Thread: Dr. Dester
View Single Post
Old October 12, 2012   #14
greyghost
Tomatovillian™
 
greyghost's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: southeastern PA
Posts: 760
Default

OK Phyllis and Larry Pierce found time to clarify the name and a little
personal history on the Dester tomato that I hope everyone will find
interesting. (I think I had already given up calling this variety Dester's Amish
or Dester's.) I found the additional info on Egg Yolk and Pierce's Pride of interest,
too. Note the tool website---they have absolutely beautiful hoes for sale (I've
also seen them advertised in Gardener's Edge catalog, too).

As far as Dester vs. Dr Dester (Anna also provided this to Jere), I personally have
no opinion on that although if I had bought the seed at Baker Creek, I'd call it the
name that was on the packet. This issue is for others to decide if anyone feels it's
necessary.

Anyway, here's the letter copied and pasted:

Dear Darlene


I was first given the DESTER seed 3 years ago by Anna. We traded seed to grow out, I gave Anna Egg Yolk and Pierce's Pride, both of these tomatoes I developed. The Pierce's Pride was a cross between Tappy's Heritage and Black Krim. The Egg Yolk was a sprout I found growing in a patch of Muldovan Green. It took 4 years to stabilize the Egg Yolk. It is a super good tomato.
To get back to the DESTER . The day Anna and I traded seed, I asked her what was the name and she told me DESTER (verbatim). I added the nomenclature Dester Amish, since people go crazy anything Amish, at the time I wasn't interested so much in the correct name as I was wanting to have everyone try it, since it was the best tomato I had ever tasted. I send the Dester seeds to SSE two years ago. I had a conversation with Anna last year when upon my request to SSE sent Anna the magazine with the taste test winner. Anna felt she maybe able to capitalize on it. I told her then she may want to contact Baker Seed and see if they were interested in the tomato.
My commercial seed growing is coming to a end, because of our other business www.roguehoe.com has grown so large I just do not have the time or energy to do it. I have several ounces of seeds to finish out the upcoming season. I hope this clears up the water as for the name DESTER.


Sincerely
Larry D. Pierce
greyghost is offline   Reply With Quote