Raff Tomato

[dokutaaguriin]

I received an email today inquiring about a variety from Spain called Raff. I have never heard of such a tomato so I thought I would post here about it.
Does anyone have any experience growing this tomato?
Any chance of finding commercial source for seeds?

Jeff (who is in the middle of a snowstorm)

Moderator: Please move this to "General Discussion" forum, thanks.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by dokutaaguriin

I received an email today inquiring about a variety from Spain called Raff. I have never heard of such a tomato so I thought I would post here about it.
Does anyone have any experience growing this tomato?
Any chance of finding commercial source for seeds?

Jeff (who is in the middle of a snowstorm)

Moderator: Please move this to "General Discussion" forum, thanks.

I moved it Jeff, please send a box of fruits next summer if I have a lousy season again.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/617442/

Above is a thread from 2006 at DG where Raf was discussed. I had forgetten that I'd been in on that thread.

And it is spelled as Raf with one f as those from Spain who posted in that thread indicated.

I haven't seen Raf listed in the SSE Yearbook but have seen Ras listed and I'm giving that info below.


Listed by IL LO N

75 days, indet, regular leaf plant with a high yield of 3-6 oz, red with good flavor, from Shafik Zananiri, Granada, Spain, old Spanish heirloom.

Listed by WI MI B:

75-80 days, indet, regular leaf, 4-10 oz red fruit, some round, some ribbed, fruits good flavor, very productive, from Shafik Zananiri, old fashioned heirloom, Granada, Spain.

The above two SSE folks are two of my best SSE friends and when they say the flavor is good, I'm telling you that's wayyyy down the list when it comes to the adjectives that they both use to describe taste.

What isn't clear to me is if Raf and Ras are the same variety, which is important.

There was a larger discussion about the older OP Spanish varieties, and I've grown a couple of them, and the Spanish really like a tart taste and that's what you'll get. Usually the fruits have green shoulders and are eaten that way b'c along with many other varieties they lack the uniform ripening gene, but it's the taste itself that is desired by most Spaniards, but not enjoyed by many others.

There were two other Spanish varieties other than Raf that were also discussed recently in a thread at the SSE message site and I pointed out that they used to be listed in the SSE Yearbook but I hadn't seen them for quite a while and wondered if the folks who requested seed just didn't bother to relist them.

http://forums.seedsavers.org/showthread.php?t=1743

I just added the thread from the SSE message site on Spanish tomatoes if there's anything there that might also be useful.

Hope that helps.

[dokutaaguriin]

thanks, Carolyn.
Jeff

[geoff1]

Carolyn is correct about the spelling. I have eaten this on many occasions, and it is fine "green when ripe tomato". Want some seeds? just pm me your postal addy, and I will send you some.
Geogg