Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Heirloom Tomatoes

There has been lots of talk about "heirloom" tomatoes in the past few years. There are thousands of varieties of heirloom tomatoes, each marked by different tastes, colors, traits and origins. This makes them different from the tomatoes in the supermarket – hybrids grown with genetic modifications for optimal size, color, and durability. These modifications make the tomatoes look pretty and last for weeks while they're transported to far flung supermarkets. However, they have very little taste!
Here's a picture of some of the heirloom tomatoes from our farm. Among these you'll find Cherokee Purple (a favorite in our family), Stupice, Brandywine, Black Krim, Amish Paste, Black Trifele, Silvery Fir Tree, Moonglow and more. I also grew some specialty tomatoes this year including Indigo Rose, Green Zebra, Austin's Red Pear, Black Cherry and Sweetie Cherry.
Are you wondering how they taste? Come to the Potter County Farmers' Market this week (Friday, August 30) to watch two guest chefs prepare delectable food with locally-sourced and locally-grown products. There will be free samples to enjoy.