Arkansas Traveller

[Grub]

Just got my first one, somewhere between golfball and tennis-ball sized, pink when I thought it was red for some reason. I believe it performs well in the heat and, while a pretty late-season producer for me, there is a big fruit set for weeks to come. So, yes, I confer. If it tastes really good it's coming back. Anyone got good things to say about Arkansas Traveller? Grub, who hasn't yet tucked in.

[Suze]

I've grown AT several times -- it's one of the first varieties I ever grew when I started growing my own from seed. It's no BW, but it is fairly good tasting. Dependable, proflic, and fairly uniform in size and shape. Another favorable characteristic is that the size of the fruits don't drop off too much as the season wears on. Also very crack resistant (for me).

A good 'table' variety, also a nice canner.

[Fusion_power]

Good slicer with very good performance under heat stress. The flavor runs about 8 on a scale of 10 and sometimes dips as low as 7.

If you like it, suggest you try Burgundy Traveller next year. Better production and very good flavor as a juice/sauce tomato. BT Does pretty good as a slicer but still not above 8.5.

Fusion

[Mantis]

Grew one in the greenhouse this year Grub and it produced heaps of fruit like you describe. Nice tommy and the heat didn't worry it much. Might grow it again but not next year. Too many others to try, like um, Livingstons Favourite :-)
Also Druzba I need to try after growing them this year and giving all the seedlings away DOH.

[carolyn137]

Grub,

I haven't grown it. For some reason very few here in the north do so.

But I just wanted to share with you that it was released by the U of Arkansas as Traveler and then just kinda got the name Arkansas Traveler with time and is not a family heirloom variety from the Appalachian Mts as so many seed sites wrongly say.

It was followed by the release of Traveler 76 in, guess when, 1976.

Carolyn

[giardiniere]

I'm giving it a try this year. What appealed to me, was it's heat resistance. We can pretty much expect 90° temperatures, day in and day out, from early July through August.

[melody]

I've grown it many times. It sets a huge amount of beautiful pink, blemish free fruits in hot, humid weather.

While it tastes really good, it isn't a 'wow'. It's dependable in adverse conditions and is a real workhorse. I can count on it when other tomatoes shut down. Size does not drop off as the season progresses. I like it alot and will continue to have it in my rotation of tomatoes that I enjoy growing.

[Grub]

Thanks for all your input. I did notice that some seed sites said it was an early 1900 heirloom. But when I bought the seeds I was under the understanding it was a late creation. It seems like a reasonable stop-gap tommy. Many thanks, Grub

[nctomatoman]

Ark Trav is what I would describe as a "Table Tomato" (as per kctomato's definition in another thread!)

[melody]

If I'm making salsa for a large group and they are going to be doing something besides savoring every nuance of the flavor, AT is exellent. I just hate to chop up the only two German Red Strawberries of the week to make something like that.

I make lots of salsa and tomato based pickles and relishes...AT gives me a productive, dependable choice. I also have no qualms about pulling a few green ones for Fried Green Tomatoes. Like Craig said...a 'table tomato'

If I'm headed to a local 'pot-luck', I choose the Cherokee Purples, German Red Strawberries, Lucky Cross...whatever will make the most impact on the platter and folks taste buds....and 'wow' the old timers with a dramatic presentation.

I can count on it to produce in the 90*+ temps of mid summer when it's brothers and sisters faint away and quit producing.

[oldbiddy]

I grew AT that I bought from Walmart marketed under the Bonnie Best brand several years ago. As a tomato novice I thought it was wonderful as it produced allot in the heat all through the summer. Hope this question doesn't hijack this thread but I was wondering if anyone knew if the AT that Seeds of Change sells is the same as the one that I grew. I ask this because the picture on the seed package that SoC sells shows a somewhat flattened looking tomato, at least to me. The AT that I grew that carried the Bonnie Best brand looked rounder to me. Is it possible that SoC sells a different AT? Pam

[PGibbons]

Grub I have grown AT for several years and consider it one of my old standbys. I can count on good taste and good production, stands up well in the heat. Just a good all around tomato.

[Grub]

I counted dozens of them in nice trusses when I did a check of the vines this morning. It's good to have a couple of 'table tomatoes' amid the top labels and Arkansas Traveller appears to be one of them.

One other thing I will say is that, true to proposed form, is has set evenly throughout some incredible summer heat. Yet to taste one. Maybe tonight. Just had a Grub's Green for lunch and Rinaldo before that for breakfast.

As an aside, my early Jaune Negib at the front of one patch is just about over it and being pulled this weekend to make way for a quick Anna Russian. And I have nursed and a rare Green Giant back to plantout health!

Back OT, I will give AT another spot next season due to its reliability alone

[Mantis]

Sigh, I wasn't going to put another one in next year, but I guess I should give it a try outside to really test its heat tolerance.

[Grub]

Just one shouldn't be that overwhelming. Mine's about 6ft and not at all out of control like, say, the Livingston's varieties, some hearts and Red Branywine. And what about that Soldacki! Huge plant, like Olena Ukrainian. AT's pretty manageable.