Tennessee tomatoes

Barbee · July 23, 2009

Stopped at a roadside stand on the way home from shopping today. They had some nice looking mushmelons. There was the mushmelons, sweet corn (4.50 doz) @@ and little containers of 4 tomatoes. They looked pretty good, a little overripe but nice sized. I asked her what kind of tomatoes they were and she said "Tennessee tomatoes". I said I never heard of that variety and she told me no...they came from Tennessee since no one around here had any ripe tomatoes. She thought the variety might be Empire, but she wasn't sure.
I just set them back down and walked away without even asking the price. I figured if they ahd to drive to Tennessee to buy them, they were going to be pretty pricey.

Gobig_or_Gohome_toms · July 23, 2009

I am in the fighting to not buy farmers market tomatoes I have 2-3 weeks for ripe fruit it will be worth the wait.

Craig

Barbee · July 24, 2009

I have ripe tomatoes. Not as many as I like to have on hand, but enough that I shouldn't even be thinking about buying tomatoes. But I tend to hoard them LoL
I don't want to give them away and I don't want to sell them. I want to eat them all!

cottonpicker · July 24, 2009

TENNESSEE tomatoes? I'll bet they are commercial varieties rather than some obscure OP type(s). Maybe some of our TV Tennesseans can ask around??? Would be interesting.

kygreg · July 24, 2009

Not from TN but close by in KY. There is a very popular tomato in TN called "Grainger County" tomato. There is a tomato festival in Grainger County every year, about this time of year I think. I don't think the Grainger County is a variety of tomato but simply denotes that it was grown in that county which supposedly had great soil for tomatoes; similar to the Vidalia Onion story and probably similar to the Hanover tomato and festival in Hanover County Virginia.

Tormato · July 24, 2009

Barbee,

Rumor has it that most Tennessee tomatoes will cost you an arm and a leg.

Tennessee Britches a leg and a leg.

Tormato

RonnyWil · July 24, 2009

Ripley, TN is a BIG tomato producing area. Shipped everywhere and a favorite among area supermarkets. I believe they use BHN seeds. They are usually shipped close to ripe and the taste, although not heirloom quality, is much better than the typical "Hot House" variety.

Barbee · July 24, 2009

Tennessee Britches is a variety I've been wanting to try.
Love the name

Everyone around here is complaining that the tomatoes won't ripen. Strange summer for sure!

Donna Mattingly · July 26, 2017

A friend just sent me a link to this festival. I'm really curious what the most popular varieties are there.

tryno12 · July 26, 2017

Not sure where it came from but I have like 10 "Tennessee Suited" Dwarfs and they are delicious and prolific............to me at least. Tenn Ripe.jpg

Tenn Dwarf.jpg

zipcode · July 27, 2017

Not sure how far exactly Tennessee should be in this case, but I found that 'imported' goods from places that specialize in them are usually cheaper than ones local. I remember this was always the case with strawberries when I was a kid. Once the season from the warmer parts of the country was done and local stuff appeared, prices doubled over night.
All I've grown with Tennessee in name is Spear's T. Green. Good tasting tomato.

MissS · July 28, 2017

[QUOTE=tryno12;657024]Not sure where it came from but I have like 10 "Tennessee Suited" Dwarfs and they are delicious and prolific............to me at least. /QUOTE]

That variety was bred and introduced by our member Container Ted. It is a very nice tomato.

tryno12 · July 28, 2017

It is a keeper in my book! Thanks Ted, any more varieties like it ?
Thanks
Pete

July 23, 2009	#1
Barbee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 1,818	Tennessee tomatoes Stopped at a roadside stand on the way home from shopping today. They had some nice looking mushmelons. There was the mushmelons, sweet corn (4.50 doz) @@ and little containers of 4 tomatoes. They looked pretty good, a little overripe but nice sized. I asked her what kind of tomatoes they were and she said "Tennessee tomatoes". I said I never heard of that variety and she told me no...they came from Tennessee since no one around here had any ripe tomatoes. She thought the variety might be Empire, but she wasn't sure. I just set them back down and walked away without even asking the price. I figured if they ahd to drive to Tennessee to buy them, they were going to be pretty pricey. __________________ *Barbee*

July 24, 2009	#3
Barbee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 1,818	I have ripe tomatoes. Not as many as I like to have on hand, but enough that I shouldn't even be thinking about buying tomatoes. But I tend to hoard them LoL I don't want to give them away and I don't want to sell them. I want to eat them all! __________________ *Barbee*

July 24, 2009	#4
cottonpicker Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: SE PA..near Valley Forge Posts: 839	TENNESSEE tomatoes? I'll bet they are commercial varieties rather than some obscure OP type(s). Maybe some of our TV Tennesseans can ask around??? Would be interesting. __________________ "Strong and bitter words indicate a weak cause". Victor Hugo

July 24, 2009	#5
kygreg Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: kentucky Posts: 1,019	Not from TN but close by in KY. There is a very popular tomato in TN called "Grainger County" tomato. There is a tomato festival in Grainger County every year, about this time of year I think. I don't think the Grainger County is a variety of tomato but simply denotes that it was grown in that county which supposedly had great soil for tomatoes; similar to the Vidalia Onion story and probably similar to the Hanover tomato and festival in Hanover County Virginia. Last edited by kygreg; July 24, 2009 at 01:46 PM. Reason: typo

July 24, 2009	#7
RonnyWil Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Collierville TN Posts: 106	Ripley, TN is a BIG tomato producing area. Shipped everywhere and a favorite among area supermarkets. I believe they use BHN seeds. They are usually shipped close to ripe and the taste, although not heirloom quality, is much better than the typical "Hot House" variety. __________________ I'm two days older than dirt and I like to play in it.

July 23, 2009	#2
Gobig_or_Gohome_toms Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Zone 4 Lake Minnetonka, MN Posts: 967	I am in the fighting to not buy farmers market tomatoes I have 2-3 weeks for ripe fruit it will be worth the wait. Craig

July 24, 2009	#6
Tormato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MA Posts: 4,966	Barbee, Rumor has it that most Tennessee tomatoes will cost you an arm and a leg. Tennessee Britches a leg and a leg. Tormato

July 26, 2017	#9
Donna Mattingly Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Kentucky Posts: 64	A friend just sent me a link to this festival. I'm really curious what the most popular varieties are there.

July 26, 2017	#10
tryno12 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Indianapolis Area 46112 Posts: 857	Not sure where it came from but I have like 10 "Tennessee Suited" Dwarfs and they are delicious and prolific............to me at least. Tenn Ripe.jpg Tenn Dwarf.jpg

July 27, 2017	#11
zipcode Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Romania/Germany , z 4-6 Posts: 1,582	Not sure how far exactly Tennessee should be in this case, but I found that 'imported' goods from places that specialize in them are usually cheaper than ones local. I remember this was always the case with strawberries when I was a kid. Once the season from the warmer parts of the country was done and local stuff appeared, prices doubled over night. All I've grown with Tennessee in name is Spear's T. Green. Good tasting tomato. Last edited by zipcode; July 27, 2017 at 03:41 AM.

July 28, 2017	#12
MissS Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 3,146	[QUOTE=tryno12;657024]Not sure where it came from but I have like 10 "Tennessee Suited" Dwarfs and they are delicious and prolific............to me at least. /QUOTE] That variety was bred and introduced by our member Container Ted. It is a very nice tomato. __________________ ~ Patti ~