Thank You!!

[giardiniere]

I wanted to take this time to say “Thank You”. In the past, I’ve always grown hybrid varieties of tomatoes. I usually just picked up whatever plant looked the best at one of our local garden centers. Jetstar, Park’s Whopper, Celebrity, Glory, etc, etc, etc, whatever was the plant of the day was what I grew that year. Boy, did I not know what I was missing!! Thanks to some of you, I’ve been re-born in the world of tomatoes. I first became interested over at the “other board”, where Carolyn and a few others, that I’m sure migrated to Tomatoville, piqued my interest. I asked for, and received Carolyn's book for Christmas and as I'm sure it is with others, it is now my Tomato Bible. This year, it’s been OP varieties, and I couldn't be happier..... well, if it was 10 degrees cooler and we could get an occasional shower, maybe I could be a little happier.
But anyway, yesterday, my daughter took either a German Red Strawberry or Mortgage Lifter to work with her, to have with some cottage cheese. When she came home, she said that was probably the best tomato she’s ever eaten. Last night, my wife and I had BLTs and we cut up some Cuostralee for the sandwich. They were fantastic!! That was the first Cuostralee I’ve tasted this year. I love the shape, size, and flavor of it. I have lost one of my four Cuostralee plants to some sort of wilt, hopefully it won’t effect the others.
It has probably been my favorite thus far, followed closely by GRSB and Mortgage Lifter. I also love the bite from a Green Zebra, and am anxiously waiting for Earl’s Faux. I picked three of those a few nights ago, and have left them to finish ripening on the kitchen counter. They should be ready tonight. Critters seem to like the ripe fruit, as wells as I do. My Arkansas Traveler has been the most productive and has great flavor also. It’s just a perfectly shaped tomato. GRSB has been the seocnd most productive. My Box Car Willie is the last to ripen. It has been the least productive, but does have several nice-sized fruit on the vines. The vines of the BCW however, are the largest and healthiest I have grown.
BTW, earlier in the spring, I mentioned that one of the seedlings I was growing from my Cuostralee packet, was potato leaf. I planted it in the garden to see what I would get. I picked a fruit from it a few nights ago, and it looks just like the tomatoes from the regular leaf Cuostralee. Interesting!
So, once again, thanks to each and every one of you!!!