Black Amish Black Amish Posted on: 06-29-2013 A wonderful apple and quite stunning in appearance. Although not mentioned in any old catalogs or other apple literature, it is believed to have originated in Pennsylvania. A very dependable annual bearer of dark red apples which hang well on the tree. Fruit is large to very large with varying shades of red and deep maroon depending on the amount of sun exposure. The yellowish flesh is crisp, fine-grained and very juicy with a refreshing tangy-sweet flavor. Ripens September to October. BlackAmishFruit Directory of apple varieties starting with B Blushing Golden apple Fruit is yellow with up to 50% of the fruit surface covered with a dirty orange-pink blush. Waxy yellow skin is rough, bruise resistant and will not shrivel even in storage. Flesh is yellowish white with a subacid flavor and a fermented aftertaste. Shape is conic and fruits weigh 0.35 to 0.4 pounds. A full rich flavor that develops in storage.

Amishland Heirloom Colors Tomato Seeds Black & Purple | White | Green The familiar red that Americans associate with tomatoes is only one of the many colors of this delightful fruit. From pale white ones, very popular with the Victorians, to black and other unfamiliar colors as well. Perhaps the most surprising are the green when ripe ones, which are spicy and sweet. Tomatoes which hale from Russia and its environs are often deep mahogany or brick red tending towards a blackish purple. For those unfamiliar with this coloration, they may be afraid to try it, however the richness of the flavor wins over all who taste them. Be sure to have a look at the Belarusian/Ukrainian/Russian Tomato page as well for more selections of Other Colors of tomatoes. All seed packs are $3.00 each CLICK ON EACH SMALL PHOTO TO SEE A LARGER VERSION OF THAT PHOTO Black, Purple Tomatoes **NEW FOR 2017** ~ D.B. COOPER TOMATO I have no idea why this tomato was named this. It was selected and stabilized by Millard Murdock of East Flat Rock, North Carolina from a bee cross between Marianna's Peace Tomato and an unknown black variety.

It was his choice of a name I guess. The story goes about D.B. Cooper, from a Washington Post article, "It is the only unsolved hijacking of a commercial airliner in the country�s history: Who was the man known as �D.B. Cooper� who took control of a Northwest Orient jet shortly before Thanksgiving in 1971 and parachuted out with $200,000?... It all began Nov. 24, 1971, when a man who gave the name �Dan Cooper� bought a ticket on a Northwest Orient flight from Portland, Ore. to Seattle. As the plane took off, Cooper gave an attendant a note saying he possessed a bomb and then demanded $200,000. After the plane landed in Seattle, the passengers got off safely and the cash was brought aboard, but the crew stayed. Cooper ordered the flight to head to Mexico, but as the jet flew over a forest in Washington state, the plane�s back staircase opened and he jumped out with the money strapped to his body. He was never found.

Law enforcement authorities had an artist draw up a now-famous portrait, known as the �Bing Crosby� sketch, showing a man in dark horn-rimmed sunglasses and suit. Numerous suspects made headlines � more than a 1,000 were looked at � but none were ever charged with the crime. The bureau has also never ruled out that the hijacker could have been killed upon landing in the forest. The biggest lead came in 1980 when a family happened upon $5,800 in cash whose serial numbers matched the money that had been given to Cooper. This summer, there was a burst of Cooper news. The History channel aired a documentary about a group of investigators who believed they had found their man: Robert �Bob� W. Rackstraw, a Vietnam War veteran and explosives expert who has over the years teased the public with denials and non-denials that he is Cooper. (He now insists that he is not.) The other development: The FBI officially closed the case." At any rate, this is a great tomato despite its odd nomenclature. It is a potato leafed variety and is borne on short vines. The coloring was all over the place ranging from dark red to deep purple black.

It also threw out all sizes of fruit, ranging from 8 to 20 oz. ! It as very early in the season and then sat there during the heat, and then at the end of season popped out some really big beefsteak sized fruit. Well worth trying out for the name alone and the fun of it all. ONE PACK = 15 of my own fresh organically grown seeds,( taken from all colorations and sizes of fruit this season) TRUE BLACK BRANDYWINE TOMATO ~ RARE! I got my original seeds years ago from seed collector and food writer, William Woys Weaver, of Devon, Pennsylvania. I have grown this lovely deep purple/black tomato on and off for years but didn't get around to listing it on my website until this year for the 2016 season. It did spectacularly this summer! About its history, Weaver says: "The 'true' Black Brandywine was bred sometime in the late 1920s by Dr. Harold E. Martin (1888-1959), a dentist turned plant breeder who is best remembered today for his famous pole lima with huge seeds. Dr.

Martin lived in Westtown, PA, only a few miles from his grandfather's place in West Chester, and the two were gardening buddies... According to his grandfather, Black Brandywine was a controlled cross between Brandywine and the original brown Beefsteak tomato otherwise known as Fejee Improved. Fejee Improved is now probably extinct." It is the deep, earthy sweet winelike flavor that keeps me growing 'true' Black Brandywine year after year. It was one of the earliest of my larger fruited tomatoes to ripen and kept it up until the end of summer. Be sure to add this one to your "Brandywine Tomato" collection. Also be sure to look at my other famed Brandywine varieties: BRANDYWINE PINK -SUDDUTH'S STRAIN, PINK BRANDYWINE TOMATO, BRANDYWINE TOMATO-GLICK'S STRAIN STRAIN, all on the Pink Tomato Page . ONE PACK = 10 of my own fresh organically grown seeds CREME BRULEE TOMATO ~ Sweet as dessert and prettier too! ~ This amazing tomato from the former USSR was a real standout in my gardens this summer.

Starting out deep green, the fruits darkened to a deep rich brown just like the color of the topping on the classic French dessert Creme Brulee. Creme Brulee translates literally as "burnt cream." Their color is really like caramel with some chocolate thrown in. This tomato was very early and way prolific. Medium sized. It just never stopped all season long. I got scads of the sweet, rich, winey tasting fruits that were also amazingly good "keepers." Their beauty just shimmered on the vine and in the bowl as you can see in the photo. This will be a great market tomato as well as for the home garden. Just for fun, click here for a Creme Brulee recipe , by Ina Garten. ONE PACK = 20 fresh organically grown seeds. CHOCOLATE MIRACLE TOMATO ~ aka SHOKOLAD CHUDO TOMATNYY ~ As Albert Einstein said: "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." I believe everything is a miracle. And Miracle of Miracles!

A tomato even MORE WONDERFUL than my legendary "Chocolate Amazon/Amazon Chocolate Tomato" (please see the Belarusian/Ukrainian/Russian tomato page for details, 3/4 of the way down page) You know that phrase "death by chocolate"? Yep, that is what everyone wanted- to just die and go to heaven eating "Chocolate Miracle Tomato. This is another spectacular black/chocolate brown Russian tomato!! I don't think even my thesaurus can give me enough adjectives to describe the deeply chocolately sweet, rich, flavor of this beauty. Ok, Miraculous for starters, swell, dandy, terrific, amazing, astounding ... you get the picture! Huge fruit nearly double the size of Amazon Chocolate. Perfect oblate tomatoes, each one flawless. I never grew such large beefsteaks that remained so perfect. They started out very deep, brick red/brown in color and later in the season they got more milk chocolate in color. The plants weren't large, about 3 1/2 to 4 feet at most, but watch out for that heavy crop of MONSTER SIZED fruits! Weighing in at 1-1/2 to 2 pounds each, they never stopped pumping out.

And they certainly out produced my personal favorite "Chocolate Amazon," which I also grew out this summer. Well, they outgrew all my other large fruited tomatoes this summer. But what you want to really know is how yummy, to-die-for delicious they are? When I gave out slices for my summer taste tests, the looks of pure bliss on everyone's faces just said it all. I should have taken photos of those smiles. This was the all out winner of this and many a year's taste tests. It difficult to put into words that wine-like richness and the smooth creamy texture. The Russians prefer to eat theirs a bit more underripe while they are slightly greenish. I prefer them sweetly soft. To the best of my knowledge I am only one of two commercial sources of Chocolate Miracle Tomato in the USA. ONE PACK = 10 OF MY OWN ORGANICALLY GROWN SEEDS. BLUE BEAUTY TOMATO ~ The name of this tomato just says it all! This luscious blue fruited tomato was the one that stopped everyone in their tracks when they saw it. Deep blue, almost black/purple coloration on the tops of the tomatoes with lovely pinkish/purple bottoms.

A special selection from master tomato breeder Brad Gates of Wild Boar Farms, from a cross between ‘Beauty King’ and a blue tomato. It was the earliest to ripen in my garden this summer. They started out very pink at first and then got that dark blue coloration by mid August. The interior is a pretty pinkish purple. These gorgeous, deep blue-black shoulders make these tomatoes unique and so showy, They would be super for market growers. This is a lovely anthocyanin variety with excellent anti-oxidant ability. Also the fruits hold well on the vine. They seemed oblivious to sunburn. Good sweet flavor in mostly half pound fruits although the size seemed to vary a lot even on one plant. If you want to really impress your fellow gardeners, and amaze children and visitors alike, then "Blue Beauty" is the one to grow. ONE PACK - 20 fresh organically grown open pollinated seeds. ~BING CHERRY BLUE TOMATO~ This is a very exciting breeding sensation originally from my favorite tomato person, Tom Wagner.

Here is a short biography from his website: "Tom Wagner always had a passion for hybridizing plants, and at age 8 on a family farm near Lancaster, Kansas, he was making his first crosses in the garden. 2013 marks Tom’s 60th year in making crosses or recognizing natural or accidental crosses. Ever since those days, he has been collecting varieties of tomatoes, potatoes, corn and other crops and creating his own heirlooms, so to speak. So his first venture in seed sales of his own varieties was in 1983 when he listed some favorite lines in a catalog called TATER MATER SEEDS. That first catalog was printed in a church basement using the old mimeograph equipment when it wasn't being used for church bulletins. During the four or five years of its existence …. varieties such as Green Zebra and Green Grape became near instant “Heirlooms” within a few short years.

Tom Wagner Seeds will be featuring many tomato varieties increasing with full color photos and he has, by his own reckoning, many thousands of yet unreleased breeding lines of tomatoes." My fabulous "Summer Cider," "Vintage Wine," "Schimmeig Striped Hollow" and "Schimeig Creg" are all his breeding work. "Bing Cherry" is a deep blue cherry sized tomato grown out in my garden from seeds I originally acquired from Tom Wagner. I also got seeds of several others in his blue series but this was the one that was consistant even in its second year. Charming, prolific plants with fruits that look just like real ripe bing cherries, needless to say, deep purpley blue with an undercover color of burgundy red. Fairly short plants with regular foliage. They are very unusual as they also have some purple tinge on the leaf edges and fruit stems. The round cherries start out green with with purple shoulders. Later on they ripen to deep blue with that red undertone They can look almost translucent. They are so showy on the vine or in your salads or just in a bowl to "fool" people into thinking they are actually cherries. They have good, mild sweet flavor.

And you will get the added bonus of the high anthocyanin (the deep blue color) a rich antioxidant which helps to fight disease. This is the one to really impress your gardening friends. So, go get the blues! You wont feel "down," I promise. INCREASED SEED COUNT ONE PACK - 20 fresh organically grown open pollinated seeds. TASMANIAN CHOCOLATE TOMATO ~ ANOTHER SWEET ONE FOR YOUR CHOCOLATE COLLECTION! Perfect for Containers- This is a newly bred open pollinated tomato. It is a stabilized cross from "New Big Dwarf" (a historic large fruited pink dwarf) and "Paul Robeson", (another great dark tomato which I am newly offering this year.) It was bred in 2006 by Patrina Nuske Small in Australia, and further bred and named by Linda Reid of Tasmania, hence the name. Others involved in its development are these famous tomato people: Craig LeHoullier, Lee Newman, Greg Fee, Michael Volk, Tim McElroy, Howard Kushner, Paul Fish and Bill Minkey.

This is a short plant part of a dwarf breeding project, only getting about 3 to 4 feet high at the most, although mine were more like only 2 feet. So it's great for container growing. It has what is referred to as rugose foliage, which are rather pretty wavy leaves not at all like on most tomatoes . The rich flavor is full and and nicely balanced between sweet and tart, but more on the sweet side I would say. The fruits are just a great chocolate brown/red color. My photo really doesn't do justice to their beauty. I am really excited to add this to my "candy box" of chocolate varieties. Please see my famous "Amazon Chocolate" and the truly beautiful "Chocolate Stripes", and my own two crosses the "Li'l Fudge Ribbed" and "Li'l Fudge Smooth," which I also carry. Tasmanian Chocolate is a really rare newly introduced variety. Be the first to lick your lips and eat this sweet chocolate baby in your own garden. 10 of my own fresh organcally grown seeds. VERNISSAGE BLACK TOMATO ~ Unique Black From the Ukraine Last march I received the most fabulous surprise.

In a large padded envelope was a gift of many seeds from Ukrainian tomato breeder, Ruslan Doochov (as he spelled it in his letter -evidently it is also spelled Dukhov when translated). He enclosed a rather badly Google translated letter with his all his breeding history and credentials and a personal note to ask me to grow them. I was so excited I could hardly contain myself. Also in the package were his own photos of the tomatoes he enclosed. The "Vernisagge" ones were the most beautiful. At first I thought the word referred to their lovely stripes but at last I found out it means "a special advance showing for an art exhibition, originating from a celebration of the completion of a piece of artwork." That is such a way wonderful way to say his own original breeding produced such "artworks" of fruit! I immediately started these precious gift seeds even though it was late March, way late in the season to start tomatoes in Pennsylvania. I certainly shouldn't have worried, as like most of the tomatoes from the Ukrainian area, they are super fast growers and can take many hardships.

This tomato, like its 3 other namesakes, positively jumpstarted and was able to catch up to the plants started 6-8 weeks earlier! I never saw such speedy growth. The "Vernisagge Striped Black Tomato" was the earliest of the series to throw out ripe fruit. It was the earliest in my garden after the "Old Ivory Egg". The fruits were all around 2 to 3 oz (ounces) and all were just perfect. No cracks, no catfacing, nothing but pure artistic beauty. Bigger than a cherry sort but not quite what is called "saladette" sized. They weren't quite as dark in color as Russlan's photos. I chalk this up to the difference in weather as we had record breaking heat and drought this 2012 summer here in Amishland. Ok, you know its gorgeous and a true masterpiece of breeding work, but how about taste? That's always the clincher. These dark beauties had a rich sublime taste like all the "blacks" I have grown. They have that smokey deepness of flavor you just don't get in other colors. Nice and juicy too.

And wowie zowie, prolific doesn't even begin to describe how many fruits these basically short vines threw out. The plants were about 4 feet high at most, but smothered in fruit. I mean smothered!! I guarantee you will be a delighted "art critic" with these tomatoes. As Ruslan promised, they are truly little artistic masterpieces. My photos don't do justice to their swirls ,stripes and colors. To the best of my knowledge, I am one of only two commercial sources of these rare tomatoes in the United States. Be sure to look for the rest of the series: Vernissage Green, Yellow and Pink, each listed on the pages on my website for those colors of tomatoes. I can't thank you enough, Ruslan Doochov, for sharing your artistry with my little seed company. It was truly the highpoint of my gardening season growing out all your creations! 10 of my own fresh organcally grown seeds. PAUL ROBESON TOMATO~ Splendidly flavored Black Russian Heirloom~ I was astonished by this tomato. I had heard many great stories of its sublime rich taste but adjectives leave a lot to be desired in trying to describe Paul Robeson.

It is definitely one the top 5 best tasting tomatoes I have ever tasted! And I have grown out over 130 kinds of heirloom tomatoes and tasted countless more. There is nearly a cult foodie following for this Russian rarity. Seeds were first made available by Marina Danilenko, a Moscow seedswoman. Paul Robeson (1898-1976) was one of the first black opera singers. He starred in "King Solomon’s Mine" in 1937. He was not only a renowned and charismatic operatic singer, but at a time in history when this was nearly impossible. Robeson was also a law school graduate, a gifted athlete, as well as a film star and stage actor. He is perhaps best known as a champion of civil and personal rights throughout the world, especially as an advocate of equal rights for Blacks. His unique abilities and artistry were known world-wide, especially in the Soviet Union. So that is where the name came for this unique "black" tomato came from - as a tribute to this amazing man. Ok, fascinating history, but what is it about the taste and unusual looks?

This is a deep maroonish/brown/red tomato that has a tangy zip, with a velvety smooth texture. It had that dusky, earthy, winey and the oh-so-hard-to-describe smokey taste. I feel you only get that depth of flavor with the deep colored tomatoes. This lovely color just didn't show up well on my photos. The shoulders tended to be a bit deep green in color. I believe in a less record breaking hot summer like we had here in Amishland, it would be a deeper color as well. This tomato variety evidently originates from Siberia and therefore sets fruits at lower temperatures. It certainly was one of my earliest tomatoes to ripen in the cold spring. Medium sized, 3 to 4-inch fruits tended to grow 2 on a spray. I am always interested in Black (Afro American) civil rights and history, as my dual major in college was African and Asian Studies. Paul Robeson was one of the most prominent and famous blacks of his or any generation. How exicitng for me to grow his namesake! And, as a huge plus, have it be one of the best tomatoes ever!!

INCREASED SEED COUNT ONE PACK - 20 fresh organically grown seeds. LI'L FUDGE TOMATO (Smooth) ~My Own Stabilized Cross!~ For years I have been growing out 2 crossed tomatoes, one with a smooth skin (this one) and one with slight ribs (Li'l Fudge Tomato - Ribbed). I have finally gotten the line stable, (that is when they will grow true from seeds). I keep 3 gardens and the "Li'l Fudge" kept showing up in the Pennsylvania German historic demonstration garden at the farm of Historic Schaefferstown Museum. Please click on this link for more information about this fine small museum where I have volunteered for many years: Historic Schaefferstown, Inc. For more personal info, their facebook page. and check out photos of the historic PA German 4 square raised bed garden where I grow and have donated all the vegetable seeds to. It appears that the "Li'l Fudge" came from a cross of "Tiffen Mennonite", "De Barreo Black- Russian" and "Eva's Purple Ball" tomatoes. It kept showing up right in the midst of where these were planted.

I do rotate the plantings from year to year from one quadrant to another but always in the same order. These little brown babies have a rich, sweet, winey taste that is so common to the black tomatoes. The interior has an unusual red brown gel around the seeds, not the deep green you find in most other "black" types. Really juicy and beyond prolific, you never saw so many medium-small fruit on one plant! I guarantee you will love this little tomato, so named because of its brownish red color and sweet as fudge, too. Be sure to try " Li'l Fudge-Ribbed" too. INCREASED SEED COUNT ONE PACK - 20 fresh organically grown open pollinated seeds. LI'L FUDGE TOMATO (Ribbed) ~My Own Stabilized Cross!~ For years I have been growing out 2 crossed tomatoes, one with a ribbed skin ( this one) and one with a smooth skin (Li'l Fudge Tomato -Smooth ). I have finally gotten the line stable, (that is when they will grow true from seeds).

I keep 3 gardens and the two "Li'l Fudge" tomatoes kept showing up in the Pennsylvania German historic demonstration garden at the farm of Historic Schaefferstown Museum. Please click on this link for more information about this fine small museum where I have volunteered for many years: Historic Schaefferstown, Inc. For more personal info, their facebook page. and check out photos of the historic PA German 4 square raised bed garden where I grow and have donated all the vegetable seeds to. It appears that both of the "Li'l Fudge" tomatoes came from a cross of "Tiffen Mennonite", " De Barreo Black- Russian" and "Eva's Purple Ball" tomatoes. It kept showing up right in the midst of where these were planted. I do rotate the plantings from year to year from one quadrant to another but always in the same order. These little brown babies have a rich, sweet, winey taste that is so common to the black tomatoes. The interior has an unusual red brown gel around the seeds, not the deep green you find in most other "black" types. "Li'l Fudge Ribbed" is more of a hollow sort inside with less meat.

Otherwise, there isn't a lot of difference beween the two. Really juicy and beyond prolific, you never saw so many medium-small fruit on one plant! I guarantee you will love this little tomato, so named because of its a brownish red color and sweet as fudge too. Be sure to try " Li'l Fudge-smooth" too. INCREASED SEED COUNT ONE PACK - 20 fresh organically grown open pollinated seeds. BLACK CHERRY TOMATO ~LIMITED QUANTITIES~ ORDER EARLY! Big black tomato flavor in a cherry package! This is the first truly black cherry-sized tomato. You will grow a whole slew of clusters of these dark little fruits so lovely they shimmer in the sun. They are a deep burgundy purple color with a bit of mahogany brown to it. Like all the best black tomato sorts they have that indescribable rich, smoky flavor. It possesses that wonderful burst in your mouth kind of flavor we all seek and seldom find. While this is normally a very prolific cherry tomato, I had the misfortune of placing it in the "black hole" area of the garden between two monstrously huge tomato plants, so it got no sun and was quite unhappy about it.

That is why I have a limited quantity this year. Trust me I will grow this winner again next season and will offer you scads of seeds, I promise. Try these mixed in a bowl with red, yellow and pink cherry tomatoes for a beautiful presentation. ~LIMITED QUANTITIES~ ORDER EARLY! 10 of my own fresh organically raised seeds. BLACK BEAR TOMATO RARE -SCARCE-~ I got this great new-to-me black tomato in a seed trade with N.M., my southern friend and "master of tomatoes." I have not found another commercial source of this great tomato, so I feel it may be rare and/or scarce. It is another great "black" tomato, with all those attributes that make us love the "blacks" so well. Smooth, creamy taste with that touch of rich wine flavor that I so love in a tomato, don't you?. These tended to vary a bit in shape and size ( see photo) but did not crack or "catface" like so many black tomatoes can. The vine was short and compact and didn't get out of hand like so many do. Rather early and it really seemed to take the late summer better than most fruits.

I though it was prolific for such a small plant and such large fruits. My fruits tended to be 1/2 to 3/4 of a pound (lb) and this was a severe drought and extra cool summer here in Amishland. I imagine in a better summer they would top out at a pound. I love the name and loved this good eating, slicing tomato as well. Try this rare beauty for yourself and see if you can "bear" to live without it! To the best of my knowledge I may be the only commercial seed source for these seeds. 10 fresh organically raised seeds. CARBON TOMATO ~A Perfect Black~ I had heard of Carbon for several years, and I have a liking for the traditionally rich flavor of black tomatoes. So I figured I would give it a try. Carbon was a nearly perfect midsized tomato that came in mid season and kept up nicely all season long. It grew on not out of hand vines that hardly needed staking. The really great thing about this tomato, was that unlike many of the dark hued ones, this one had great perfect mostly round fruit with little or no catfacing or cracks.

Fruits were mostly 8 to 12 ounces with some getting larger, as in the photo. I really liked this one, nice and prolific. A great one to add to your "black" collection. INCREASED SEED COUNT! ONE PACK - 15 fresh organically grown open pollinated seeds. TIM'S "BLACK RUFFLES" TOMATO - My friend Tim M. has a degree in botany and ecology, and worked under the tutelage of famous gardener, writer and foodways scholar, William Woys Weaver, (author of many books including my favorite: "Heirloom Vegetable Gardening"). Tim experimented for years with this fantastic tomato cross. After several seasons he stabilized it and he gave me a few plants and I grew them out this summer. They are the deepest shiny-garnet purple and very "ruffled" or "pleated" as its called in tomato nomenclature. This is his stable cross of 2 great tomatoes: Black Krim and Zapotec Pink Pleated. In this great new tomato, you get an even deeper purple color from its black parent and the fabulous ruffled shape from its wild Mexican Zapotec heritage.

Black Krim is described by Seed Saver's Exchange thus: "BLACK KRIM: Deep dark purplish-black skin with brick red flesh. Unusual rich smoky flavor, very intense. An early and heavy producer. From the Black Sea region of Russia. Introduced by Lars Olov Rosenstrom of Bromma, Sweden through the Seed Savers Exchange in 1990." Here is how I describe the other parent tomato, my ZAPOTEC PINK PLEATED : "Very Rare ~ Traditional Heirloom ~ My seed came originally from the Zapotec people of Oaxaca, Mexico. The Zapotecs, who live remotely in the high dry mountains of Mexico, call these "tomate enrrollado rojo." This is a real showstopper tomato! These unusual sweet, mild, fruits are large and pink with ruffles like a pleated dress! Its pleated shape makes it very ornamental. Wonderful sliced to show off its pretty scalloped edges. They can be stuffed and baked like a bell pepper or delicious served raw in salads. About 1/2 pound each or more. Yields are prolific. I truly believe these are the most ornamental tomatoes you can grow".

The result of Tim's breeding work is this wondrous new variety, which he calls "Black Ruffles." Great sweet, smoky taste, and a saturated lacquered color like no other tomato. Prolific yields and one of the few tomatoes that did not suffer from this past wet, rainy season. It kept pumping out these unusually lovely fruit until hard frost. The only other tomato to even come close to this deep purple color is the elusive "Purple Calabash" which I also sell. - To the best of my knowledge, these seeds are not available anywhere else! If you live near Lancaster, PA, Tim will be selling seedling plants of his tomato in spring at the "Landis Valley Museum Herbe and Garden Faire" on Mother's Day weekend. INCREASED SEED COUNT! ONE PACK - 20 fresh organically grown seeds White Tomatoes **NEW FOR 2017** ~ LOTUS TOMATO ~ in Russian translates as "LOTOS" Very Rare Russian White Tomato - My original seeds of this unusual and gorgeous white tomato were a gift from a generous customer of mine, R.B. Wow is all I can say! I adore white tomatoes and sell quite a few but this was very different.

First of all it grew out as a strange colored pale greenish fruit on a Potato Leafed plant. Then much later in the season, it turned a luminous white color. Very hard to catch its perfect beauty in a photo.And really it is its flavor that gets you. A very bright full flavor unusual in a white tomato. Sweet and fruity but still has that real full tomato flavor you don't get in the white sorts. Quite hard to describe. Dave D, my " official tomato taste tester" said : " delicate and juicy - would be good for a rainbow plate of tomato slices or better yet in a fruit salad ". I am very proud to be offering this rare Russian tomato. ONE PACK = 20 fresh organically grown seeds. ~ KENTUCKY VIVA WHITE TOMATO ~ aka "Yellow White," "Mrs. Lindsey," "Viva Lindsey's Kentucky Heirloom," "Viva's Lindsey�s Wedding" HARD TO FIND ~ Harold Martin of Hopkinsville, KY says he's the original source and describes it as an excellent late Fall tomato.

(Although my plants started making big ole' white ’maters by mid-August when this photo was taken.) It was a wedding present from the Martin family in 1904. Giving seeds as wedding gifts to give them a start in their new life was a tradition often used with newlyweds at that time. (See my "Nebraska Wedding" description for more on this custom.) This great white has been grown by Viva Lindsey's family for 100 years. This is a little known treasure of a tomato and difficult to find. Huge ivory to white fruit, turning pale yellow when very ripe. It sometimes has a pink blush on the bottom. Oh so sweet flavor is mild and light. Ky Viva White fruit can grow to more than a pound and up to 4+ inches across, although like many white types it does not keep well when picked. I’m a huge fan of all the white tomatoes and sell quite a few types, but this was a real joy to have found. It's best eaten right off the vine in your garden.

Like the gal I got the seeds from said: “Just take a spoon and eat it like dessert!" ONE PACK 15 Fresh organically grown seeds OLD IVORY EGG TOMATO Egg-zactly perfect for snacking and cooking! - Yep, it looks just like a chicken egg. Same size and shape and quite white until it ripens a bit and gets more creamy yellow. When really ripe it gets a slightly pink blush to it. Just gorgeous. At 1" by 2" it really is like growing your own Easter eggs. Of all the so-called egg shaped tomatoes this is the real deal. I'm so egg-cited about this little white baby. Supposedly sent to the USA by a Swedish seed saver, I had no idea that Sweden had their own tomatoes, but I have to say it was very cold hardy in early spring. This was my earliest tomato of the 2012 season. It kept pumping out so many fruits I couldn't even begin to keep up to save the seeds! I mean prolific doesn't even begin to describe the quantity of gorgeous fruits on only a few plants!! I bet I was picking a gallon a day when they started ripening.

And such sweet fruity flavor, vaguely lemony, not tart lemons but sweet lemonade, ya know? Egg-cellent flavor that is rare in so white a tomato. It is a very unusual color for a plum type tomato too. Old Ivory Egg would make a terrific white tomato sauce or a super "salsa blanco." Try this tomato - it might be egg-zactly what you have been looking for, especially if you are egg-centric. INCREASED SEED COUNT! -- top WHITE TOMESOL INCREASED SEED COUNT! I have always had a fondness for white tomatoes, but many are just plain bland. This newly rediscovered heirloom is fabulous! It has a wonderful fragrance, and for taste it is way up on my "tomato-taste-o-meter". Sweet, and creamy rich with great flavor, especially for a white fruit. These are not as pure white, as some of my other white tomato selections. They are more on the creamy pale yellow side of white and tend to have a pretty pink blossom end when ripe. You are sure to want these pretty, pale, blushing beauties in your garden. The superb flavor and low acidity more than makes up for their lack of pure white color.

Personally, I think these smallish, 8 oz. tomatoes are just beautiful. The plant grows to a reasonable size , with heavy yields, but doesn't get out of control like many tomato vines. It is indeterminate, which means it sets its lovely fruit all season. INCREASED SEED COUNT! ONE PACK - 20 fresh organically grown seeds OLIVER'S GERMAN WHITE / WEISSE TOMATO - I have always loved white tomatoes and have grown out many varieties. This is absolutely the purest white tomato I have ever grown! These have no pink, no blossom end marks, no yellow, just "pure-as-the-driven-snow" white flesh and skin. I got my original seeds from my German friend, Oliver, in a seed trade. He called them "Weisse", which is German for white. These had the most unusual growth habit, short vines in height, maybe 4-1/2 feet, but amazingly long branches, over 7-8 feet long, growing sideways! These were tough plants, they even survived a wind storm where they were totally uprooted. I put them back in the ground and they still took off. I guarantee you have never seen a whiter tomato.

It has delicate mild flavor. To my knowledge, this tomato has never been available before in the United States. INCREASED SEED AMOUNT! ONE PACK - 15 fresh organically grown seeds ~EMERALD APPLE TOMATO~ Russian Heirloom~ (this is not the "Emerald" tomato it is totally different) I am a huge fan of the green-when-ripe tomatoes. I have actually grown this particular tomato for several years but only this year decided to grow it here at my new farmette. It was so happy and prolific this season which I attribute to the cooler, more like "Mother Russia" summer we had. It was more than happy - it was ecstatic! It threw out monster 1 pound and up fruits which just kept getting larger as the season progressed. I was picking baskets of these fruits daily for most of the summer. They fully ripen to a very lovely deep amber color with some pink in it. Cut one open and the sweet pale green juice just flows out. In the photo I am showing all stages of ripeness from the all bright green to the yellow to the pinkish when fully ripe. It is often difficult to get people to try green-when-ripe tomatoes.

When I do a "blind" taste test, then they really appreciate the overwhelming sweet yet spicy yet somehow tart taste of these rare gems. I got my original seeds about 5 years ago from my great Ukrainian gardener friend, Lydmilla, whose mother still lives in the Ukraine and sends her seeds every year. This was the tie to "Dad's Sunset" in my tomato taste tests this summer. It just goes to prove that you cant judge a book by its cover when it comes to perfect tomato taste. Let's see if they become the "apple of your eye" in your colorful garden this year. INCREASED SEED AMOUNT! ONE PACK - 20 fresh organically grown seeds ~MAX'S LARGE GREEN TOMATO ~ I received my original seeds of this green when ripe beauty from my late, great friend, Norwood Meiners from Lousiana. I have previously referred to him on the website as my "southern seed collector friend." Now that he has passed, I can refer to him by name. He wished to remain anonymous previously. Norwood was a voracious gardener and had a collection of over 350 tomatoes, as well as countless other seeds of vegetables and flowers.

Alas, when he passed away his family chucked his seeds, except for about 20 types of tomatoes that they mailed to me and his seed protege, Alex. Such a huge loss. This is one of those precious tomatoes. I grew "Max's Large Green" out this summer and was very pleasantly surprised. It ripened rather late here in Amishland but we had a very cool summer and many tomatoes were much later than normal. This is a family heirloom from Hardin Co., KY. The original seed came from Roger Postly, Lexington Kentucky It was spicy and tangy yet sweet, and full flavored. Nice and juicy. The fruits grew huge, up to 1/2 pound or more in a slightly flattened standard beefsteak shape. The skin has a predominantly amber tinge along with the bright green when ripe. Inside, unlike other green when ripe tomatoes I have grown, it was a very pale green with a tiny touch of pink. Needless to say, as it is both beautiful and delicious, it is a wonderful and showy sandwich slicer. As a bonus, the fruits stayed perfect and never cracked or catfaced.

If you have never tried a green when ripe tomato, this is the one to grow and relish. Be sure to also look at my other new for 2014 Green tomato: "Emerald Apple" on this page. 10 of my own fresh organically grown seeds VERNISSAGE GREEN TOMATO ~Unique Green when ripe tomato From the Ukraine Last march I received the most fabulous surprise. In a large padded envelope was a gift of many seeds from Ukrainian tomato breeder, Ruslan Doochov (as he spelled it in his letter -evidently it is also spelled Dukhov when translated). He enclosed a rather badly Google translated letter with his all his breeding history and credentials and a personal note to ask me to grow them. I was so excited I could hardly contain myself. Also in the package were his own photos of the tomatoes he enclosed. The " Vernisagge" ones were the most beautiful.

At first I thought the word referred to their lovely stripes but at last I found out it means “a special advance showing for an art exhibition, originating from a celebration of the completion of a piece of artwork." That is such a way wonderful way to say his own original breeding produced such “artworks" of fruit! I immediately started these precious gift seeds even though it was late march, way late in the season to start tomatoes in Pennsylvania. I certainly shouldn't have worried, as like most of the tomatoes from the Ukrainian area, they are super fast growers and can take many hardships. This tomato like its 3 other namesakes, positively jumpstarted and was able to catch up to the plants started 6-8 weeks earlier! I never saw such speedy growth. The fruits were all around 2 to 3 oz (ounces) and all were just perfect. No cracks, no catfacing, nothing but pure artistic beauty. Bigger than a cherry sort but not quite what is called “saladette" sized. They did exceedingly well especially considering the awful weather as we had record breaking heat and drought this 2013 summer here in Amishland.

But I also want to emphasize that these tomatoes kept on fruiting right up until hard frost here in Amishland. In fact all of the Vernissage series was very long season that way. Ok, you know its gorgeous and a true masterpiece of breeding work, but how about taste? That's always the clincher. These unusual green when ripe beauties had a very sweet, but also spicy and complex taste. Green when ripe tomatoes always fool you that way. They also had greenish stripes that didn't really show up in the photos well. Nice and juicy too. And wowie zowie, prolific doesn't even begin to describe how many fruits these basically short vines threw out. The plants were about 4 feet high at most, but smothered in fruit. I mean smothered!! I guarantee you will be a delighted “art critic" with these tomatoes. As Ruslan promised, they are truly little artistic masterpieces. My photos don't do justice to their swirls, stripes and colors. I can't thank you enough, Ruslan Doochov, for sharing your artistry with my little seed company. It was truly the highpoint of my gardening season growing out all your creations!

To the best of my knowledge, I am one of only two commercial sources of these rare tomatoes in the United States. Be sure to look for the rest of the series: Vernissage Pink, Yellow and Black, each listed on the pages on my website for those colors of tomatoes as well as on this Belarusian/Russian/Ukrainian tomato page. 10 of my own fresh organically grown seeds AUNT RUBY'S GERMAN GREEN TOMATO ~VERY LIMITED QUANTITIES~ ORDER EARLY! For once I have a lot of background information on an heirloom tomato! This is a fabulous tomato, with a spicy, sweet, unbelievably wonderful tomato taste despite its strange color. Aunt Ruby's German Green Tomato is a family heirloom by way of Germany, first introduced in 1993 by Bill Minkey of Darien, Wisconsin who received the seed from Nita Hofstrom of Clinton, Wisconsin, whose aunt, Ruby Arnold of Greeneville, TN, grew it for years. Ruby passed away in 1997. The flavor is so fabulous that in a blind taste no one can believe it is a green when ripe fruit. The tomatoes get quite large and are often over a pound .

Although often funny looking and misshapen their beauty is in their cool green skin, with darker green shoulders. They have neon green flesh and that heavenly spicy juiciness. This is one of my new favorite tomatoes hands down. I had heard about it for years so I had to grow it, and I surely wasn't disappointed, this one lived up to its reputation. Try a green when ripe tomato and you will be very pleasantly surprised. And Aunt Ruby's German Green is the best of the best of the greens. INCREASED SEED AMOUNT! ONE PACK - 15 fresh organically grown seeds What do Amish eat? What do Amish eat? Amish consume a varied diet, including homegrown and store-bought foods Amish have a reputation for good food. Numerous tourist restaurants feature “Pennyslvania Dutch” and “Amish-style” cooking. Amish food typically is very filling, and not low-fat. In addition to home-grown and homemade foods, many Amish buy some pre-packaged foods in stores , and some may eat out in restaurants, sometimes as a treat, or more frequently if one’s occupation requires travel (as in the case of builders or market stand owners).

Home-grown foods Nearly all Amish homes have a sizable garden, tended by the woman of the home with help from her children. Sweet corn, celery, beets, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, peas, and a wide variety of other vegetables are grown in the typical Amish garden. Amish may have fruit trees or grapevines on their property as well. Amish eat a lot of fresh foods in the growing and harvest months, and can large quantities of fruits and vegetables for the winter. Large Amish gardens produce a variety of fruits and vegetables Amish also may raise their own livestock. Many Amish have laying hens which produce a steady stream of eggs. Chickens may be slaughtered for meat. Other Amish may raise pigs for the same purposes. Depending on the level of technology permitted in a congregation, Amish may freeze large quantities of food, particularly meat. Some Amish hunt , and deer and other animals killed while hunting serve as food sources for the family as well. Amish dairies provide farm families a steady supply of milk and dairy goods, though even families without a dairy may have a “family cow”.

Amish often drink milk raw, and claim that it has health benefits, though selling raw milk to the public has been controversial in some states. Cooking There are a huge amount of Amish cookbooks on the market, many produced with contributions of Amish women. Amish make a wide variety of Pennsylvania-Dutch style foods, including pot pies, butter noodles, chicken corn soup, varieties of bologna, chow-chow (a pickled relish made from a variety of vegetables), chipped beef gravy, beets, apple butter, and other hearty foods based on staples such as pork, potatoes, and cabbage. Scrapple , a meat product made from animal parts (typically pork), corn meal and flour, is also popular, particularly for breakfast. Non-traditional foods are popular as well. Pizza and Mexican-style foods are common, as are staples such as hamburgers and hot dogs. Some Amish enjoy cooking out over a grill or fire, and more progressive Amish homes may feature modern grills. The kitchen is traditionally the domain of the Amish female , and Amish men do minimal preparation of food.

Baking Amish housewives bake breads and sweets Amish bake a wide variety of goods, including desserts such as pies, cookies, cakes, and also breads. Shoofly pie is popular particularly in Lancaster County. Snitz pie, made from dried apples, is also featured at after-church meals in this settlement. Shoofly and snitz pies are not commonly seen in Midwestern Amish settlements. Rhubarb, blueberry, peach, and pecan are other common varieties of pie. Whoopie pies, comprising two slabs of chocolate cake stuffed with sweet crème, are popular as well, as are fry pies, a pocket of crust stuffed with pie filling. Some Amish operate bakeries which sell products to the public. Baking is a common occupation for Amish housewives. Amish buy foods from the store Despite eating a large amount of home-grown food, Amish purchase food in stores as well. Amish shop in a variety of places, including local dry goods and “bent-and-dent” bulk foods stores, as well as larger supermarkets such as Wal-Mart. Amish buy breakfast cereals, breads, meats and cheeses, and other pre-packaged products.

Some Amish may drink sodas or have a fondness for junk food. Others are very health-conscious. Amish diets may vary Amish eating habits vary between individuals and even groups. Most Amish, even those who do not farm, eat large amounts of dairy products. But Amish diets may vary by community and affiliation. Hurst and McConnell note that the generally lower income of Swartzentruber Amish often results in poorer nutrition. Amish typically are not vegetarian or vegan, and eat meats such as pork, chicken, and beef. Some meals may lack meat or feature cheese or eggs as primary sources of protein. Consumption of alcohol and other beverages Some Amish produce and consume homemade wine Amish alcohol consumption may vary by community and affiliation. Some communities have a higher incidence of alcohol use, while in others it may be nearly non-existent. Some Amish make their own wine, which they may drink in moderation for health purposes. Wine may be made from fruits such as blackberries, raspberries, grapes, and even beets. New Order Amish , however, prohibit alcohol use among members and youth. Amish drink wine at the twice-yearly communion services. Some may have a glass of wine at weddings.

As for other beverages, Amish typically drink water, milk, garden tea, and sometimes juices or sodas with meals. Coffee is popular among Amish, and is typically taken unsweetened and without cream. The Sunday church meal Amish eat a special meal after church service on Sunday. Foods are relatively light and simple, and typically consist of bread, cheese or cheese spread, cold cuts, sliced pickles, pickled beets, pretzels, and a special peanut butter spread, sweetened with molasses. Black coffee and water are served. Sunday meals may vary as well. As mentioned above, Snitz pie is common in the Lancaster settlement, while Amish in the Midwest may serve different varieties of pie, or cookies, brownies and baked goods. Swartzentruber Amish traditionally eat bean soup from a common bowl, accompanied by beets, pickles, and bread. Amish eat in restaurants The move away from the farm and into business and non-farm occupations has likely resulted in Amish eating more store-bought, pre-packaged foods, and also for an increase in eating in restaurants. Boyd and Wurthmann’s in Berlin, or Mrs.

Yoder’s in Mount Hope are two restaurants in the Holmes County community frequented by Amish. The diets of some Amish now include restaurant food Amish construction workers may purchase breakfast sandwiches from a gas station or other venue on the way to the jobsite. A trip to McDonald’s or Burger King with children may be seen as an occasional treat. Just like other businesses in Amish areas, local restaurants accommodate their Amish clientele. The McDonald’s in the Amish-settled area of Sugarcreek, Ohio, features buggy parking, as does the Pizza Hut in Lagrange, Indiana. Some Amish may criticize the practice of eating out as wasteful and symbolic of a more worldly lifestyle. The Amish diet has changed Amish continue to eat large amounts of fresh and low-processed foods, especially in comparison to the typical American diet. Amish appreciate good food, and Amish housewives spend much time and labor in preparing foods for the family. However, Amish diets have changed with the shift away from agriculture .

Hurst and McConnell note that one result of Amish eating out more due to changes in occupation has been “the introduction of more additives, preservatives, and processing into their foods” (Paradox, Hurst/McConnell, p233). There’s one part of the Amish diet we only touched on – canning. You might enjoy our photos from an Amish housewife’s basement . With 9 children, she’s well stocked with all sorts of canned goods. Or, you might be wondering which are the best Amish restaurants . We’ve also had a lively discussion of the tastiest Amish desserts . Monster cookies, snitz pie, date pudding, sawdust pie, yum… For further information, see: An Amish Paradox: Diversity and Change in the World’s Largest Amish Community, Charles E. Hurst and David L. McConnell Question on the Amish? Get answers to 300+ questions in 41 categories at the Amish FAQ . Get the Amish in your inbox Related Articles to What do Amish eat? Do Amish eat at McDonald’s? The short answer: yes. Burger King, Pizza Hut, and Wendy's too.

The bulk of the Amish diet still consists of home-prepared meals. Amish farmers have traditionally eaten a diet based… Food On the Amish diet and cooking What are popular Amish dishes? What are popular Amish desserts? Do Amish grow all their own food? How do Amish store food? How do Amish… Amish Markets – New Jersey NJ Amish Market Directory // // Despite not having any Amish population, New Jersey is home to quite a few Amish markets. Amish vendors, typically from Lancaster County, PA, travel… 48 responses to What do Amish eat? Mona Greer

Question: Black Amish is a variety of which fruit?
Answer: Apple