Carolyn,
Yes, you've provided very helpful information. Thanks!
First, I noticed I started this thread in the wrong forum. Should have been started in the Crosstalk area. Oops..
You probably don't realize this, but I think you've just opened up alot of eyes with your comment regarding bacterial and fungal foliage diseases. More inexperienced gardeners such as myself hear all of the disease names, and quite frankly when we get fungal foliage problems on our plants, assume it's one of the diseases. So you've just taught me a good lesson. Thanks again for your input. It definitely changes my perspective on plant diseases. And I'm glad to hear Ohio does not have to worry about the diseases as much as other parts of the country unfortunately do.
I've been back searching the internet a little more and noticed a couple comments regarding Big Beef having good taste. Makes me even less patient to get ripened fruit. Although I am a little skeptical because I don't recall any comments about Big Beef whenever folks have posted regarding good flavored hybrids.
And if it does have good taste, I'm surprised the OP seed you mentioned being in the SSE yearbook, hasn't been spread around a little more by now. However, I do realize the heirloom OP's would still probably overshadow it there.
At this point I couldn't be happier with the plant vigor and lack of 'bacteria & fungal diseases'. And of course the production so far.
Just waitin' for the tastin'...
Jeff