# Favorite mater.



## wdbrand (May 24, 2007)

I've planted most varieties and have always put in some Early Girls along with anything else that hit my fancy. Have decided on E.G's and Cherokee Purples this year. One's early and one's jest fine.


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## Paymaster (Jan 22, 2009)

We planted Rutgers and Parks Whoppers this year.


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## Peixaria (Dec 31, 2008)

In Buxton Early Girl is the quickest way to get to ripe tomatoes if a mild winter and warmer spring. Can be eating tomatoes by June 1 if all goes as planned and tomatoes in by March 15. As far as favorites, Celebrity, Red Beefsteak, Better Boys and Early Girl for security, German Queen is tasty and a safe heirloom in this swamp [if you do the heirloom thing]. I tried the Cherokee Purple, but in this heat the cracks on the shoulders wind up being prevalent. I actually have completely reinstalled a second set of tomatoes ,peppers and okra after the Tropical storm 3-4 weeks ago. Black Beauty egg plants are original as are some of the bell pepper plants and 3 of 15 tomatoes. All of the new are digging in and looking as though another banner crop in Sept. Even though I have barely enough fresh tomatoes for a salad tonight I have 80 lbs already frozen from the plants I ripped out 3 weeks ago.


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## wdbrand (May 24, 2007)

*Maters.*



Peixaria said:


> In Buxton Early Girl is the quickest way to get to ripe tomatoes if a mild winter and warmer spring. Can be eating tomatoes by June 1 if all goes as planned and tomatoes in by March 15. As far as favorites, Celebrity, Red Beefsteak, Better Boys and Early Girl for security, German Queen is tasty and a safe heirloom in this swamp [if you do the heirloom thing]. I tried the Cherokee Purple, but in this heat the cracks on the shoulders wind up being prevalent. I actually have completely reinstalled a second set of tomatoes ,peppers and okra after the Tropical storm 3-4 weeks ago. Black Beauty egg plants are original as are some of the bell pepper plants and 3 of 15 tomatoes. All of the new are digging in and looking as though another banner crop in Sept. Even though I have barely enough fresh tomatoes for a salad tonight I have 80 lbs already frozen from the plants I ripped out 3 weeks ago.


PX, how about a post on what and how you do the frozen maters.


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## Peixaria (Dec 31, 2008)

Brand, Nothing fancy, just core and quarter, or coarse chop the ripe and cleaned fruit In a huge glass baking dish. I dont even take the time for a blanch and skin removal. Alot of people bitch about the unwanted texture of the skin in any stew dish, I have no problem with the skins. The idea of freezing tomatoes is for when the kitchen table is covered with tomatoes that are already ripe and you are faced with the prospect of throwing them out because you couldnt use them fast enough. We should all have this problem,No?
Ladle into sturdy Ziploc bags Make sure to add the juice to each bag. Mine are about 4 lbs each, slightly more than the equivalent of 2 28 oz. cans from the kitty. Perfect for any Pot Roast, Jamabala, Squid stew or other seafood mess, or any other tomatoe based compilation you are in the mood for. I realize its rude, But coming from an old world Portuguese kitchen background, where all recipes are 3 generations and over 100 years old, bliss is where you find it. Hope this helps.


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## Peixaria (Dec 31, 2008)

Brand , One more thing I forgot. The idea of jarring or canning tomatoes versus freezing is like this: As long as I eat them within a year, which I will. They will taste just like I have recently picked them. Old school canning and jarring does something to the flavor. You have a product that will last almost indefinitley but still tastes like, well you know. Freezing does not affect flavor at all. Still tastes fresh ripe 6 months later, try it big guy. It s like the difference between fresh picked green beans and what you get out of the big Hanover can of Kentucky beans at Kitty, One is green, and one is grey. Your Choice


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## flathead (Dec 18, 2003)

Celebrity, Better Boy, and Cherokee Purple. Used to love Fantasics but too small for a single slice 'mater sammich.

We freeze all our tomatoes in a soup recipe with onions, green beans, okra, carrots, silver queen corn, and red potatoes in quart freezer bags. Put it in a pot and while it's thawing, brown a lb of ground chuck and stir it in.


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## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

Brandywine, Brandywine pink, Big Boy, Better Boy, Beef Steak, Early Girl and some that I don't remember the name. We canned some in okra, corn and tomatoes. This Winter when we want to make soup we just dump a can in and add beef and whatever else we want in it. Good stuff. Never thought to freeze them. I have to take the skin off. 

I ate so many tomato sandwiches this Summer that I don't want to think about one now. I will be craving them once the plants are gone.

Darin


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## wdbrand (May 24, 2007)

So far, the only mater that comes in fust is the early girl. Hard to beat success.


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## Peixaria (Dec 31, 2008)

Brand , Ever grow Patio tomatoes before? They are a container variety. I grew them for the first time this year. Every fruit was perfect. No disease ,no nothing on them. Like cherry tomatoes only big enough to slice. Down here I always grow safety plants in big pots so that if a hurricane wipes out my entire crop I still have 3 or 4 plants in 5 gallon pots that I can move inside for the storm. Early girl usually heads the list but I will begin to have the Patio on that list as well. Try them next season


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## dialout (Feb 5, 2011)

I grow lots of cherry and grape tomatos in buckets right at the front door steps...the kids pick and eat them like candy every time they go in or out. Aside from that this year I have big boy, beefsteaks, and ox hearts...but although they are growing into a huge tomato jungle not much is turning red. Just not hot enough this summer...can you believe there has not been a 90 degree day up here yet.


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## wdbrand (May 24, 2007)

I've got one plant of EG's that is loaded and not a ripe mater on it. Should have been ripe a month ago. 3 or 4 days of low/mid 90's and the rest in the 70's and low 80's. They gotta has heat.


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## flathead (Dec 18, 2003)

Agree with all on the sunshine/heat. My vines have been loaded for a couple weeks and no ripe ones. Neighbors have started picking and setting them in their windows to ripen.


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## wdbrand (May 24, 2007)

Frank, I et green, gassed maters all winter. Damned iffen I'll pick one before it ripens on da vine. I'd pullem up fustest.


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## flathead (Dec 18, 2003)

" Fried Green Tomatoes " is one of my all time favorite movies. Think I'll fix some tomorrow night.


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## wdbrand (May 24, 2007)

Nothin agin "fried green ones", but a mater samish needs a vine ripe one. A winder ripened one is a disgrace to a 5 buck pound of bacon.


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## runincode (Apr 23, 2010)

Mortgage Lifters and Better Boys.


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## WNCRick (Sep 24, 2007)

gotta ripen on the vine or they are just like store bought(that's why they are no good, they are picked green to ship)......not fit to eat

Rick


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## Peixaria (Dec 31, 2008)

runincode said:


> Mortgage Lifters and Better Boys.


Mortgage lifter is an exceptional producer. I had 2 of them last year in my first planting One had so many fruits that it actually folded the cage and the rebar stake over. Had the blight on my plants not been so bad I might have had more ripe fruit. Almost all of my first set of tomatoes turned to water balloons on the vine. I replanted several and finally had clean fruit by late September and because mild into Oct. and Nov. I ripened my last German Johnsons after the first frost, wrapped in newspaper in a box and ate them for Christmas. The newspaper trick works well just make sure to turn them


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## wdbrand (May 24, 2007)

Same here PX. I always have a late bunch the freeze will get so I pick and wrap them and ettum on New Years on til they are gone. Ain't vine ripe, but better than store bought.


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## WNCRick (Sep 24, 2007)

speaking of which we ordered some seeds called "long keepers" (apparently work well for that). Plant em late and do exactly what you guys are describing, still better than store bought.

Rick


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## Leadsinker (Jun 24, 2013)

Better boys!


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## dialout (Feb 5, 2011)

70 degrees and almost non stop rain for a week....my garden has turned to swampland looks like I'm not gonna put much up this year.


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