What varieties are the magazines promoting ?

[Wi-sunflower]

I'm curious about what tomato varieties are getting write-ups in the magazines this year. I used to get Organic Gardening just for the yearly tomato article but haven't for several years now.

I can sometimes tell what has gotten a write-up as orders for a particular variety will take off compared to normal sales. Last fall I got several orders for Caspian Pink I wasn't expecting.

Right now I suddenly have gotten quite a few orders for Aunt Molly's Ground Cherry. Have they been in some magazine recently?

Mostly I'm just curious.

Thanks,
Carol

[garnetmoth]

Ive been over on the SSE forum, and there is some chatter over there about Aunt Molly and other types of ground cherries.

I dont have any magazine subscriptions...

[Wi-sunflower]

Thanks, I just looked up that thread.

Maybe that's part of it or maybe there is an article about the Aunt Molly's as recently I've had quite a few orders for it. Just a bit unusual, tho they are 1 of my personal favs.

Carol

[TZ-OH6]

I don't know about the magazines, but I have seen Yellow Boy in our local nursery, and someone on another forum, in another part of the country picked it up at a store. I have not heard of YB before and could find little on the ineternet, so I am wondering if a seed company or trade journal is pushing it.

[creister]

TZ,

I think Lemon Boy has been around for a while and was originally released by Burpee.

[carolyn137]

Carol, I don't know of ONE good gardening magazine these days, meaning one that I would enjoy reading and learning from.

I used to sub to National Gardening ( gone), Organic Gardening ( dropped it as not relevant several years ago), Horticulture ( dropped it as well), and have looked at a few others, but nothing interests me.

And the opinions of new varieties that we see on message sites such as this one are really skewed since we're all somewhat tomato obsessed and see things differently, I think, than does the general populace.

One can look at the new introductions in the various gardening catalogs but I don't know how that translates out to the general population either.

[hasshoes]

It says on Laurel's site that the non-controversial Goose Creek will be featured quite a bit this year.

Laurel writes that it was recently featured in Fine Cooking Magazine, The LA Times Magazine, and a PBS show.

She says this year it will be featured in Sunset Magazine, Mother Earth News, Weekend Magazine and The Victory Garden on PBS.

[hasshoes]

It says on Laurel's site that Goose Creek will be featured quite a bit this year.

Laurel writes that it was recently featured in Fine Cooking Magazine, The LA Times Magazine, and a PBS show.

She says this year it will be featured in Sunset Magazine, Mother Earth News, Weekend Magazine and The Victory Garden on PBS.

[Wi-sunflower]

Carolyn,

I know what you mean about not knowing about any good gardening mags any more. I dropped my sub to OG probably 10 years ago if not longer. Most I see on the news stands are strictly "designer garden" flower types now.

Well Goose Creek is something I've not tried yet.

I have several of Brad Gates varieties growing for plant out this year. Hopefully some will recognise them this summer at the market.

I will be going to my first farmers market next Sat (5/2) so I'll let you know how some of my heirloom varieties do after that. Unfortunately I'm only about 1/2 done with my transplanting as we've run out of space. We are trying to re-do an old house that needed more repair than I realized so it's taking more time than we have. Oh Well, eventually.

Carol

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by hasshoes

It says on Laurel's site that Goose Creek will be featured quite a bit this year.

Laurel writes that it was recently featured in Fine Cooking Magazine, The LA Times Magazine, and a PBS show.

She says this year it will be featured in Sunset Magazine, Mother Earth News, Weekend Magazine and The Victory Garden on PBS.

Heather, knowing what I and a few others do know about the actual history of Jimmy William's Goose Creek I can't say I'm thrilled to hear that. Maybe better to say I'm uncomfortable about it/

And quite a few folks here and at other places where I read have posted their results with Goose Creek. Somelove it, some don't, and some thought they were growing it and it turns out they weren't. So I don'tknow what that was all about.

Is it still so that you have to buy the plant and then save your own seeds? I know that seeds have been passed around here and elsewhere ever since Laurelstarted selling plants.

Anyone can do a search here and read if they've forgotten what was said by various individuals. And check at GW as well.

To understand the situation a tad better all one has to do is to read the patent application that Williams submitted to understand the PR a bit better. The patent was denied. No one can patent what is represented as an heirloom, but the claims made in the patent application were beyond belief. It was dissected to the bone at GW several years ago.

[nctomatoman]

Interesting in that in this very busy tomato seedling year we are having, no one is asking for anything particular written up in any of the magazines. They are tending to either go with those they've loved in the past, or asking for my recommendations. They are also paying attention to descriptions. To me, there doesn't seem to be a "hot" tomato this year - except, surprisingly, for Mexico Midget - people are just addicted to that variety. (Sungold and Cherokee Purple, of course, are popular as well)

[Tomatovator]

Off topic I know but, if Goose Creek is an OP or Heirloom variety and is not patented then why have none of the seed companies started to offer seeds for it? Seems like it is discussed alot as a good variety.

[hasshoes]

I agree, trying to patent an heirloom plant is totally bananas. . . kind of like trying to patent a dog breed or a human gene.

Tomatovator. . . I don't know if this is the deal or not. . . but you can hire a lawyer to send a cease and desist letter for just about anything. Even if you're in the right. . .an innocent party would still have to waste $$$ on legal fees. . . I have to wonder if the OP seed companies just didn't want to deal with it!

Then there's the whole history thing. . . don't know how they'd tackle that one. . . .

It does taste great though!

[Wi-sunflower]

If I can get some seeds of Goose Creek from a member for next year, I'll grow enough to list it.

Carol