Pink Honey

Pink Honey is a large 6-10 oz heart shaped indeterminate, reg. leaf variety from Russia.  Pink Honey is the translated name from Russia and was introduced to America by Andrey Baranovski of Minsk, Belarus.

Neil Lockhart of Oblong Illinois had received Pink Honey seeds from Andrey and offered some to the Seed Savers yearbook in 2007.

This will be a new variety for me this year that I cannot wait to try.  For anyone who has grown Pink Honey before, I would be curious to hear your feedback on this variety.  

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. 

2013 Grow List

Here is my updated version of 2013's grow list.  I just finished sowing seeds yesterday- what a relief!
I listed them in alphabetically order, and will hyperlink each variety as I write up descriptions for each one.

1. Amish Paste
2. Aunt Gertie's Gold
3. Black Cherry
4. Black From Tula
5. Blush
6. Brandywine Pink
7. Cartago Pear
8. Casino Chips
9. Cherokee Purple
10. Dester
11. Dr. Carolyn
12. Dragoevo
13. Durmitor
14. Fish Lake Oxheart
15. Galina's Yellow
16. Giannini
17. Granny's Heart
18. Green Giant
19. Green Zebra Cherry
20. Hoy
21. Indian Stripe
22. Joe's Pink Oxheart
23. KBX
24. Kellogg's Breakfast
25. Kimberley
26. Kosovo
27. Kukla's Portuguese Beef
28. Lvinoe Serdtse ( Lions Heart)
29. Mama Leone
30. Medovaya Kaplya
31. Mortgage Lifter
32. Opalka
33. Orange Minsk
34. Padarok Fei ( Gift of the Fairy)
35. Pervaya Lyubuv (First Love)
36. Pink Honey
37. Reisentomate
38. St. Pierre
39. Stupice
40. Ted's Pink Current
41. Tomatito De Jalapa
42. Terhune
43. Wild Sweetie

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.  

Dester

Dester is a family heirloom from Germany that has gained much popularity among many tomato growers for its outstanding flavor.   This is a regular leaf, indeterminate plant that produces large pink beefsteak shaped fruit, weighing in at about a pound. 

I have not grown this variety yet, but was told that Dester is a great slicing tomato that is very meaty and juicy- an absolutely mouth watering tomato that deserves to be grown in everyone’s garden.   Well I certainly cannot wait to sink my teeth into this one.  TO BE CONTINUED...

The history behind this heirloom is that a family from Indiana by the name Dester, had acquired the seed from Germany and shared it with there housekeeper, Anna during the 1970’s.  Anna later on had shared this variety with a man named Larry D. Pierce, who is a grower for Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.

Since I have not grown this variety yet, unfortunately have no photos of my own; which is why I would like to thank Kath from Tomatoville for letting me use her beautiful photos.  Thanks Kath!