Tomatofest is BEST!

Friday, I went out to the mailbox to find an envelope from Tomatofest, the place from where I ordered my tomato seeds. I am so excited to get one or two started and possibly grow them here in the house. Although with my lack of success henceforth, I am wondering if I'll be able to keep them alive. The paperwork I received from them gave detailed instructions on how to get them started (not really the problem), how to harden them up a bit (not really the problem), and then how to transfer them (THE PROBLEM!). I am hoping I am able to pull these off this year, especially since I got so many cool varieties, and lots of heirlooms and all organic!! Here are the varieties I got:

1. Blondkopfchen: (as described directly from the Tomatofest website)- An heirloom tomato from eastern Germany. The name of this adorable heirloom cherry tomato means "little blonde girl".Our TomatoFest organic tomato seeds produce big, leafy, indeterminate, regular-leaf tomato plants that yield a phenomenal amount of 1/2", grape-sized, brilliant yellow/gold, cherry tomatoes in clusters of 20-30. The vines are large and sprawling, so give them plenty of space. Blondkopfchen is undoubtedly one of the BEST TASTING cherry tomatoes. Deliciously sweet with a slight citrusy tart finish. I have had this in our garden as our favorite snacking tomato for many years and use this cherry tomato for introducing tomatoes to kids who claim they don't like tomatoes. Just put this in your mouth and see if you can keep from smiling. For many years TomatoFest has been one of the few commercial sources for these special tomato seeds.A Non-cracking, disease resistant tomato variety that grows well in most climates including cooler growing regions.

2. Aunt Lucy's Italian Paste: (as described directly from the Tomatofest website)- Originally from Italy via Toni Casell's Aunt Lucy. Our TomatoFest organic tomato seeds produce indeterminate, regular-leaf tomato plants that yield abundant crops of 2", red, round, meaty tomatoes with classically delicious sweet/tart flavors so well respected with the old Italian tomato varieties. Fruit contains few seeds. A wonderful tomato for tomato sauce or slicing into a tomato salad.Rare tomato seeds. TomatoFest is one of the only commercial opportunities to find this heirloom tomato.

3. Black Prince: (as described directly from the Tomatofest website)- Originally from Siberia, this is one of the most popular and favored black tomatoes. Originally introduced from Irkutsk, Russia and is regarded as a "true Siberian tomato" that does very well in cooler climates. Until only recently this was considered a rare variety in the United States. However, it's popularity has grown so much in Russia that there is now a company in Volograd that is producing an extract of the Black Prince called "Black Prince Tomato Oil." The Black Prince tomato is said to have considerable health benefits beyond the presence of lycopene. These deep garnet round, 2-inch (2-3 oz.) tomatoes are full of juice and incredibly rich fruity flavors. This is a tomato that chefs I deliver to rave about for it's rich flavors. The small fruits contain deep rich colors on the inside. Perfect for patio gardens. Perfect for eating fresh, and in cooking in tomato sauce or other culinary wonders.

4. Red Pear: (as described directly from the Tomatofest website)- One of the oldest American heirlooms dating back to the 1700's. Big, prolific, regular leaf, sprawling plant produces hundreds of cute, deep-red, 1/2" x 1 1/2" pear-shaped fruits with wonderfully sweet and juicy flesh. A wonderful snacking or salad tomato that really fancies up a salad when served whole

5. Early Annie: (as described directly from the Tomatofest website)- A short heirloom variety that produces 3-inch, round, meaty fruits with few seeds. Particularly good for canning. Fruit sets all at once.

6. Long Tom: (as described directly from the Tomatofest website)- Old family heirloom originally sent to Ben Quisenberry by a friend living in Pennsylvania. Our TomatoFest organic seeds produce indeterminate, regular-leaf, vigorous plants that bear huge amounts of very long (up to 9 inches), meaty, red paste tomatoes with very few seeds. Their sweet flavor and meaty texture make this an excellent choice as a sauce tomato. Also good as a salad tomato or just for eating fresh off the vine. Tomatoes hardly ever crack. This is a superior paste tomato that is one of Gary Ibsen's favorites. Another wonderful novelty tomato.

7. Hawaiian Currant: (as described directly from the Tomatofest website)- A sweet red, pea-sized currant that holds fruit on clusters until all are ripe. A very sweet and tasty treat. Hawaiian Currant tomatoes are a sure winner in children's gardens around the world. All TomatoFest tomato seeds are certified organic. Go ahead, give them a try!

8. Big White Pink Stripe: (as described directly from the Tomatofest website)- Pale-peach colored 4-inch globe slicer with pinkish blush on blossom end and peach-cream colored flesh inside. Meaty fruits with tropical flavor similar to melon but slight sweet-tart tang.

And as a SPECIAL GIFT, they sent me another variety.....

9. Aker's West Virginia: (as described directly from the Tomatofest website)- A family heirloom tomato of Craig Lehoullier's friend, Carl Aker of Pennsylvania. Originally from West Virginia. These organic tomato seeds produce a vigorous highly productive, regular leaf, heirloom tomato plant that yields an excellent set of large, 10 to 16-ounce, deep-red, slightly flattened tomatoes in clusters of 2. Fruits show little or no cracking and have a well balanced sweetness to acidity. Delicious, robust flavors.

I am so excited to give them all a try!!!! Again, the website to order these and MANY others is www.tomatofest.com. I'll update you all on the progress, however, if I do not kill them, you'll know they are AWESOME seeds...... If I kill them, they are probably still AWESOME seeds, just not for those of us trying to cure a black thumb.

SNOW SNOW EVERYWHERE!!

Since winter can be a slow on the news of gardening, I figured this week, I'll post about the snow. IT IS EVERYWHERE AND A LOT OF IT! We received somewhere in the neighborhood of about

a foot and a half. Up north, just literally 45 minutes to an hour north, my friend has received over 3 feet and further north than her, even more. So strange how weather works.

In the meantime, I was able to get out with the kids to sled ride and build a snowman. The mercury in the thermometer finally moved from -22 up to 30 degrees. Perfect weather for playing in the snow. Now, no one should be surprised when I say, "I hate winter". It used to be my favorite season, but as I am aging, I find it less and less appealing. It could also be that I

went from being hot all the time to freezing even in summer...... so at-22 degrees, I feel like it is even colder yet. I do LOVE the first snowfall and really most snowfalls as long as I don't have to go out in it. I like the deafening quiet that happens during a big snow, before the trucks get out to salt. The snow on the branches and plants is beautiful, before the wind kicks up. But before long it becomes a slushy, dirty mess..... and it is cold to boot. So while I enjoyed my time in the snow, I AM looking forward to spring and even more towards summer!!!

The Snow is Falling.....

and I am nestled up in my house, reading gardening books. I am longing to put my hands back into the dirt and try for yet another summer to grow stuff. Recently, I found a great website where one can order Heirloom tomatoes and really almost any type of tomato that is out there. The website is http://www.tomatofest.com/ . They also have many varieties of organic tomatoes!!! I am so excited to plan my garden and get started seeding this spring!!!!

I checked some books out of the library and was breezing thru them to see what I could possibly grow in the shaded part of my yard. You know, where I did the patio and thought had partial sun, to find out once everything grew in that it is pretty much full shade. It receives sun only as the sun is setting. So I am looking for flowering plants that thrive in shade and survive the Pittsburgh winters. Not many out there!!! But while looking for them, I found "snow drops". I think I need to get my hands on some of them...... They bloom in January or February, I think, and they sound perfect for me as the blues of the winter set in!!! Flowers blooming always make me smile..... especially if I planted them!!!!

Turning over a new leaf in 2009

Happy New Year to all! It's 2009 and time to turn over a new leaf. As promised, I will be blogging on a weekly basis...... Although I am sure my readership is nill at this moment! And So It Goes!

This time of year my holly bushes are blooming quite nicely. I will be taking pictures of them soon and will post them. They look so festive, but are in very inconspicuous places in the yard. The crappy ivy kind of hides them under it's creepy crawly vines but when you get to the meat of the plant you see the cute little red round berries juxtaposed against the pointy dark green leaves. Such an awesome looking plant!!!

Aside from that plant though, my yard is sleeping until the spring when, hopefully, my 100's of red tulips, yellow daffodils and purple, yellow and cream crocuses emerge but not forgetting my beautiful purple irises.

I have also been searching for books about flowers and plants that grow in PA. Today I found two at Barnes and Noble, but didn't buy them. I am going to check them out of my library to see if they are worthy enough to purchase. This lady needs all of the knowledge she can find!!! If anyone reads this blog and has suggestions on good books to have, please let me know!!!

Till next post, Stay Green!