Has anyone grown Arkansas Traveller?

Anthony_Toronto · March 6, 2014

If so, my question is: does it have overly green shoulders prior to ripening?

Years ago I had one stray seed out of a packet of Black Krim give me a plant with round, green-shouldered-when-unripe fruits that were solid pink (with no green shoulders left) when ripe. Have saved seeds from that plant, and those seeds have done some unusual things over the years. Almost every year I get all-round fruits that start ripening early (not a trait of AT) and produce until late in the season, with ripe fruits looking pretty much like this, complete with those tiny speckles:

http://arkansasfarmerette2012.files....7/imgp3333.jpg

But for two seasons the fruits looked like this on maybe 3 of 4 plants:

http://www.dianeseeds.com/tomato-arkansas-traveler.html

Nothing I can find suggests that it has green shoulders when unripe, and maybe it was a cross between BK and AT, which maybe makes the most sense.

But nothing I can imagine would suggest that seeds saved from one tomato could produce round tomatoes for several years, then switch to beefsteak (or mostly beefsteak) shape for two years, then back to round for two years. All of these seeds are from one batch of saved seeds from years ago. Could be crossed seeds within there of course, but zero (yes, zero) chance of mixup by me (and nothing else I grow is remotely similar in any event). Maybe I'll just leave that as one of the mysteries of the garden...and i'll keep looking for pics of AT when unripe, just to see if I can find some that look like what I've been growing for the last 8 or 9 years.

katkoot · March 6, 2014

I grew it once in a container. It didn't have any green shoulders. Wish I had some pics for you!

Anthony_Toronto · March 6, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by katkoot

I grew it once in a container. It didn't have any green shoulders. Wish I had some pics for you!

If any of my seeds germinate this year I'll take some pics. Seeds are getting pretty old now, but some always come up.

katkoot · March 6, 2014

My container conditions were pretty bad. I had seen the poor thing in the store and just had to try it, but had run out of room. I also had run our of containers, so I plopped it in a bucket. The soil I had left was pretty heavy. It still produced though. I remember it being fairly round, but very tasty. it was sweet and a bit acid.

creister · March 6, 2014

I've grown it a few times, and I don't recall that it had green shoulders when unripe, I just remeber that it was a pink mild tasting to me tomato.

Anthony_Toronto · March 6, 2014

Ok I'm going to take pics for sure. Probably just a cross. It has been a good tomato, one of only a handful that I do every year (along with CP, Brandy Sudduth, Black Cherry, Black Krim (not this year, outta seeds)).

kayrobbins · March 6, 2014

I grow it in the summer and fall and have never had one with green shoulders. It is always a pink/red. It is the most reliable tomato in my hot and humid climate. I guess I should take pictures this summer.

Kazfam · March 6, 2014

The second one in the picture is Arkansas Traveler from last summer (2013).
If you look closely it does show a bit of green still on the shoulders. It is a pink tomato...pretty.

The first is a Manaulcie, the third is a San Marzano, the fourth is a Large Red Cherry.

feldon30 · March 6, 2014

Never had green shoulders here. It did have the faint speckles for me.

Click for Larger Size

Cole_Robbie · March 6, 2014

I grew it a few years ago when I lived in town. I don't remember any green shoulders. I do remember that the vines got very long. I wasn't impressed with the flavor of that crop, but I think a lot of that was due to poor soil.

linzelu100 · March 6, 2014

I grew it last year and it didn't have green shoulders here. Taste was pretty ordinary so I opted not to grow it again.

TightenUp · March 6, 2014

no green shoulders on my AT last season. won an occasional taste test over the summer though....did a few blind ones with fam and friends

Redbaron · March 7, 2014

No green shoulders. Although you do get slightly green shoulders up until it ripens fully. A pretty good tomato over all, but nothing compared to the really tasty ones like Brandywine or Cherokee Purple or Rutgers.

alabill · March 8, 2014

I grew it a few years back. Low producer, as I remember. Gave it up for CP.

sergeant69 · March 11, 2014

I have 6 Ark Trav seedlings I am babying as I hear they are good hot weather plants. will see. growing indeterminate plants thru the summer is almost impossible in these here parts. soon as I find one that will i'm gonna stick w/it. was told BHN640 are the best hot weather plants but are determinate.

March 6, 2014	#1
Anthony_Toronto Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Toronto Posts: 413	Has anyone grown Arkansas Traveller? If so, my question is: does it have overly green shoulders prior to ripening? Years ago I had one stray seed out of a packet of Black Krim give me a plant with round, green-shouldered-when-unripe fruits that were solid pink (with no green shoulders left) when ripe. Have saved seeds from that plant, and those seeds have done some unusual things over the years. Almost every year I get all-round fruits that start ripening early (not a trait of AT) and produce until late in the season, with ripe fruits looking pretty much like this, complete with those tiny speckles: http://arkansasfarmerette2012.files....7/imgp3333.jpg But for two seasons the fruits looked like this on maybe 3 of 4 plants: http://www.dianeseeds.com/tomato-arkansas-traveler.html Nothing I can find suggests that it has green shoulders when unripe, and maybe it was a cross between BK and AT, which maybe makes the most sense. But nothing I can imagine would suggest that seeds saved from one tomato could produce round tomatoes for several years, then switch to beefsteak (or mostly beefsteak) shape for two years, then back to round for two years. All of these seeds are from one batch of saved seeds from years ago. Could be crossed seeds within there of course, but zero (yes, zero) chance of mixup by me (and nothing else I grow is remotely similar in any event). Maybe I'll just leave that as one of the mysteries of the garden...and i'll keep looking for pics of AT when unripe, just to see if I can find some that look like what I've been growing for the last 8 or 9 years.

March 6, 2014	#9
feldon30 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 5,346	Never had green shoulders here. It did have the faint speckles for me. Click for Larger Size __________________ [SIZE="3"]I've relaunched my gardening website -- [B]TheUnconventionalTomato.com[/B][/SIZE] * [I][SIZE="1"]*I'm not allowed to post weblinks so you'll have to copy-paste it manually.[/SIZE][/I]

March 6, 2014	#11
linzelu100 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Virginia Posts: 447	I grew it last year and it didn't have green shoulders here. Taste was pretty ordinary so I opted not to grow it again. __________________ Lindsey

March 6, 2014	#12
TightenUp Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Jersey Posts: 1,183	no green shoulders on my AT last season. won an occasional taste test over the summer though....did a few blind ones with fam and friends __________________

March 7, 2014	#13
Redbaron Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 4,488	No green shoulders. Although you do get slightly green shoulders up until it ripens fully. A pretty good tomato over all, but nothing compared to the really tasty ones like Brandywine or Cherokee Purple or Rutgers. __________________ Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture

March 6, 2014	#2
katkoot Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: California Posts: 69	I grew it once in a container. It didn't have any green shoulders. Wish I had some pics for you!

March 6, 2014	#5
creister Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Abilene, TX zone 7 Posts: 1,478	I've grown it a few times, and I don't recall that it had green shoulders when unripe, I just remeber that it was a pink mild tasting to me tomato.

March 6, 2014	#7
kayrobbins Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Jacksonville, Fl Posts: 820	I grow it in the summer and fall and have never had one with green shoulders. It is always a pink/red. It is the most reliable tomato in my hot and humid climate. I guess I should take pictures this summer.

March 6, 2014	#10
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	I grew it a few years ago when I lived in town. I don't remember any green shoulders. I do remember that the vines got very long. I wasn't impressed with the flavor of that crop, but I think a lot of that was due to poor soil.

March 8, 2014	#14
alabill Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Alabama Posts: 13	I grew it a few years back. Low producer, as I remember. Gave it up for CP.

March 11, 2014	#15
sergeant69 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: south texas Posts: 203	I have 6 Ark Trav seedlings I am babying as I hear they are good hot weather plants. will see. growing indeterminate plants thru the summer is almost impossible in these here parts. soon as I find one that will i'm gonna stick w/it. was told BHN640 are the best hot weather plants but are determinate.