St. Pierre

This old French variety is a great slicing and canning tomato; was donated to the USDA in 1963.  St. Pierre is a very popular tomato in the Paris markets dating back to the 1880’s.  The plant is regular leaf and indeterminate, producing red round fruit- 2-6 oz with an outstanding sweet flavor

This will be my first year growing this variety, I have grown Opalka and Amish Paste in previous years, but this year I will also give this variety a try as a canning tomato.  Must be good if its been a popular market tomato since the 1880's!

Kimberley

This year I am going to try growing an early variety called Kimberley.  As I have mentioned in previous post that I typically grow Stupice as my early variety- this year I will switch it up.  I like the fact that it is a variety that is hardy in Canada, which comforts me knowing that it should do just fine in my garden here in NY.

Kimberley is an indeterminate potato leaf that produce small 1-2 oz red rounded fruit.  The flavor has been described to me as a very strong flavor- sweet and juicy.  Days to maturity are between 50-55 days.

Kimberly was developed by John de Rocque of Kimberley, BC, Canada.  The correct spelling should be Kimberley and not Kimberly.  As Tatiana notes on her website, that too many seed sources have adopted the name Kimberly. http://t.tatianastomatobase.com:88/wiki/Kimberley

There has been talk that Kimberley is a cross between Siberia and Tiny Tim; however this has left doubt with many growers due to the unlikeness that 2 reg. leaf and dwarf varieties will produce an indeterminate potato leaf. 

Giannini

This variety is also known as “Eleanor’s Tomatoes”, and or “Frank’s Tomatoes”, in parts of Maine.  From what I have read, the story goes something like this.  

Back in the 1970’s, Eleanor Gray of Bristol Maine had given some seed to a book store manager named Frank.  Eleanor had told Frank that she was told that the seeds originated from Italy. 

Later on Shelley Sparrow of Minnesota had got the seeds from Frank the book store manager and had given some to Carolyn Male in 2008.  Carolyn listed them in the SSE listing in 2009 and also offered them in her seed offer that year at Tomatoville.

What we still do not know about this wonderful variety is who named it?  We just know that Shelley mentioned that Eleanor's stepson had got the plants from an elderly man in Shresbury Ma in about 1969, and was told that the seeds came from Italy.

Giannini is a great slicing tomato that is very juicy- too juicy to be a paste; Indeterminate, regular wispy leaf type.  This plum tomato is elongated- 3-5 inches long, weighing between 5-6 oz.  

Stupice

For as long as I have been growing tomatoes, Stupice has been my go to plant for early producing fruit.  I have no complaints with this variety.  It has a sweet and tangy taste that I enjoy.  Stupice is an indeterminate, potato leaf that will mature within 50- 60 days of transplant.

 It is from Czechoslovakia and is pronounced (stoo-peech-ka).  It is questionable to whom the original hybridizer is.  I have read that M. Sodomka had given Forest Shomer, founder of Abundant Life Seed Foundation some seed in the 1970’s

Stupice is a great variety to choose for an early producer.  It not only produces early, but long into the season as well.  The fruits vary between 2 to 4 oz.  in clusters of three to five.  This year I am actually going to give another early variety to try called Kimberly.  I can’t wait to compare the two.