COUPLE OF QUESTIONS......

[GIZZARDFARM]

Hey guys and gals help me out...This is the first year I have grown Mariannas Peace, Stump of the world, orange strawberry, and Earls Faux...my other 31 varities i have grown before can someone tell me about these varities and their experiences with them..I know MP has a story but I cant remember it.....Gizzard

[feldon30]

Marianna's Peace, Stump of the World, and and Earl's Faux are all Pink Potato Leaf varieties. I find them all to be very good to excellent flavor.

Marianna's Peace was vended by Gäry Ibsën of TömätöFëst for $6 a pack and folks had lots of germination problems with the seeds. Incensed by this obvious profiteering, Mischka (owner of Tville) bought a couple of packs, managed to get a few to germinate, and then redistributed the resulting seeds for free. This is not to mention the literary sparring between Mischka and Gary over on GW which ensued. It was apparently quite entertaining, although it was before my time.

Some people won't grow "Marianna's Conflict" (as it came to be known) as a result of this debacle. I just think it's a good tomato, regardless of heritage.


Stump of the World is a Ben Quisenberry variety. He also brought us Red Barn and Brandywine (Sudduth's). No controversy there.


Some people believe Earl's Faux to be a sport of Brandywine. While similar, in 2 different tastings I found them to not be identical. Earl's Faux seems more consistent in excellent flavor in my experience whereas the flavor of Brandywine Sudduth seems to vary depending on climate and seasonal differences. Obviously this is a very small sample for testing.

Earl is Earl Cadenhead who has taken part in CHOPTAG for many years now.

[creister]

Earl's Faux is a must grow. Tasty, productive and large. Very reliable for me.

[carolyn137]

Stump of the World is a Ben Quisenberry variety. He also brought us Red Barn and Brandywine (Sudduth's). No controversy there.

*****

Red Barn is a variety that was bred by Joe Bratka's father along with Box Car Willie, Mule Team, Great Divide and Pasture.

I happen to think that it's just as good as BCW and MT but it is overlooked b'c the seeds aren't that available last time I looked.

Ah, I just looked and Sandhill Preservation lists Red Barn. I'm a bit embarrassed b'c it was me who sent it to Glenn.

[carolyn137]

Marianna's Peace was vended by Gäry Ibsën of TömätöFëst for $6 a pack and folks had lots of germination problems with the seeds. Incensed by this obvious profiteering, Mischka (owner of Tville) bought a couple of packs, managed to get a few to germinate, and then redistributed the resulting seeds for free. This is not to mention the literary sparring between Mischka and Gary over on GW which ensued. It was apparently quite entertaining, although it was before my time.

****

As I recall it was $4 a seed and 6 seeds in a pack from Tomatofest. Mischka did buy some and sent the seeds to Darrel Jones who did the seed increase, and that's already been posted here so no big surprise to folks who remember that, and then Darrel sent the seeds back to Mischka who packaged them up and sent them out for free as Feldon said.

Ah yes, the sparring between Mischka and Gary. I remember it well. Hot and heavy and supporters on both sides posting like mad. Since Gary doesn't post online, whenever something negative about him comes up someone alerts him and then he appears to defend whatever position has been taken that was negative re him.

But I haven't seen that lately, except here more recently when more than one person complained about stray seeds in their seed packs and as I recall he said the seeds were being caught on the sweater of the person who was packing seeds. Now that I think of it perhaps he didn't come here in person, rather, it was an e-mail exchange that was posted here.

[PaulF]

Gizz:

I have not grown Orange Strawberry.

First grew Marianna's Peace in 2003 from seeds sent to me by Amy Gallagher from Madison, WI who reportedly got them from Carolyn. Don't know about the controvery. I took part in GW starting in 1999, so maybe it was before my time too. The 2003 season was when I lived in Iowa and production was superb as was the flavor (so my notes for the year said--no other notation). The one plant yielded about 32 pounds from 44 tomatoes. I have grown MP four times since the first year, the last three in Nebraska. 2007 the last time the yield was 52 tomatoes for 492 ounces. The flavor is mild rather than acidy and very meaty in texture. I tried to devise a ratings scale that year and gave it a 85%. I have no idea why or how the scale worked. I know I really like it.

Stump of the World is a Quisenberry as Feldon said and was named for a bible story about from the stump of the tree used for the cross. It was said the tree growing from the stump was like the tree of Christianity and would grow to cover the world. (Please correct me if I am wrong, I am relating the story from perhaps a false memory). Ben Q put bible sayings on his seed packets. Stump is to me, very much like a Brandywine (Sudduth). My seed source was Mariseeds in 2002. In the four years I have grown Stump the production has been in the 30ish fruits for 25ish#s per year and a recommended tomato for flavor.

Earl Cadenhead sent me seeds for Earl's Faux a couple of years ago and I agree completely with Feldon. Read his appraisal and you have mine. 2007 yield was 30 tomatoes for 229 ounces with the largest fruit at 19 ounces. 88% on the now meaningless scale. Very good flavor

All three, to me, are similar in growth habit, productivity and taste. Since I like that sort of tomato, I give them all my recommendation as a "must grow" at least a couple of times to be sure if you do or do not like them.

[Barbee]

M. Peace is one tasty tomato in my garden. Huge and meaty with a nice bite to it. One tomato easily covers a slice of bread. Outstanding production and a pretty tomato to boot. It'll always have a place in my garden.

Earl's Faux I have tasted but am growing for the first time this year. Yummy!

[habitat_gardener]

I grew Orange Strawberry for the first time last year. The seedling was mistakenly labeled as German Orange Strawberry -- no relation to GRS. In a pretty poor tomato year, it did well and I'm growing it again. Beautiful color, good flavor, nice and solid, consistent (but not huge) production.

I'm growing MP and EF for the first time this year (and also Toedebusch Pink and Depp's Pink Firefly, more pink PL).

[goodwin]

The story I remember about MP is that Marianna survived the holocaust in Czechoslovakia and was given the seeds by her father. It's an fine pink tomato - I got seeds from a friend at DG. I am growing Aunt Ginny's and Chianti Rose (which is similar) for market.
(OT) Gary and 'his tomatoes' have a cult following here in Santa Fe. Not sure what that's about.

[GIZZARDFARM]

Thanks guys..It helps believe it or not to know the story behind the seeds when selling plants or the fruit......I am looking foward to tasting these varities as they are beginning to bloom....cant wait

[shelleybean]

I have only positive comments about Stump of the World. Healthy plants that produce well, even in heat, and excellent flavor.

[Tormato]

More on Stump of the World can be found by going to the search bar and entering "stump of Jesse".

Gary

[PaulF]

Thanks Gary; at least I had stump and tree and Christianity right, sort of. I guess that is exactly how the stories behind naming tomatoes get screwed up. No more stories from me until I do my research.