[Tom Wagner]

“Bare with me” while I undress/address an invitation to respond to Fred's comments. I can be painfully slow sometimes keeping up with my acquaintances. Bearing witness to my bareness in communication skills should perhaps be kept private as in a private message, but here's my "Lend me an Hear." All puns fully intended to be upended.

Tom,

I don't know if you remember me, but we met for lunch around 2002 or 2003. We talked some about tomatoes, particularly ones that might be cool tolerant (my main interest then).

Yes, Fred, I remember we met at a local restaurant, probably near Folsom, CA. I was in the middle of my student teaching and didn’t have much ready capital and I think I traded you some seeds if you picked up the tab. I do not recall what I may have given you but interesting that you were interested in cool tolerant lines, namely because I moved to the PNW soon thereafter. I have many more cool tolerant lines now.

You convinced me that breeding tomatoes was a stupid way to make money, but I didn't listen and I quit a good job to become a stressed out tomato farmer trying to breed tomatoes late at night after working 14 hours hoeing weeds, picking produce and driving produce around to customers.

Sorry! Breeding tomatoes is still a stupid way to make money, but it is obvious you didn’t listen and became a stressed out tomato farmer, albeit a tomato breeder on the side.

Unfortunately, your excitement about breeding and your heirloom (wink wink) tomatoes convinced me to ignore fiscal responsibility.

I always get excited sharing ideas about plant breeding and the (wink-wink) in my eyes are a by-product of my delirium. My fiscal responsibility is nil when it comes to breeding heirloom type tomatoes and potatoes and my limited outside income by the tens of thousands of dollars have been squandered on breeding projects. I usually have to beg plots of ground to grow my projects even today due to the lack of money.

Just wanted to say thanks for the inspiration. Oh... nice video. Now I need to try your potatoes, even though they are banned from our farm. Maybe a little plot by the house.

You are thanking me the inspiration? It is a wonder I don’t get eternal gosh darnoodlenation (sic) instead! I may put together some more video links on my belated website….maybe along with background music to “Momma’s, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Plant Breeders!”
Fred, I realized that I lost track of you since that day 7 or 8 years ago. Your site…. http://baianicchia.blogspot.com brought me up to date on your breeding projects a bit. I do hope you include potatoes next year.


Tom Wagner