Floridity? - Page 2

Fusion_power · December 17, 2010

Fred, the least you could do is come clean and tell about the background.

DarJones

Fred Hempel · December 17, 2010

The background of blush?

Actually, I can't. After pouring years of work, and tens of thousands of dollars into my breeding efforts, the suite of Julienne cherry tomatoes that I have developed represent my best opportunity to recoup some of the money that was spent.

Of course, anyone who is half-way bright would never ever assume that they can make a dime through breeding. Seeds are cheap, and most people don't want to pay for them at all! Currently, we figure that our only hope is to work with a national seed company (or seed companies), and even then we will need varieties that catch the imagination of numerous growers across the country. Whether or not Blush can be a variety like this remains to be seen. I think it's pretty good, but I'm obviously biased.

In an effort to "go national" we have an agreement with Seeds of Change -- in which we get royalties for Blush, and they get the right to exclusively market it and file a PVP. I know some people are probably dead set against PVPs but my personal opinion is that they represent a balance between the need to promote innovation and reward it, while not locking up varieties completely. Under PVP guidelines, farmers and gardeners are free to save seed for themselves, but not free to harvest seed for sale, unless they are working with Seeds of Change. After 20 years, the PVP expires.

Of course, anyone can use a PVP protected variety in their own breeding experiments, as there are no restrictions on using a PVP protected variety to develop new varieties.

However, if I told everyone what the background of Blush is, I would be potentially damaging the value of the variety for myself, and for Seeds of Change. Because that would make it easier for someone to come closer to creating something similar to (but measurably different from) Blush.

Incidentally, our other variety released by Seeds of Change (Maglia Rosa) is freely available. Anyone can grow it and anyone can sell seeds.

What I can say is that the Blush is a true-breeding variety, and the original cross combined my son's two favorite tomatoes in 2006.

Although for the above reasons I "can't" talk about the development of our Julienne cherries, if you poke around our blog there are definite references to some of the types of tomatoes we have used in breeding. In short, all of our interesting varieties have been developed using OP varieties, and almost all of those varieties were originally purchased from Seed Saver's Exchange or from Chuck Wyatt's site (years ago).

Fusion_power · December 17, 2010

Thanks Fred. I figured it was something like that.

I have a very unusual tomato that is similar to Blush but was derived from a cross of SunGold X Little lucky. It is extremely odd because neither SunGold nor Little Lucky has that oval pointed shape. Yet, from the segregating offspring, 1 plant out of 32 gave that shape. It will take a few more years to see if it is stable and flavor is acceptable.

If I got the dates correct, You may not have grown blush more than 4 generations. Do you feel that it is fully stable.

DarJones

Fred Hempel · December 17, 2010

It is the F9 seeds that are available from Seeds of Change. I do 3 generations a year on top projects -- two of them in the lighted and heated UC Berkeley greenhouses in the "off" season. Renting greenhouse space represents a significant expense, but I am impatient.

With regard to waiting years to see if flavor is acceptable -- my experience is that flavor often goes away, but if it isn't there initially, it doesn't get better later.

**mdvpc** · December 18, 2010

Blush is back ordered again from SOC-I just tried to order.

Bama mater · December 18, 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdvpc

Blush is back ordered again from SOC-I just tried to order.

Go ahead and order it, it will come within a week , mine did

tam91 · December 18, 2010

Wow, that looks like a very interesting tomato - and we love the taste of Pineapple, which is was compared to. That one's going on my "future" list!

**mdvpc** · December 18, 2010

Bama

Just sent you a pm.

frogsleap farm · December 19, 2010

Just learned that Floridity was developed by the Known-You Seed Co in Taiwan - breeders of Sungold. They describe Floridity as having high sugar content (up to 9.3 brix) and excellent flavor. Also described as firm, crack resistant and with good shipping qualities.

**carolyn137** · December 19, 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by frogsleap farm

Just learned that Floridity was developed by the Known-You Seed Co in Taiwan - breeders of Sungold. They describe Floridity as having high sugar content (up to 9.3 brix) and excellent flavor. Also described as firm, crack resistant and with good shipping qualities.

Mark. Sungold F1 was bred by Tokita seeds in Japan and here's a Google page with many links saying same ;

http://www.google.com/search?q=tokit...G=Search&hl=en

Known-You did breed Juliet as well as Santa F1, the variety that Andrew Chu in FL made famous as the first grape tomato that most folks were aware of.

Enter the Procacci Bros stage left and no Santa F1 SEED can be sold in the US.

frogsleap farm · December 19, 2010

thanks for the fact check Carolyn, I stand corrected.

Suze · May 10, 2011

Older thread, I know.

Blush is a wonderful tomato - wow! I'm not easily impressed by most smaller fruited tomatoes or "cherry" types, but that glowing writeup on the Seeds of Change website is actually fairly accurate.

Definite notes of pineapple / tropical flavor detected here in Texas.

The best tasting of what I've picked so far this year. Good work, Fred!

Fred Hempel · May 11, 2011

Thanks Suze,

If you'll say that when I send you $50, I should have sent more!

Suze · May 14, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fred Hempel

Thanks Suze,

If you'll say that when I send you $50, I should have sent more!

LOL! I suppose the check is in the mail. Making a list of my lucky numbers right now - I'm thinking lottery tickets ...

Anyhow, Blush was (and still is) quite the pleasant surprise. I cut up a few and had them with some yogurt today. I also threw in some Cossack Pineapple (ground cherry) fruits. Breakfast heaven!

Tastewise, it's currently in my top 3 or 4 for smaller fruited vars, along with Purple Haze, PH F3 (a selection [still unnamed] I made from Purple Haze) and Sungold. Impossible to say which one of these is the "best" because they have such different flavor profiles. Guess it just depends on what one is in the mood for - kind of like wine.

Fred Hempel · May 16, 2011

Exactly. At the farmers' market people often ask what my favorite tomato is...

It's easy:

Principe Borghese -- from November to May when all I have is dried frozen PB for pastas etc.

Cherokee Purple -- when want to eat raw disks without anything else

Blush -- when I want to pop cherry tomatoes into my mouth without paying too much attention to ripeness

Vesuvio (our San Marzano strain) -- if I am making sauce

Red Brandywine -- when I am making a BLT (in that case it is my favorite tomato next to bacon)

Of course every tomato variety that I still have lots of plants left for is pretty great too!

Oh, I love heirloom tomatoes, until a customer asks if we have all heirlooms and I state that they are mostly heirlooms or bred from heirlooms (which kinda applies to everything, when you think about it). Some walk away when we don't meet the "all-heirloom" test. Others walk away (softly cursing) when they find out we occasionally stoop to selling hybrids (Momotaro this year).

December 17, 2010	#17
Fred Hempel Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Sunol, CA Posts: 2,723	The background of blush? Actually, I can't. After pouring years of work, and tens of thousands of dollars into my breeding efforts, the suite of Julienne cherry tomatoes that I have developed represent my best opportunity to recoup some of the money that was spent. Of course, anyone who is half-way bright would never ever assume that they can make a dime through breeding. Seeds are cheap, and most people don't want to pay for them at all! Currently, we figure that our only hope is to work with a national seed company (or seed companies), and even then we will need varieties that catch the imagination of numerous growers across the country. Whether or not Blush can be a variety like this remains to be seen. I think it's pretty good, but I'm obviously biased. In an effort to "go national" we have an agreement with Seeds of Change -- in which we get royalties for Blush, and they get the right to exclusively market it and file a PVP. I know some people are probably dead set against PVPs but my personal opinion is that they represent a balance between the need to promote innovation and reward it, while not locking up varieties completely. Under PVP guidelines, farmers and gardeners are free to save seed for themselves, but not free to harvest seed for sale, unless they are working with Seeds of Change. After 20 years, the PVP expires. Of course, anyone can use a PVP protected variety in their own breeding experiments, as there are no restrictions on using a PVP protected variety to develop new varieties. However, if I told everyone what the background of Blush is, I would be potentially damaging the value of the variety for myself, and for Seeds of Change. Because that would make it easier for someone to come closer to creating something similar to (but measurably different from) Blush. Incidentally, our other variety released by Seeds of Change (Maglia Rosa) is freely available. Anyone can grow it and anyone can sell seeds. What I can say is that the Blush is a true-breeding variety, and the original cross combined my son's two favorite tomatoes in 2006. Although for the above reasons I "can't" talk about the development of our Julienne cherries, if you poke around our blog there are definite references to some of the types of tomatoes we have used in breeding. In short, all of our interesting varieties have been developed using OP varieties, and almost all of those varieties were originally purchased from Seed Saver's Exchange or from Chuck Wyatt's site (years ago). Last edited by Fred Hempel; December 17, 2010 at 06:06 PM.

December 18, 2010	#20
mdvpc Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 4,386	Blush is back ordered again from SOC-I just tried to order. __________________ Michael

December 18, 2010	#23
mdvpc Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 4,386	Bama Just sent you a pm. __________________ Michael

December 17, 2010	#16
Fusion_power Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,250	Fred, the least you could do is come clean and tell about the background. DarJones

December 18, 2010	#22
tam91 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Crystal Lake IL Posts: 2,484	Wow, that looks like a very interesting tomato - and we love the taste of Pineapple, which is was compared to. That one's going on my "future" list!

December 19, 2010	#24
frogsleap farm Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Minnesota Posts: 568	Just learned that Floridity was developed by the Known-You Seed Co in Taiwan - breeders of Sungold. They describe Floridity as having high sugar content (up to 9.3 brix) and excellent flavor. Also described as firm, crack resistant and with good shipping qualities.

May 10, 2011	#27
Suze Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 3,027	Older thread, I know. Blush is a wonderful tomato - wow! I'm not easily impressed by most smaller fruited tomatoes or "cherry" types, but that glowing writeup on the Seeds of Change website is actually fairly accurate. Definite notes of pineapple / tropical flavor detected here in Texas. The best tasting of what I've picked so far this year. Good work, Fred!

May 11, 2011	#28
Fred Hempel Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Sunol, CA Posts: 2,723	Thanks Suze, If you'll say that when I send you $50, I should have sent more!

May 16, 2011	#30
Fred Hempel Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Sunol, CA Posts: 2,723	Exactly. At the farmers' market people often ask what my favorite tomato is... It's easy: Principe Borghese -- from November to May when all I have is dried frozen PB for pastas etc. Cherokee Purple -- when want to eat raw disks without anything else Blush -- when I want to pop cherry tomatoes into my mouth without paying too much attention to ripeness Vesuvio (our San Marzano strain) -- if I am making sauce Red Brandywine -- when I am making a BLT (in that case it is my favorite tomato next to bacon) Of course every tomato variety that I still have lots of plants left for is pretty great too! Oh, I love heirloom tomatoes, until a customer asks if we have all heirlooms and I state that they are mostly heirlooms or bred from heirlooms (which kinda applies to everything, when you think about it). Some walk away when we don't meet the "all-heirloom" test. Others walk away (softly cursing) when they find out we occasionally stoop to selling hybrids (Momotaro this year).