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Monday, 16 August 2010 13:03

Written by Doug Oster

It's been a fantasy of mine to get gardeners to taste as many different varieties of tomatoes as possible. Dan Yarnick of Yarnick's Farm near Indiana, Pa took the challenge and grew nearly 100 different types of tomato. They weren't all ripe yet for the big event on 8/15/10, but there were almost 70 different tomatoes.

Hundreds of people came from all over Western Pennsylvania to taste these wonderful tomatoes. As you can see in the video, there really wasn't a clear winner.

It looks like this was such a success; we're going to do it again next year. Hope you can join us.

Here's a list of what we grew, each one offers something different and special-

Rocky Top, Finishline, Biltmore, Scarlet Red, Fabulous, RFT 6153, BHN 589, BHN 961, Chocolate Cherry, Jazzy, Black Velvet, Follia, Red Zebra, Conestoga, Grandma's Garden, Grandma's Pick, Gremlin, Sophya, Garden Peach, Green Zebra, Brandywine Pink, Brandywine Red, Brandy Boy, Mister Stripey, Pineapple, Big Rainbow, Grande Rio Verde, Persimmon, BHN 871, BHN 876, Mt. Magic, Supersteak, Pink Girl, Roma VE, Early Girl, Rutgers, Super Bush, Tomatillo, Orange Wellington, Tye Dye, Red Candy, BHN 877, Sweet Treats, Black Pear, Yellow Pear, Sun Sugar, Fourth of July, Plum Regal, Yellow Chester, Razzeleberry, Marglobe, Beefsteak, Celebrity, Oxheart, Jubilee, Better Bush, Italian, Carolina Gold, BHN 268, Polbig, Tomatoeberry, Sweet Seedless, Sweet Olive, Mountain Fresh, Porterhouse, Black Truffle, Aligote, Navidad, Sebring, Picus, Plum, Italiply, Sonoma, Floriday 47, Primo red, HMX7838, Early Top, Sungold, Mountain Glory, Jolly Elf, BHN 641, Tomato Orange, Yellow Cherry, Bush Early Girl, Snacker's Delight, Burpee's Big Boy and Super Sweet 100.

Comments (9)

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written by gardenmema, August 17, 2010 - 09:29 AM

Attended with the grandkids and had a very nice time. Corn was delicious and didn't know there were so many varieties of tomatoes. Took about an hour from Pgh. but it was a beautiful scenic ride. Wish there were more things for the kids to do, but they enjoyed it anyway.

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written by myreply, August 17, 2010 - 05:09 PM

I would like to get a head start on my spring plantings. Is it too soon to divide my hostas and day lilies?

Thank you.

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written by D_Oster, August 17, 2010 - 09:47 PM

gardenmema, it was great to meet you at Yarnick's, your grandkids did great even though they don't like to polka!
That is a nice ride out there and when it's not so crowded Dan Yarnick often will give tours of the farm.
I love that place and wish I was a local so I could sit around and watch them work so hard.

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written by D_Oster, August 17, 2010 - 09:49 PM

myreply,

I would hold off on dividing for a few more weeks until we get some cooler temperatures and some rain. The plants will like it better.
You can divide daylilies anytime, but the hosta are best divided first thing in spring. They will do fine with a fall divide, but I like to get them right when they poke up through the soil.

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written by gardenmema, August 18, 2010 - 10:21 AM

I wish there was some way we could keep fresh home-grown tomatoes for winter just as we pick them off the vine. I never buy tomatoes in the winter. They are awful. I just wait for that first ripe one in the summer and enjoy until the last one gets ripe.

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written by myreply, August 21, 2010 - 11:43 AM

gardenmema:

I'm with you. Summer home-grown tomatoes are the best!!!

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written by D_Oster, August 21, 2010 - 01:30 PM

I do some sun drying, that's not the same as a fresh tomato, but it reminds me of summer.
Also, at the end of the season, pick the last tomatoes and put them in a bag with an apple. They will slowly ripen all the way to Thanksgiving.

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written by gardenmema, August 21, 2010 - 10:11 PM

I always pick as many green ones as I can and bring them in and keep them in the basement and most slowly ripen. But it is not the same as having them just-picked off the vine. They are still better than those store-bought ones they call tomatoes.

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written by D_Oster, August 22, 2010 - 08:52 PM

Yeah, I know what you mean about those winter tomatoes, but you're right, so much better than anything in the stores.

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