VERMONT STATE TOMATO

VERMONT STATE TOMATO

Yesterday, January 8, 2007, I ate our last tomatoes—that is, the last tomatoes we had grown ourselves. Brought in as teenie greenies back when the hard frosts arrived, in November, they had gradually matured and turned red. I wouldn’t call them flavor champions, but they were tasty, and best of all they were mercifully free from all the stuff in which the “perfect” supermarket tomatoes were probably soaked to ward off Southern weeds and bugs.
They were Romas.
For the first time, but not the last, we had experimented with growing our tomatoes in five-gallon buckets rather than putting them out in the clay area where the slugs celebrate various summer fairs and festivals, many of which concern vegetables. First-timers that we were, we didn’t have enough good soil to fill the buckets to the brim, and weren’t sure which varieties to plant.
To cut to the finale, Brandywine (promise of big red ones, but with too long a growing season for us) literally flopped. Sweet 100 just about paid back all our costs with its clusters of mini-tomatoes, which came in first. But our beloved Romas once again proved the best producers.
There are some types of tomatoes bred for container gardening (apparently there’s a Windowbox Roma), but try to find flats of them at the local garden store. Someone who would like to make some money, perhaps as a school class fund-raiser, should advertise that for a fee they will start your seeds under lights and in their greenhouse—with you sending the seeds.
But much as I like to experiment, the vigorous and bountiful Roma would be my choice for a Vermont Tomato. The plants are “determinate,” which means you don’t really have to prune them, because they lack the desire to conquer the world shown by many varieties. The clusters of medium-size fruits will supply either sauce- and salsa-makers or salad enthusiasts. The chunky little ovals are not as frustrating to can as the more watery round varieties, and they dry better. They are less apt to bruise if you grow too many (very easy) and want to give some away. They last and last once brought indoors--I’ve even used one as the star on a Christmas tree.
And if you let them go long enough for them to start showing signs of illness, usually you can cut off that end (the meatier interior has more compartmentalization that with round tomatoes) and immediately gulp down the rest, because they’re at maximum sweetness just before they decide to try a mid-life career change as compost.
Vermont’s climate may actually make it easier to domesticate Romas. Here’s a North Carolina contributor to a nice gardening site called Dave’s Garden (the following is at http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/30674):
“On Mar 25, 2003, Piedmont_NC wrote:
‘VERY productive, with over 100 tomatoes per plant. Excellent for canning, sauces, and salsa. Plum shaped, but about 1.5 times larger than a plum.

Although this is a bush variety, I would recommend at least a 4 foot tall cage. My 3 foot cages got pulled out of the ground by this vigorous plant!

Another great point: very disease resistant.

If I were to choose one variety for an inexperienced gardener, this would be it. Easy to grow, and LOTS of tasty tomatoes!’”
If you’re serious about extending the tomato-eating season, look in catalogs for winter-keeper varieties like Criterion. Make sure to wash what you bring into the house in the fall, both red and green, and dip each tomato in a weak Chlorox-and-water mixture to kill off your fungal competitors (about one sodium hydroxide to ten hydrogen dioxide, if I remember rightly—I think I’ll call the Master Gardener hotline on that one). Some sources say to wrap them in newspaper, but then how do you know which ones are ready or going bad? Do put a pad of something underneath, like a few Rutland Heralds, so any that ooze don’t contaminate a bunch of others. Store them in something with enough of a lid to keep them from drying out, and don’t forget to check them.
I’m an unrepentant former back-to-the-lander, so I’m delighted to see a critical mass of concern developing over importing so much of our food. I hope to see the day when people talk about the different breeds of winter squash, and which ones the kids like best as dried “candy” (cut into thin strips, put near the stove, throw those oily potato chips in the fire for additional drying heat). I want to see the local “chicken tractor” garden get as much attention as the latest celebrity scandal (divide the land half and half, raise chickens on one half and garden on the other, switch halves each year). I’d like to see Red Landon recognized for all the work he’s done on how to grow mushrooms (anyone remember the Thursday Extra I did on his homestead in Shrewsbury?). I long for the day when neighbors see someone digging in the snow out back of their house in December and say “I’ll bet they still have brussels sprouts.” I want to see the LEEDS point system for honoring the best “green” construction include extra points for walling off a root cellar on the other side of the basement from the furnace. The pilot of a small plant cruising over a town ought to see flash after flash from the window glass of living room solariums.
Though we don’t have the land for a very big garden, and are shaded by neighboring trees, you can bet we’ll be growing tomatoes in buckets again. And you can bet the majority will be Lycopersicum lycopersicon, cultivar “Roma.”

Comments

[Gardening Seeds]

Thank you very much for the information I really appreciate it!!

[Sildenafil Citrate]

I think I’ll call the Master Gardener hotline on that one

[Sildenafil Citrate Soft Tabs]

VERY productive, with over 100 tomatoes per plant.

great!!

[Cheap Tadalafil]

Congratulations on your page, it is really interesting

[medicine no prescription]

Your page is really good!! Great stuff on it

[buy kamagra]

helpful site, keep the good work!!!!

[Pharmacy Drugstore]

Your site is a good

[Gerald S]

Do not be ashamed to talk to your doctor, physician or pharmaceutics about this issues, ask them if Levitra, Viagra or Cialis are right for you and go ahead and change you life. Get control, pleasure and satisfaction back in your life with Levitra. For more Information visit: http://www.erectyle-dysfunction.com/

[Generic Viagra]

When you order generic viagra you will never fail at getting an erection so you will loose the fear which holds you back from engaging in sexual intercourse.

I will continue to order generic viagra and I hope that all men who suffer from impotence will do so as well, since to order generic Viagra online is the best idea to save up a couple of dollars.

[John R]

Comments please

[Order Generic Viagra]

I cannot say that suffering from erectile dysfunction is any fun at all; as a matter of fact it is one of the worst things which have happened to me ever.

[Online pharmacy]

Good comments and site... very well!!! thanks!

[Prescription Drugs]

Yesterday, January 8, 2007, I ate our last tomatoes—that is, the last tomatoes we had grown ourselves.

[Buy Viagra]

i`m ok with your coment, stay firm

[Generic Viagra]

Congratulations to those who made this blog, because this really good, keep doing it this way

[Soft Cialis]

Hello
great post thanks for sharing a informative
Thanks

[Cialis Prescription]

I plant tomatoes in a different way I was taught in the school of agriculture.But thank you for sharing your way to.

[Online Pharmacy]

There are many ways to grow?

[Buy Cialis]

I would like to learn in detail the thecnic to grow organic tomatoes

[Cialis Side Effects]

My father taught me to grow organic tomatoes and now we have our own family business

[Dental Care]

the tomatos of vermont state are very tasteful I like them so much.

[Elderly Man]

You should seek a larger area where you can put in your tomatoes

[Canadian Online Pharmacy]

the quality of farm products of Vermont is really high so I'm not surprised about this post

[Libido Foods]

I have ten years without visit my natal Vermont, I feel very sad about that.

[Health Wellness]

Your page is very interesting I enjoyed a lot is very nice.