Reynoldsburg Tomato fest and Buckeye state tomato

[tomatoaddict]

I was just wondering if anyone has ever attended the Reynoldsburg tomato festival. Frank and I are thinking of going this year and would love to hear reviews of anyone that has attended.
Also, in my constant researching of tomatoes, I have read that the Livingstone's Buckeye State tomato is considered extinct. Yet the other day, I ordered this seed called "buckeye state" from Harvest moon. Here is their description:
Buckeye State Tomato
[TM75]$2.29
Click to enlarge
Introduced in 1893 by Livingston Seed. The extra large fruits are borne in clusters of three to six. Buckeye State has a smooth skin and is very meaty, solid, and without such a rough skin as most heirloom beefsteak types. We are happy to obtain this selection from a Ohio source who has kept it in their family for 3 generations. Fruits Average 3/4 of a lb.

Would this be the original BS or is this a bogus claim?

[carolyn137]

Would this be the original BS or is this a bogus claim?

*****

I would be very leery indeed.

I know someone in TX who used to post at GW who said he had that one and another Livingston, and both were considered extinct, and he never said anything about why he thought they were for real but said he was going to deal with someone about selling them seeds or some such thing.

I know that Harvest Moon says their source was from Ohio, but I'm still leery.

Most of the Livingstons were deposited in the USDA PC Grin, and from here on out I'll let Craig comment and will PM him to come here and post since this is somewhat buried .

I also have not been entirely pleased with the background info that Harvest Moon posts about some tomato varieties.

I didn't check but I assume you did at Victory Seeds to see that Buckeye State was considered extinct. The three experts on Livingston varieties these days, as I see it, are Craig. Mike at Victory Seeds and Jim Huber who will no doubt be at the tomato festival b'c he lives nearby.

[nctomatoman]

I would be fascinated to know of a confirmation of the continued existence of Buckeye State. It isn't in GRIN (though most of the original Livingstons were), it's never been listed in the SSE yearbook, and after multi year searches and questions here and there, neither Mike or I ever found it. However, that doesn't mean that it doesn't exist - my expectation is that someone, somewhere, must be keeping it going (it is likely a variety very similar to Ponderosa or Ferris Wheel). So understanding the background would be very important - and why it hasn't surfaced to this point, etc.

[tomatoaddict]

I am no expert by any stretch, but I would love to have one of the TV experts grow it out and have a look at it. I would be willing to send seed to any of you that feels like playing with it.
I think I might e-mail Harvest moon and see if I can get any more info on the family they got it from.
I kind of feel like Craig, that I bet someone, somewhere has this seed growing in their garden every year.
Thanks for the info and if any of you would like some of the seed, I would be happy to share.
Terry

[carolyn137]

Craig, thanks for responding to my PM to post here.

And Terry, it would be a good idea to see if Harvest Moon is willing to give you more info. Surely they know that it's been declared extinct and hopefully would be willing to give you more information that you could post here and more than they posted in their blurb.

I still would like to be sure it isn't our former Tx friend who is at work here.

Be sure to ask them how they determined, from growing it, that it does indeed meet the specs for Buckeye State, b'c I wouldn't just take someone else's word for it, doubter that I am.

[tomatoaddict]

Thank you Dr. Carolyn, I will do that. I will let you know what their response is.

[carolyn137]

Thank you Dr. Carolyn

****

Terry, that's just plain Carolyn, please.

I'm retired now and I sign all my posts as Carolyn and that's what I really do prefer.

Actually there are several who post here at Tville who have MD's or Ph.D's, and you don't know who they are but I do.

And I think all of us prefer just our first names. Folks know me as Dr Carolyn just b/c of that book I wrote and also, I guess, b'c of the bio I originally wrote at GW when I first joined.

But Carolyn is who I am, the human, not the tomato variety Dr. Carolyn.

[tomatoaddict]

Okay, Carolyn it is....
I just bought your book this past week and I am really enjoying it.
Thanks for writing it.

[carolyn137]

Lee requested that I move this thread to a "mater" Forum and Terry the thread originator agreed, so I moved it, for those of you who know that it was originally posted in the Conversations area.

The major reason for doing so is the inclusion of the tomato variety Buckeye State in the thread title and there's already been some discussion about that variety.

[carolyn137]

Moved to the General Discussion Forum at the request of Lee and with the approval of Terry, the thread originator.

The prime reason for moving it was the inclusion of the variety Buckeye State in the title and it was felt that more folks would see it in the General Discussion area.

I won't lock it here, but please post in the moved thread now in the General Discussion area, instead of here.

Thanks.