North Dakota/Upper Midwest Heirlooms???

[cybermeowz]

Hello everyone.

I am new here and I have a question for the tomato experts. I grew about 100 different tomato heirlooms last year thanks to some wonderful exchanges I participated in on another site. I guess that makes me a new tomato addict. I sold the left over seedlings to others in my town. The one tomato heirloom that I got asked about was Sheyenne. I had several people tell me that their mother grew this tomato. I didn't have that tomato seed last year but I do now. I would like to grow more heirlooms from my part of the country this year so I am wondering what other heirlooms have their roots in North Dakota or the upper widwest. I know that Big Rainbow came out of Minnesota. So I guess my question is what other heirloom tomatoes have their roots in North Dakota and the surrounding states (Minnesota, Montana, South Dakota)???

Thank you so much for whatever info you can give me!!!

Penny

[k3vin]

Here's a good start

Djena Lee's Golden Girl

http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Djena_Lee's_Golden_Girl

Believe It Or Not

http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Believe_It_Or_Not

Cherry, Grandpa's Minnesota Hardy

http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Cherry,_Grandpa's_Minnesota_Hardy

Cannonball

http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Cannonball

Golden Bison

http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Golden_Bison

Bison

http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Bison

Millet's Dakota

http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Millet's_Dakota

Farthest North

http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Farthest_North

[recruiterg]

Northern Delight
Manitoba

[cybermeowz]

Thank you so much for the responses!!! That's a excellent list k3vin. I totally forgot about Djena Lee's Golden Girl. I knew that was from Minnesota. I love that there are some varieties with "Dakota" and "Bison" in their names. Thanks a lot!

Penny

[stormymater]

What about the "Flathead Monster"? We used to love going up to Flathead Lake a hundred years ago when we could afford to get up & out of Missoula, especially when we had $ to go buy cherries!

[eyolf]

I think your choices could be tempered by either varieties that do well in ND, or those that were bred there. Unfortunately, tomatoes haven't ever been an important crop in Nodak, so the choices will be reduced if you're hoping to limit them to home-bred.

I'm a MN gardener, and have faced that scenario here as well. Two ways to look at it; positively, one can be confident that all slections and varieties can be cycled through in short order. Negatively, the list isn't as long as, say, New Jersey's.

On to some of my faves, born in the area:
Sioux (Nebraska)
Faribo Gold (Mn)
Mingold (Mn)
Bison (ND)
Pollock (a BC, Canada selection from Chalk's EJ/John Baer/Bonny Best)
Firesteel (SD)
Melfort (Mb, Canada)
Pruden's Purple ( source shrouded in mystery, but supposedly discovered in MN)

[cybermeowz]

Thanks everyone for the responses! I have never heard of Flathead Monster before. Such a funky name! And Pruden's Purple from Minnesota??? I had no idea about that. When I was googling some of these varieties I came across a list of tomatoes released from NDSU.

http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/plantsci/breeding/hort.htm

‘Nodak Early’ TOMATO 1990
‘Northern Delight’ TOMATO 1990
‘Small Wonder’ TOMATO 1990
‘Dakota Gold’ TOMATO 1984
‘Cannonball’ TOMATO 1973
‘Lark’ TOMATO 1973
‘Sheyenne’ TOMATO 1960
‘Doublerich’ TOMATO 1954
‘Cavalier’ TOMATO 1953
‘Bounty’ TOMATO 1941
‘Allstate’ TOMATO 1940
‘Victor’ TOMATO 1939
‘Allred’ TOMATO 1937
‘Redskin’ TOMATO 1937
‘Ruby’ TOMATO 1937
‘Farthest North’ TOMATO 1934
‘Fargo Yellow Pear’ TOMATO 1932
‘Golden Bison’ TOMATO 1932
‘Pink Heart’ TOMATO 1932
‘Bison’ TOMATO 1929
‘Fargo’ TOMATO 1927
‘Viking’ TOMATO 1927
‘Agassiz’ TOMATO 1925
‘Early Jumbo’ TOMATO 1925
‘Red River’ TOMATO 1925
‘North Dakota Earliana’ TOMATO 1922


I wonder how many of these varieties are still in existence??? I know that I have found some sources for about 9 or 10 of these. But some I can't find any reference to at all. Anyone ever heard of 'Viking' or 'Red River'???

Thanks everyone!

Penny

[salix]

Penny, I have seeds of Doublerich if you would like some (could spare about 25), and could also provide a few Pollock. Just send a Tomotomail with your address.

[mtbigfish]

Check with Amideutch I believe he has grown Flathead Monster

Flathead monster is a PL variant of black Krim found by Dorothy Biesweiger of MT and named after the flathead river in montana

Dennis

[cybermeowz]

Salix, thanks for such a generous offer. By Tomatomail, do you mean to send you a PM??? I'm still kind of figuring out this site.

mtbigfish, thanks for the info on Flathead Monster. Sounds like a good one to me. I really love black tomatoes.

Penny

[salix]

Penny, yes that's what I meant, sorry for the confusion. Got your message and will pack up tomorrow and mail Tuesday (barring any blizzard). No trade necessary - just passing on a bit of the generosity that others here have shown.

[cybermeowz]

Thanks salix! I really appreciate it!

Penny

[carpenterlady]

Todd County Amish came from Todd County MN, Staples and Wadena area. That isn't very far from eastern NoDak. I ordered seeds from TGS. This will be my first year trying it.

Did you find any Sheyenne seeds? I ordered mine from WI_Sunflower. Her site link is on TV. Sand Hill Preservation also has them.

The varieties developed in Manitoba should be successful I would hope. Great thread for the up north gardeners!

[oc tony]

Millets Dakota (available from Victory seed)

[loki]

Strictly speaking most of those above are not heirlooms, but early commercial varieties. Heirlooms are selected and passed on by gardeners, not seed companies.