they were great, raw, on blts,

in everything.

They are like works of art and are so aptly named. Expensive, but worth it!

How fun that NRalieghLiberal raises them. I'll have to check out his blog.

Where I live in VA there is a booming local-and-fresh movement and a great farmers' market. You can about imagine the tomatoes… Anyhow, there is one guy who has been working for several years to develop a Brandywine tomato that doesn't crack. He's down to one that cracks minimally, and they are still good.

My favorite summer sandwich, thanks to 35 years of living in east Tennessee, involves spreading 2 slices of bread with mayo (preferably JFG) and adding thick slices of fresh tomato, a little salt and pepper, and if I happen to have any, some purple basil leaves. Wash that all down with a glass of sweet tea. It just doesn't get any better……

That's for BLTs ONLY!

bread keeps it from getting mushy when you eat a tomato sandwich. Also have you ever had a cucumber sandwich? Just plain bread with salad dressing..don't toast this one tho.

a good thick slice of homemade bread keeps it from getting mushy….or eating the sandwich fast enough….or a beefsteak tomato…or enough mayo. And yes to the cucumber sandwich, too.

Commodities are what they call government hand out food to the poor around here. Yup I was raised on commodities

I have some in my greenhouse with lots of fruits, but they're still very green. They'll probably have to ripen off the vine in the house. My local grocer sells heirloom tomatoes sometimes, though. They're so delicious.

My SIL on the Oregon coast will pick her first ripe tomato on Sept 1st. There are compensations, though. Yesterday we did U-Pick blueberries and I got a half gallon for $4.

but it was probably a pretty good year with the rain. Do yours grow wild like ours or are they grown on farms?

Wild are available, but there is competition from bears and other critters.

sent me some tomato plants, and they are so productive, I don't even know what to do with them all except gift them to neighbors and those that are needed.

His tomatoes ROCK .

He's a treasure to this world!

Not as big as the ones we were getting at the start of the season but I'm sure they'll taste as good though
we really like the Lemon Boy and Carolina gold varieties too. I pretty much only plant indeterminate varieties as they produce all summer long. If I was to stretch some of our tomato vines out they'd be 15 feet long at least.

All the ones we get in AZ are mushy.

I like my tomatoes firm.

That's bad for the oldsters like me.

Spouse and I have a small greenhouse; I have made a commitment to try and grow some starting next spring, if I can get seeds.

Too chilly already to even try to start right now! Had a bit of frost along with our earthquake last night - I so envy your fortune being able to get these super tasting babies!

my wife brought back some home grown tomatoes from her parent's yard, and I was floored at the flavor.
I could enjoy eating them the same as I eat an apple!

I want.

The first time I asked a friend if she would like some homegrown potatoes and gave her some purple ones, she asked, "What are these?".