This past spring, we’ve been working with local farmers helping grow our local seed community by saving seeds on their farm. You can read more about this project here, which was funded by Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE). Although tomato season seems so far away, we are gathering up our seeds and getting organized to start planting in January! This season, three varieties come from local farmers! It’s so awesome to save these locally, as each year the plants get more and more attuned and adapted to our climate.
Jaune Flamme
Jaune Flamme was recommended to us years ago by Cody at Siembra Farm. We fell in love with this tasty, bright, medium-sized fruit too and its become a staple for us. We’ve saved the seeds for a few seasons, and then passed them along to Siembra Farm, who grew them for their market and for seed. It’s a great size and always gets glowing flavor reviews, being sweet and fruity. Someone described it as a grown up Sungold, a more mature flavor than the intensely sweet Sungold and a nice handful size fruit. The resident Siembra ducks loved them too following us to the shed, sneaking some along the way and out of our harvest crates!
Conie Pink
Conie Pink has been around for many years, but only recently available to the general public through our seed shop. Farmers Charlie and Christine of Hammock Hollow Farm have been saving this one for years. We’re not really sure of its origins, but it was selected from an odd plant among a long row of others that really stood out to them for how well it did and how tasty the fruits were. Ever since, they’ve been saving it and we’ve been able to share the seeds with everyone that wants to grow it. In 2022 when we visited the farm, we were shocked to see the difference between this locally adapted variety and a hybrid hoop house variety. Side by side, Conie Pink was prolific, dark green, flowering, fruiting and doing well. The other variety was dead. Same location and care. What a difference! Local seed for the win!
Bellevue Cherry
Bellevue Cherry is from Tommy Simmons of Bellevue Gardens in Archer, Florida. Never have we ever seen a cherry tomato so robust and prolific! This plant is certainly adapted to Florida and thrives when provided good growing conditions. Loads of large sized red cherry tomatoes ripen all season long. This is our go-to cherry tomato recommendation. There’s a little variability in fruit sizes and shapes, but we like diversity over uniformity. Tommy is a long time seed saver, and has saved most of this farm’s seeds over the years, purchasing very little.
All varieties are available as seed, or can be pre-ordered as plants now through December 15, for local pick up in March at GROW HUB! While you’re there, check out our other great varieties!
