High Tunnel 2017

[tryno12]

got it, thanks cole!

[Cole_Robbie]

This is the variety that came to me in a swap labelled "Russian." I call it Big Russian Red. Last year's plant was more compact than this year's high tunnel plants. It is really too late for a high tunnel variety. The plants did not make a lot of tomatoes, but the ones it did make are huge.

[Cole_Robbie]

I just cut open two of those Big Russian Red for seed. Holy cow, this is the best tasting tomato of the year. I ate it like an apple. There are hardly any seeds. The variety is late, low-yielding (at least in the high tunnel), and makes tomatoes that are probably too big to sell. But it's tastier than my Mat-Su Express, which is saying a lot.

[MissS]

Best tasting of the year! Then it's a good thing that you are saving seeds of this one, for sure.

[Cole_Robbie]

I sent out a lot of the Big Russian Red seeds over the winter. I hope other people have the same experience with it as I do.

Here's a box for market tomorrow. Mountain Fresh on the right, the rest are Mat-Su Express and Mr Bruno.

[BigVanVader]

Dam son! Looking good.

[wildcat62]

Bring on the bacon

[tryno12]

All look plenty well marketable to say the least, and if they taste as you say, I will be looking around this late fall for seeds!
Pete

[MissS]

Your customer's are going to be thrilled to see you! They look great.

[Cole_Robbie]

Thanks, everyone. It was a good day at market.

I tried my first Rebelski....blech. I don't like it at all. It has a mealy texture. I'm glad I only grew one plant. (thank you to the generous person who shared it with me, though)

Mountain Fresh was surprisingly tasty. I can see it on the same flavor level as Big Beef or Jet Star. The one I ate did have some uneven ripening, possibly from fusarium stressing the plant.

Taos Trail was very good, too. Someone on here gave me the seeds, and I can remember them saying it was their main tomato for their farm. It came from a volunteer. For a market grower looking for an OP variety, this might be the best one I have tried. Tomatoes are round and perfect-looking. They are slightly firm, but not as much as hybrids. The plant is a compact grower, which I could see making it easier to have a lot of them. If not for the compact growth, Taos Trail could pass for Big Beef OP. Flavor is as good as Big Beef, if not better.

[MissS]

That's a really nice compliment for Taos Trail. Now I'm going to have to look that one up.

[tryno12]

Same thoughts here Miss S, maybe grow next yr. As usual Cole, great looking tomatoes!
Pete

[BigVanVader]

I think ima do a double row of MF next year. What was your DTM? This year at my market nobody has red tomatoes! It's like they all decided to just do heirlooms for some reason. The few reds I've taken so far get snatched up quick.

[Cole_Robbie]

I didn't count the days on Mountain Fresh, but the seeds sellers say 75. It is about two weeks later than Mat-Su Express.

[Cole_Robbie]

Big Russian Red continues to be the best flavor of the year....and the worst yield. The plants got bigger than I thought they would, but each of them has only made 2 or 3 tomatoes. It may have had trouble setting fruit in the high tunnel environment. I have a few outdoor plants, too, so I will see if that makes a difference.