Mr. Stripey and Yellow Pear Tomatoes

This year (as usual), I have a couple of new tomato varieties growing in the garden. I'm happy to say that despite the late, cold spring, my tomato plants are keeping me busy:

I've been picking harvests like this every 2 days or so. The house is regularly filled with the smell of roasting tomatoes and my canner pot has become a permanent fixture on top of the stove.

"Mr. Stripey" is an heirloom that I decided to give a try. I bought a few plants during the late spring, as I anticipated that my other heirlooms-from-seed wouldn't make it for the season. I always seem to do that and end up with WAY too many tomatoes.

These lovely, peach/yellow beefsteaks have a GREAT flavor profile. They are definitely not the mild "Kellogg's Breakfast" I grew last year, but not quite a Brandywine. They are somewhere in between.

However, "Mr. Stripey" is a tender fellow, like most heirlooms, and has to be picked at the exact, right moment. Otherwise, he gets soft like this...

Still, I can cut out those not-so-pretty areas and be perfectly happy.

The other heirloom I gave a try this season are the "Yellow Pear" salad tomatoes. I always seem to buy these at the farmer's markets, so I thought, "Why not?"

But I have to say, I'm not impressed. The "Yellow Pear" plants are HUGE and only seem to put out about 8-10 of these things at a time. I guess it's not worth the space and hassle, IMO. As far as taste, they are okay.

I did manage to get some "Brandywines," "Black From Tula," and some other heirlooms-from-seed going, but they got a late start and I probably won't see any harvest from them for a few weeks. Right now, I don't even know what I have until they ripen!

My "Early Girls" are my heavy-hitter-stand-by tomatoes that give me the bulk of my toms for canning. I've also had great luck with "Roma" this year. Even though I only have one plant; it's been a real trooper and has put out at least 30 tomatoes!

Every season it's a real thrill to see what works and what doesn't.