[AKmark]

I had quite the surprise this season with the F 4's of my Brandywine x Bloody Butcher cross. I planted 8 F1's again, 8 from the F3 plant (B) which was the earliest, and 40 plant (A) F3's, which was excellent tasting, and still quite early for a beefsteak type. This round 8 of 40 are nearly as early as the F1, and much larger beefsteak type of fruit.
Up to this point I have not been able to recapture the very early nature of the F1. Now, I have to taste all of them, judge yields, plant structures, most are shorter, stout type plants, I like that, and tomato shapes are considered too. I will plant 75-100 of the winners, and at the rate they are growing that will be mid May for two generations this year. I hope to see more like 50 percent early traits this round, but that's only a guess since I stumble my way through this stuff, but I am very patient too.
I will also redo the cross this year, the F1 is just terrific, smooth fruit, early, and super tasty.
I also selected a small pink fruiting plant in the F2, I am going to try to get a pink Bloody Butcher type of tomato captured, I have 5 of the F3 of those going too. We will call the stable main focus plants the Mat-Su Express since I live between the Matanuska and Susitna Valleys, and they are quite early. The F1 last year performed like a charm outside up here, others in better climates should be very happy with that cross.
I saw Sherry the other day, now we are putting Delicious to BB, as well as Chapman and Yellow BW, obviously I am hooked on BB crosses. LOL
Anyway...