Tomatoes

These are the tomato varieties we are growing at Shine Springs Farm for 2021.

Before we jump into the specific varieties, you should consider the difference between indeterminate and determinate varieties.

INDETERMINATE – This means the tomato plants should produce throughout the season, if cared for properly.

DETERMINATE – This means you typically get all the tomatoes the plant will produce coming in around the same time. In my personal experience, in Alabama, they tend to produce in a long wave rather than one single crop, but determinate varieties usually won’t bear as long, or repeatedly, like the indeterminate tomato varieties.

Black Krim Tomato

Available Now

“Black Krim makes its way to us from the Isle of Krim in the Black Sea off the coast of the Crimean Peninsual. Black Krim produces beefsteak tomatoes that are 4” long by 5-1/2” wide. Deeply mahogany colored, slightly flatted with green coats.”

Seed Sources: For 2021 I used seeds from several suppliers:

• Johnny’s Selected Seeds: USDA Organic
• Sustainable Seed Company – USDA Organic

Black Prince Tomato

Available Now

“Mahogany brown with good flavor.”

Unusual brown shoulders become orange-red at the blossom end. Color will be deeper and more pronounced in sunnier locations. Distinctive, rich, fruity tomato flavor. Relatively smooth, 3–5 oz., 3″ globes show less cracking than typically seen in most heirlooms. Indeterminate. USDA Certified Organic.”  https://www.johnnyseeds.com/vegetables/tomatoes/black-prince-organic-tomato-seed-2971G.html?cgid=tomatoes#prefn1=prod_feature_grow_hab&prefv1=158&start=55&sz=18

Costoluto Fiorentino Tomato

Available in Mid-May

Seed Source: Southern Exposure Seed Exchange – USDA Organic

“Italian heirloom from Tuscany region. One of most heat-tolerant and productive varieties in a. 2011 U of Georgia trial. Also did well in Virginia’s 2013 cool, wet summer. 8-12 oz. red, deeply-lobed, fruit. Richly flavorful for sauces and stuffers, or just slice them up.” – Southern Exposure Seed Exchange website. https://www.southernexposure.com/products/costoluto-fiorentino-tomato/

Seed Source: Southern Exposure Seed Exchange – USDA Organic

Indeterminate

Druzba Tomato

Available Mid-May

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange – USDA Organic

Bulgarian heirloom. Introduced in 1995 by SESE from seeds from Dr. Carolyn Male. Excellent sweet juicy flavor. 5 oz. fruits are born 2-4 to a cluster. Although fruit walls are tender, they are resistant to fruit diseases, cracking, and bloom end rot. Produces a large percentage of uniform ripening, high-quality, blemish-free fruit. Well-liked at farmers markets.” – Southern Exposure Seed Exchange website. https://www.southernexposure.com/products/druzba-tomato/

Jaune Flamme Tomato

Available Mid-May

High Mowing Organic Seeds – USDA Organic & Non GMO Verified

“Beloved French heirloom with clusters of delectable sweet fruits like grownup Sungolds.” From seed pack.

Indeterminate

Mortgage Lifter Tomato

A few available now

“As the story goes, a tomato farmer facing bankruptcy selected a tomato that produced so well, he was able to see the plants to pay off the mortgage. Mortgage Lifeter certainly produces an abundance of 1-2 pound fruit that’s meaty and full of heirloom flavor.” Seed Pack

Seed Source for 2021: Territorial Seed Company – USDA Organic

Indeterminate

Mountaineer Delight Tomato

Available Now

“In 1963, West Virginia U. professor Mannon Gallegly released West Virginia 63 tomato, one of the first tomatoes bred for Late Blight resistance. 50 years later, Gallegly and colleague Mahfuz Rahman used WV 63 tomato to breed two new, larger tomatoes, with disease resistance now including Septoria leaf spot!] Larger red beefsteak, sweeter flavor than the original West Virginia 63 tomato. Great disease resistance, fruits hold well on the vine.” Source: https://www.southernexposure.com/products/mountaineer-delight-west-virginia-17b-tomato/

Seed Source: Southern Exposure Seed Exchange – USDA Organic

Pink Boar Tomato

Available Late May

Seed Source: High Mowing Organic Seeds – USDA Organic & Non GMO Verified

“Deep red sweet and juicy 2-4 oz. fruits with metallic green striping; great for chefs and markets.” From seed pack.

Indeterminate

Prudens Purple Tomato

Available Now

“Large beefsteak fruits are actually not purple but a pinkish-red. Pruden’s is known for its very own distinct sweet and tangy heirloom flavor. Indeterminate.” Source: Seed Pack

Seed Source: High Mowing Organic Seeds – USDA Organic & Non GMO Verified

Indeterminate

Roma Tomato

Available Late May

“Plum tomato with firm, bright red flesh and few seeds. Excellent flavor for sauces and ketchups or just tossed with pasta. Good disease resistance. Determinate.” From High Mowing Organic Seeds Seed Pack.

High Mowing classifies as determinate. My experience is that Roma tomatoes are indeterminate in Alabama. I need to do more research on this.

Seed Sources for 2021:

• Two suppliers: High Mowing Organic Seeds Roma VF Paste Tomato and
• Sustainable Seed Company Roma

Rose de Berne Tomato

Available Now

“Dark, rose-pink hue and well-loved heirloom flavor that is not too tart, nor too sweet. Soft-skinned, but not fragile and holds up well against cracking. Indeterminate.” Seed Pack

Seed Source First Tray 2021: High Mowing Organic Seeds – USDA Organic & Non-GMO Verified

Stone Tomato

“[1889] Bright red, slightly flattened 5-7 oz. globes with uniform ripening. An all-purpose tomato with good keeping quality, especially recommended for canning. Vigorous, highly branched vines provide good fruit protection. Fruits are somewhat acidic, and not as sweet as other varieties, but Stone is a dependable, very drought-hardy tomato that will last the full season. This old variety has shown better resistance to foliage disease and fruit rot than some of the other old varieties we have grown.” Southern Exposure Seed Exchange: https://www.southernexposure.com/products/stone-tomato/

SEMI-DETERMINATE

Homestead Tomato

Available mid to late May

Seed Source: Sustainable Seed Co. – Non-GMO Certified

“Strong semi-determinate plants with big leaves and firm meaty bright-red-med sized globes. Known to set fruit under a wide range of conditions making Homestead a great all-purpose tomato. Excellent slicer or canning tomato.” From Seed Pack

Semi-Determinate

Moskvich

Available Mid to late May

“Heirloom slicer that rivals the hybrids. Fruits are round to slightly flattened with a deep red color and luscious, rich flavor. Semi-detemrinate.” From High Mowing Organic Seeds seed pack

Seed Source: High Mowing Organic Seeds – USDA Organic & Non GMO Verified

Note: Johnny’s Seeds classifies Moskvich as Indeterminate.

From Johnny’s: “One of the most appealing extra-early tomatoes.

Fruits are early, deep red, and cold tolerant. Rich flavor. Smooth and globe-shaped. 4-6 oz. with a small stem scar. Indeterminate. USDA Certified Organic.”

DETERMINATE – This means you typically get all the tomatoes the plant will produce coming in around the same time. In my experience, in Alabama, they tend to produce several rounds rather than one single crop, but usually don’t bear as long as the indeterminate tomato varieties.

Hungarian Italian Paste

Available late May

“Highly productive pear-shaped paste tomato with good disease resistance and good holding quality. 3-4 oz. fruits borne in clusters of 4. Makes excellent flavored sauce.” Southern Exposure Seed Exchange Website: https://www.southernexposure.com/products/hungarian-italian-paste-tomato/

Marglobe Tomato

Available mid to late May

Sustainable Seed Co. – Non-GMO Certified

“Developed in 1917, introduced by the USDA in 1925. Determinate. Disease and crack resistant heirloom variety which are good producer of 7 to 10 ounce deep red juicy fruits. Superb tasting fruit.” From Seed Pack.

Determinate

Mountain Princess

Available Now

“From West Virginia, this delicious, sweet tasting variety has fruits that average 3” in diameter with a red to slightly orange color. Early season. Determinate.” Source: Seed Pack #1 for 2018

“Mild, sweet red heirloom from Appalachia that ripens well in short, cool seasons. Determinate.” Source: Seed Pack for 2021

Seed Source: High Mowing Organic Seeds – USDA Organic & Non GMO Verified

Roma

Available late May

“Plum tomato with firm, bright red flesh and few seeds. Excellent flavor for sauces and ketchups or just tossed with pasta. Good disease resistance. Determinate.” From High Mowing Organic Seeds Seed Pack.

Seed Sources: Two suppliers for 2021: High Mowing Organic Seeds Roma VF Paste Tomato and

Sustainable Seed Company Roma

Rutgers Tomato

Available mid to late May

Sustainable Seed Co. – Non-GMO Certified

“Developed by crossing Marglobe with JTD. Produces vibrant red, round fruits on a strong, disease resistant vine average 2-4” across and 2-3” high. Makes a great slicer for sandwiches or salads. Makes a great green tomato preserve.” From Seed Pack.

Cherry Tomatoes

Purple Bumble Bee

Available Now

“Striking 1½ in. cherries, dusky purple with vivid lime-green streaks. Nice balance of sweetness and flavor. Tall, vigorous plants bear til frost. Widely adapted, good splitting resistance.” Source: https://www.southernexposure.com/products/purple-bumble-bee-cherry-tomato.

Indeterminate

Seed Source: Southern Exposure Seed Exchange – USDA Organic