Tomato Presses and Seed Saving

[johnsonjrbm]

I did a search on T'ville, and could not find an answer, so I decided to start a thread.

I may purchase a tomato press, and was wondering if anyone has any experience in fermenting and saving the seeds that are separated. I hope to process a lot of Romeo this fall, and since it's becoming hard to find, I'd like to save as many seeds as possible.

All comments pro and con are appreciated.

Thanks,

Bobby

[robin303]

Feldon turned me on to this last year and I swear by it.
http://www.feldoncentral.com/garden/...08/seedsaving/

[salix]

Bobby, I also wondered about this. Not sure just how much trauma they are subjected to - probably worth while to try it and then do an immediate germination test to ensure the seeds were not crushed or otherwise damaged. It may depend upon the type or brand of press.

[newatthiskat]

I was also curious. I gues you could use one of those cameras that Ami has and try straining or pressing one and look at it thought the microscope camera and tell, but other than that I don't know.
Kat

[ContainerTed]

Robin, here's another seed saving link. I did this to help those who are beginners at fermenting.

http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/A_Beginner%E2%80%99s_Guide_To_Saving_Tomato_Seeds_ Using_Fermentation

Ted

[Wi-sunflower]

By 'tomato press' do you mean something like a 'Foley Mill' ? Those things that you turn round and it presses the meat thru a seive and keeps the seeds and skin on top.

If so, I would think the seed would be OK as long as you don't screw it down too tight.

Personally I don't use the fermentation method as I just haven't had good luck with it. I use a hand blender (stick blender) in a tall container of water to seperate the seeds from the pulp. bad seeds float and the good seed sink. I would think any damaged seeds would also float. If I have a large amount I use a 6 gal bucket and a "paint mixer" on a drill.

So far I haven't seen much if any damaged seeds. I've been using this method for at least 5 years now and saved at least 10 lbs of seed last winter.

Carol

[Polar_Lace]

Are ya'll talking about a 'Food Mill?' That looks like this?



~* Robin

[Wi-sunflower]

Yup, that's what I was thinking about. I'm not sure if that's what the OP means tho.

I think the brand name of those that I have is Foley or something like that.

Carol

[Polar_Lace]

Yes, Carol I believe that is ONE of the brand names for them. I wish it wasn't so....

Because when I think of the word Foley, I think of this:

A Foley catheter is a thin, sterile tube inserted into your bladder to drain urine.

Not a nice picture to get stuck in the mind with. Especially when preparing food.

~* Robin

[johnsonjrbm]

Thanks to all about prepping the seeds. I should have stated my question a little more clearly.

I'm planning on growing out several plants of the Romeo roma that used to be offered by Peters Seed & Research, and making a lot of sauce for my household. If the seeds left over from processing the tomatoes are not damaged from a food mill, then I'll have a lot more seeds to save and share... .

I'm hoping to get feedback from some folks who have previously done this, and can recommend a food mill/processor that has worked for them. In particular, for seed saving purposes, I'd like a machine that could either handle raw tomatoes, or tomatoes that have only been dipped in boiling water for a few seconds to soften the skins.

In addition to Feldon's and Tatiana's procedures for prepping the seeds, I have Carolyn's book as well as Seed to Seed for references, so I have lots of options there...

Thanks again to everyone who has replied so far.

[ContainerTed]

I use the tip of a knife to remove seeds from slices of larger tomatoes. I would think this could be done with any tomato, and then process the remaining "meat" skeleton to go thru the press. If you then needed some juice for the sauce side, just strain some off the seeds container.

There, no seeds in the machinery.

Ted

[Polar_Lace]

Originally Posted by ContainerTed

I use the tip of a knife to remove seeds from slices of larger tomatoes. I would think this could be done with any tomato, and then process the remaining "meat" skeleton to go thru the press. If you then needed some juice for the sauce side, just strain some off the seeds container.

There, no seeds in the machinery.

Ted

Ya Ted,

Sometimes I just slice the tomato in half and use a "Grapefruit Spoon' to get the seeds out. The the remaining "meat" or skeleton doesn't last long around here; thank goodness. There's always someone in "the wings" spying for a chunk of tomato! LOL!

~* Robin

[newatthiskat]

Bobby- what I am going to try this year is to run a tomato through the strainer and then try and do an immediate germination of seeds and see if germination is good. I would hate to waste possible good seeds when making tomato sauce. Too bad we don't have a microscope camera to see how much damage is done to the seed.
Kat

[johnsonjrbm]

Originally Posted by newatthiskat

Bobby- what I am going to try this year is to run a tomato through the strainer and then try and do an immediate germination of seeds and see if germination is good. I would hate to waste possible good seeds when making tomato sauce. Too bad we don't have a microscope camera to see how much damage is done to the seed.
Kat

I'll probably do the same. I'm still hoping, though, that someone who has successfully done this will be able to recommend a machine model that does both a good job of processing, as well as generating viable seed.

If no one steps forward, I guess we'll find out this fall the old-fashioned way...

[svalli]

I know by experience that even, if the seeds go through this kind of strainer couple of times, they do still germinate.


I did not plan to save the seeds, when I made sauces out of multiple varieties. I put the peels and seeds in the compost. Following spring I tilled the compost pile in the garden. I planted my tomatoes and peppers in the garden and left for three weeks trip overseas. When I came back there was a green carpet of thousand volunteer tomato seedlings in the area where I had tilled the raw compost...


So if you process just one kind of variety at the time, you should be able to save the seeds for growing.