Quote:
Originally Posted by Blueaussi
I certainly agree with the comments on the ethics, or lack there of, of folks trying to make a bunch of money off heirloom or open pollinated varieties of any plant. Brushing all that aside for the moment, however, I'm wondering about the actual history of the Goose Creek tomato.
How possible is it that it is an actual family heirloom, that the ancestress did bring seeds of a tomato from the West Indies; but over the years it cross-pollinated and/or was selected to get the tomato we know as Goose Creek? That is is a family heirloom, just not exactly what they think it is?
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Of course someone could of made the whole thing up to make money especially because of the patent attempt. but it is quite possible someone could of been told a false history. I love watching the Antiques Road Show and anyone who watches it all the time will tell you people bring in things with false stories attached to them quite often. Items are often old like a 100 years or so, but not centuries old as they are often given to believe. It could be that some old family member just outright lied, or sometimes things get tacked on or lost in the verbal history. It is sort of like that pass the story around the room game where by then end it has no resemblance to the original story. So if the story is based in truth, I bet the great grandmother did come from the West Indies when young as a slave, and probably gardened and saved seeds all her life. Somehow those two facts got blurred together at a later point.
Remy