Brandywine's

[camochef]

Originally Posted by AKmark

Mike, your posts are awesome, I am counting and weighing fruits too, and can compare the 3 brandywines. Thanks for taking the time to post the info you see the need to share.

Mark,
Thanks!
Good luck with your counting and weighing fruits. I dedicate a new notebook every year to my record keeping and I weigh every tomato from every plant. This might earn me a few choice names from many, but its all part of record keeping that allows me to support my claims and observances. I'm far from any type of expert in gardening or even in growing tomatoes, but I have been growing large numbers since 1958, (56 years, minus a couple years in the US Army with Uncle Sam).
I don't post much anymore and really distance myself from gardening forums as I dislike having to disagree with so many. It's just every once in awhile that someone posts something that really ruffles my feathers and I can't keep my mouth shut. Usually concerning Brandywines in general, or Cowlick's or BW Glick's in particular. Used to go through the same thing with Amazon Chocolate a few years back. Too many people condemning a great tomato, because they didn't like the supplier. Seems to be a major fault on some forums. This one included.
Then there's the immaturity of not allowing a growers name to even be mentioned. Won't get into that at this time, but it caused me to walk away from some forums more than once.
As you can see, I'm a little too honest with some of my statements, but I can tell you what are and aren't good tomatoes.
Enjoy!

[camochef]

Originally Posted by newgardener_tx

Camo: So where can we get legit Cowlicks brandywine seeds? I have never grown Brandywine successfully in Central Texas yet everyone is always bragging about the taste! I purchased the transplants and it didn't indicate the strain though.

I no longer offer seeds on a regular basis. I used to send out thousands year after year and just the cost of padded envelopes and postage got to be too much on my limited income. There are however those on this forum and others that would be more than happy to share some seeds with you. Some right there in Texas that received huge quantities from me in the past. I think Tatiana is still selling seeds if you choose to go that route. I think Ami set up with Carol in Wisconsin to distribute them a couple years back. I know Dana's flower and Garden place had seeds available for both Cowlick's and German Johnson-Benton Strain as well as many others that I passed on to her a couple years back.
If all else fails, simply ask on the different forums. Good Luck!
Enjoy!
Camo

[b54red]

I have only had one successful year with Sudduth's down here until I started grafting last year. Last year I didn't have a Cowlicks graft take so I had none to compare; but I have grown them both and find some subtle differences. The Sudduth's plant seems to be more open and produced fewer fruit for me but they were actually larger than my Cowlicks fruit. Another distinct thing I noticed was the Sudduth's liked to have little splits on the bottom of the fruit. It is the only tomato that I see that on regularly that isn't caused by over watering or too much rain. Flavor of both was very similar but I thought the Cowlicks a bit firmer and kept a bit longer on the shelf but that could have been because of the splits on the bottom of the Sudduth's fruit. Cowlicks set fruit sooner and it looks from the ones in the garden this year that it will again but I could be wrong. I'll know in a week or so since I have two of each of the same age and size and all are blooming but the Cowlicks blooms look older and closer to fruiting.

Bill

[camochef]

Originally Posted by carolyn137

I also remember when I first offered you Cowlick seeds and you refused saying you were planning on growing too many other varieties at the time. This was from the time when I saved all e-mails to CD.
I find it remarkable that many who complain about the Brandywine comparisons, haven't grown them to compare their qualities.

&&&&

Mike you had a thread up offering seeds but I was late asking and at that point when you said you had no more I may well have said that's OK b'c I had many more varieties to be grown/

I'm encouraging comparisons ,not complaining about them as you mentioned above and the fact that I've never grown Cowlicks myself doesn't fit into the picture b'c I've always said in my remarks that it's info I gleaned from other message sites/other growers.

Enough already, and well I remember your posts at idig comparing the different salts and seasonings you used that altered the taste of many of the varieties you were growing.

I may be old, 75 coming up in June, but the tomato section of my brain remains somewhat intact.

Carolyn

Carolyn,
I was anxiously awaiting your response. I had contacted you directly, way before making any offers on any of the gardening or tomato growing forums. You weren't interested at that time, probably writing it off to just another Brandywine.
Once the word was out, there was no keeping up with supplying enough seed. Usually within a week or two of the seasons end my allotment of seed was gone. It may have taken me many more months to get them all mailed out but I always filled all my requests. There were years where all my seeds we gone, but I kept the requests in order and continued to fill them into the next season.
As far as your quoting others opinions, I've always been aware of that and I really believe that many of them are simply opinions and not really comparisons. But I could supply you with thousands of names and addresses from those that have received Cowlick, Glick's, and Sudduth's seeds as well as many others from me and have actually grown them to compare the differences. Not as much in taste but in growing and the amounts of production.
Sure there have been off years, but not that often. Like I stated beforehand...Overall, Gowlick is far superior to Sudduth's in my gardens and in others around the world.
As far as the years of taste tests at Idig, yes I used different salts and flavorings like Zatarains Creole Seasoning, I still do! but I always tasted each one without any enhancements first, and yes the small amounts I used were just that...enhancements! During peak season I probably ate close to a bushel of tomatoes during the day. Try doing that without some salt or Zatarains!

I know your 7 1/2 years older than I am, and I'm not the sharpest tack in the drawer, but I never accused you of being senile or suffering from any brain disorders...at least as well as I can remember.

Even after numerous heart attacks, by-pass surgeries and additional stents and actually dying on the operating table, but successfully revived. I still plant and maintain my own gardens. Starting with my own seed, right through tilling, planting, and the best part harvesting. Do I eat more tomatoes than any one person should...you bet I do! If I drop dead during the summer or fall months, it will probably be with a tomato on my plate or in my mouth. If that occurs, I certainly hope its a Cowlick Brandywine or at least a German Johnson-Benton Strain.

One thing I haven't mentioned about Cowlicks...It has virtually no core! and usually very thin skin, just another reason why I love them so.
Enjoy! and again...no offense intended or taken.

Camo

[AKmark]

Here is a branch of your work, just picked it today. I am totally impressed with the yield these are giving, 2-1 over Sudduth's, and certainly earlier too. What a plant, love it.

[Gussie]

And just when I thought I decided on the final plant for this year, I read through this thread. Argh. AKmark, as one would expect after seeing your amazing greenhouse, your Cowlicks is a thing of beauty. Camo, you are my black tomato idol, and I read and re-read all your reviews.

Tried to grow Cowlicks last year, but the season was mostly a dud for all my plants. Dare I try again? I do have that one spot left, and I do have a Cowlicks plant... Decisions, decisions.

[kath]

Originally Posted by Gussie

Tried to grow Cowlicks last year, but the season was mostly a dud for all my plants. Dare I try again? I do have that one spot left, and I do have a Cowlicks plant... Decisions, decisions.

Go for it! Cowlick's was a great producer for me.

[Dewayne mater]

I'm a believer on Cowlicks and this will be my 3rd year to grow it. Last year, it grew a few and I was thinking, oh well, not a strong seed. Then in June, when it was too hot for tomatoes to set in N. Tx according to everyone, it set about a dozen more tomatoes. Because of the extreme heat that followed, they didn't get as large as usual, but, they were still delicious and were my last beefsteaks of the year.

Dewayne Mater

[newgardener_tx]

Camo, Thanks for all the information and developed such great tomato.
Mark: Your pic is ridiculously tempting!

[newgardener_tx]

Oops, not relevent