July Tomato Harvest

rwsacto · July 17, 2012

Time to report in (and thank everyone for the traded seeds and advice).

Last year was a major bust so this year I doubled the starts to get at least a few tomatoes. About 45+ are doing well, no casualties once they were planted. About 15 are in containers.

The first photo is July 4. The second is a 1.5 lb. Kellogs Breakfast. The third photo is from July 8 and the fourth is from tonite. I will have that much again later this week.

Big producers so far include Paul Robeson, Black & Red Boar, Berkeley Tie Die, JD Special C Tex and Black from Tula.

Visited a farmer's market on the way home, heirlooms are $2.99 per pound.

Cheers,
Rick

salix · July 17, 2012

Beautiful pictures of your harvest, Rick. Just think, the monster in picture number 2 would have cost you $4.50!!

JamesL · July 17, 2012

Nice pics Rick!
I paid 4.29 a pound for a Cherokee Purple and a Brandywine while on vacation last week.

meadowyck · July 17, 2012

incredible pictures of your harvest.

What is the name of the one in the first picture outside on the right hand side that is fluted. That is such a beautiful tomato. I think I would like to find seeds for that one and give it a try, if not to just grow it to look at it.... but I would then have to take a bite after a while...LOL

kath · July 17, 2012

Glad to hear you're having a much better year, Rick! Hope you've made plans for what to do with all the tomatoes!

kath

rwsacto · July 17, 2012

Medowyck,

The fluted one is a Russo Sicilia Togata. I got it from a seed offer from Brokenbar on this site. I was going to prune it to one stem but it got away from me!

I have picked about a dozen so far.

Kath,

The Black and Red Boar you sent me has been at the top for production and taste. I have picked at least 2 dozen. They are just the right size to slice on a ritz cracker.

Planning on trying a tomato bisque recipe tomorrow.

Rick

meadowyck · July 18, 2012

Russo Sicilia Togata, wow such a beautiful name to go with such a beautiful tomato. How does it taste to you? Thanks for naming it for me as I want to grow that one, I just love the fulted texture of it.

rwsacto · July 18, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by meadowyck

Russo Sicilia Togata, wow such a beautiful name to go with such a beautiful tomato. How does it taste to you? Thanks for naming it for me as I want to grow that one, I just love the fulted texture of it.

The following description is from the seed offer by Brokenbar:

Russo Sicilian Togeta

My choice for "If I am stranded on a desert island and can only grow one tomato variety". Never, ever ever failed to produce a large crop for me in Wyoming. bad weather, fierce winds, cold nights, RST laughed in the face of any challenge Mother Nature threw at it. Looks much like Costoluto Genovese but slightly smaller and a little more hollow. Very fluted and about 5" around. Average is about 10 to 12 ounces. Vibrant red and deeply pleated. Tangy and makes excellent tomato sauce or salsa. Plants are absolutely loaded down with fruit and the plant itself get very tall, always over 7 foot (I have to wire an 8 foot 2X4 to my 7 foot T post.) There is nothing I don't like about this tomato other than I wish they weighed 2 pounds!!!

Father'sDaughter · July 18, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by rwsacto

The following description is from the seed offer by Brokenbar:

Russo Sicilian Togeta

My choice for "If I am stranded on a desert island and can only grow one tomato variety". Never, ever ever failed to produce a large crop for me in Wyoming. bad weather, fierce winds, cold nights, RST laughed in the face of any challenge Mother Nature threw at it. Looks much like Costoluto Genovese but slightly smaller and a little more hollow. Very fluted and about 5" around. Average is about 10 to 12 ounces. Vibrant red and deeply pleated. Tangy and makes excellent tomato sauce or salsa. Plants are absolutely loaded down with fruit and the plant itself get very tall, always over 7 foot (I have to wire an 8 foot 2X4 to my 7 foot T post.) There is nothing I don't like about this tomato other than I wish they weighed 2 pounds!!!

And, I believe I read she primarily grows tomatoes for cooking and drying. While I don't have any ripe ones yet, I'm anticipating that it won't be the greatest in terms of taste/texture if eaten fresh. Is that what you've found? I want to try her method for drying them this year, which was my sole reason for asking for them when Brokenbar put up her seed offer.

Randall · July 18, 2012

Everything looks great, Rick. Congrats!

z_willus_d · July 19, 2012

Rick, I'm glad your season is doing so well this year. I guess those 100+ temps and dry weather don't phase your garden. Kudos!
-naysen

BTW, this year I grew both KBX and Kellog's Breakfast (just one of each), and of the few tomatoes I've harvested from both I have to give a recommendation to KBX. It may be (probably most certainly has been) the best tomato I've had this season. KB was tasty too.

rwsacto · July 20, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Father'sDaughter

And, I believe I read she primarily grows tomatoes for cooking and drying. While I don't have any ripe ones yet, I'm anticipating that it won't be the greatest in terms of taste/texture if eaten fresh. Is that what you've found? I want to try her method for drying them this year, which was my sole reason for asking for them when Brokenbar put up her seed offer.

I like em juicy and this one is not. On the other hand, I have heard more comments about the RST than any other this year, and when I offer a few tomatoes, they always grab one of these first! I haven't dried any yet.

Just collaborated with a workmate today to make up 4 quarts of tomato bisque in a crockpot at work. (My tomatoes, his cookin) There were 2 cups left at quitting time (just enough for dinner!)

Naysen, no complaints outa this garden, even with the hot spell.

Rick

Mark0820 · July 23, 2012

Rick,

Very nice early July harvest. That Kellogg's Breakfast sure looks good.

I received seeds in a trade last year for a red tomato, but it produced an orange tomato when I planted it this year. I was disappointed until I tasted it. It looks just like Kellogg's Breakfast, but I will never know for certain. The interior was just about all meat. There were only a few seeds in the entire tomato.

meadowyck · July 24, 2012

Thanks for the info on that one, gosh such a bountiful harvest you have laid out there...

July 17, 2012	#4
meadowyck Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: Brooksville, FL Posts: 1,001	incredible pictures of your harvest. What is the name of the one in the first picture outside on the right hand side that is fluted. That is such a beautiful tomato. I think I would like to find seeds for that one and give it a try, if not to just grow it to look at it.... but I would then have to take a bite after a while...LOL __________________ Jan “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” -Theodore Roosevelt

July 18, 2012	#7
meadowyck Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: Brooksville, FL Posts: 1,001	Russo Sicilia Togata, wow such a beautiful name to go with such a beautiful tomato. How does it taste to you? Thanks for naming it for me as I want to grow that one, I just love the fulted texture of it. __________________ Jan “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” -Theodore Roosevelt

July 24, 2012	#14
meadowyck Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: Brooksville, FL Posts: 1,001	Thanks for the info on that one, gosh such a bountiful harvest you have laid out there... __________________ Jan “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” -Theodore Roosevelt

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July 17, 2012	#2
salix Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: north central B.C. Posts: 2,310	Beautiful pictures of your harvest, Rick. Just think, the monster in picture number 2 would have cost you $4.50!!

July 17, 2012	#3
JamesL Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 1,992	Nice pics Rick! I paid 4.29 a pound for a Cherokee Purple and a Brandywine while on vacation last week.

July 17, 2012	#5
kath Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: zone 6b, PA Posts: 5,664	Glad to hear you're having a much better year, Rick! Hope you've made plans for what to do with all the tomatoes! kath

July 17, 2012	#6
rwsacto Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Sacramento CA Posts: 288	Medowyck, The fluted one is a Russo Sicilia Togata. I got it from a seed offer from Brokenbar on this site. I was going to prune it to one stem but it got away from me! I have picked about a dozen so far. Kath, The Black and Red Boar you sent me has been at the top for production and taste. I have picked at least 2 dozen. They are just the right size to slice on a ritz cracker. Planning on trying a tomato bisque recipe tomorrow. Rick

July 18, 2012	#10
Randall Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: 6a Posts: 396	Everything looks great, Rick. Congrats!

July 19, 2012	#11
z_willus_d Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Eastern Suburb of Sacramento, CA Posts: 1,313	Rick, I'm glad your season is doing so well this year. I guess those 100+ temps and dry weather don't phase your garden. Kudos! -naysen BTW, this year I grew both KBX and Kellog's Breakfast (just one of each), and of the few tomatoes I've harvested from both I have to give a recommendation to KBX. It may be (probably most certainly has been) the best tomato I've had this season. KB was tasty too.

July 23, 2012	#13
Mark0820 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Cincinnati Posts: 907	Rick, Very nice early July harvest. That Kellogg's Breakfast sure looks good. I received seeds in a trade last year for a red tomato, but it produced an orange tomato when I planted it this year. I was disappointed until I tasted it. It looks just like Kellogg's Breakfast, but I will never know for certain. The interior was just about all meat. There were only a few seeds in the entire tomato.