Rumors of my demise are exaggerated...

jdwhitaker · February 20, 2012

You have to love the internet. I started posting on gardening forums around 2001, just a few years before the variety JD's Special C-Tex became popular. I've noticed several descriptions of that variety that say it was developed by the "late" JD Whitaker. I've even gotten a few e-mails asking me if I was the breeder of that tomato.

For the record, I did not develop the C-TEX tomato, though I wish I had, and I am very much alive. My only connections to the tomato are that my first two initials are JD, and I am (thankfully) a Texan.

It is cool having something in common with Mark Twain and Paul McCartney!

Jason

jennifer28 · February 20, 2012

now THAT is awesome. I would definitely have some fun with that.

dustdevil · February 20, 2012

Dang, I got it all wrong too. I thought you were in the tractor business!

remy · February 20, 2012

That is too funny!
Remy

MikeInCypress · February 20, 2012

JD:

Did you own a wholesale nursery in the Houston area in the 1980's?

Just Curious

MikeInCypress

stormymater · February 20, 2012

AWESOME! Absolutely awesome epitaph material!!!

Tania · February 20, 2012

JD,

Wow, so awesome that you posted this! Now I wonder if there was another JD Whitaker in Conroe, Texas, who had something to do with this tomato?

Tatiana

jdwhitaker · February 21, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeInCypress

JD:

Did you own a wholesale nursery in the Houston area in the 1980's?

Just Curious

MikeInCypress

I graduated High School in 1990...didn't own much of anything in the 80's. I did go to Astroworld once.

fortyonenorth · February 21, 2012

So, I'm still confused. Is there another JD Whitaker (the late JD Whitaker of Conroe, TX) or or is actually you (very much alive) who's name is inexplicably attached to this tomato?

jdwhitaker · February 21, 2012

I'm confused as well. Either scenario is possible. I know the variety originated in Southeast Texas and when it was first discussed on this and other forums its lineage was unknown.

**mdvpc** · February 21, 2012

JD

Great story! Glad that you are still with us!

recruiterg · February 21, 2012

I thought the name was J.D. Green - the person who originated JD's Special C-Tex.

**carolyn137** · February 21, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by recruiterg

I thought the name was J.D. Green - the person who originated JD's Special C-Tex.

No, John Green of TN was the person who gave the seeds of what Craig called Cherokee Purple to him.

Fusion_power · February 21, 2012

I confess. I did it.

What?

Carolyn, I have to point out that use of the pronoun "him" in the above sentence is extremely ambiguous. Did Craig give the seed to J.D Whitaker? or did John Green give the seed to Craig.

DarJones

**carolyn137** · February 21, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fusion_power

I confess. I did it.

What?

Carolyn, I have to point out that use of the pronoun "him" in the above sentence is extremely ambiguous. Did Craig give the seed to J.D Whitaker? or did John Green give the seed to Craig.

DarJones

Sorry if I was ambiguous.

John Green of TN gave the seeds to Craig and Craig grew them out and named the variety Cherokee Purple, based on the information that John gave him. John was never able to locate the woman who gave him the seeds to get more information and the allele studies that were posted elsewhere more recently showed that Cherokee Purple could not be 100 years old.

So there rests the story and Cherokee Purple has become a favoite of many growers, which I think is the most important aspect of the story.

February 20, 2012	#1
jdwhitaker Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Andrews, Texas Posts: 104	Rumors of my demise are exaggerated... You have to love the internet. I started posting on gardening forums around 2001, just a few years before the variety JD's Special C-Tex became popular. I've noticed several descriptions of that variety that say it was developed by the "late" JD Whitaker. I've even gotten a few e-mails asking me if I was the breeder of that tomato. For the record, I did not develop the C-TEX tomato, though I wish I had, and I am very much alive. My only connections to the tomato are that my first two initials are JD, and I am (thankfully) a Texan. It is cool having something in common with Mark Twain and Paul McCartney! Jason

February 20, 2012	#4
remy Buffalo-Niagara Tomato TasteFest™ Coordinator Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Z6 WNY Posts: 2,354	That is too funny! Remy __________________ "I wake to sleep and take my waking slow" -Theodore Roethke Yes, we have a great party for WNY/Ontario tomato growers every year on Grand Island! Owner of The Sample Seed Shop

February 20, 2012	#5
MikeInCypress Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Cypress, TX Posts: 963	JD: Did you own a wholesale nursery in the Houston area in the 1980's? Just Curious MikeInCypress __________________ "Growing older, not up"

February 20, 2012	#7
Tania Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Anmore, BC, Canada Posts: 3,970	JD, Wow, so awesome that you posted this! Now I wonder if there was another JD Whitaker in Conroe, Texas, who had something to do with this tomato? Tatiana __________________ Tatiana's TOMATObase

February 21, 2012	#11
mdvpc Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 4,386	JD Great story! Glad that you are still with us! __________________ Michael

February 20, 2012	#2
jennifer28 Two-faced Drama Queen Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital Posts: 955	now THAT is awesome. I would definitely have some fun with that.

February 20, 2012	#3
dustdevil Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: WI, USA Zone4 Posts: 1,887	Dang, I got it all wrong too. I thought you were in the tractor business!

February 20, 2012	#6
stormymater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Pleasure Island, NC 8a Posts: 1,162	AWESOME! Absolutely awesome epitaph material!!!

February 21, 2012	#9
fortyonenorth Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: NW Indiana Posts: 1,150	So, I'm still confused. Is there another JD Whitaker (the late JD Whitaker of Conroe, TX) or or is actually you (very much alive) who's name is inexplicably attached to this tomato?

February 21, 2012	#12
recruiterg Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Edina, MN (Zone 4) Posts: 945	I thought the name was J.D. Green - the person who originated JD's Special C-Tex.

February 21, 2012	#14
Fusion_power Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,250	I confess. I did it. What? Carolyn, I have to point out that use of the pronoun "him" in the above sentence is extremely ambiguous. Did Craig give the seed to J.D Whitaker? or did John Green give the seed to Craig. DarJones