Here I am! How could nearly two weeks have passed since my last blog? Nothing on epictomatoes.com - no newsletter. It's just that time of year - combined with something about this year that has made it very different from other years. Yes, the book (well, the book related events, which really are keeping me busy).
The Tomato Tasting event at Seed Savers Exchange and Heritage Harvest Festival at Monticello and Splendid Table interview were all fun and quite wonderful. I've been doing a lot of journaling to try to make sense of it all (what a year!), to process the experiences, all of the wonderful people I've met, opportunities I've had to share my stories - and in parallel, keeping the garden not only going, growing and harvested, but bringing along plants from newly created Dwarf hybrids.
Briefly, on the garden - I've put a few pics below. Peppers and eggplant continue to thrive and pump out loads of great fruit. Most dwarf and indeterminate tomatoes are tired and about to be removed - they've done great, and it's been a long season! Seedlings of the new crosses I've made between some of the Dwarf releases and various indeterminate varieties (representing starting points for new varieties) are growing nicely in 5 gallon grow bags. I hope to get some ripe fruit from them before frost - or at least get an idea of fruit size and shape.
Below are views of the new hybrid seedlings, along with a view of the peppers and eggplant. In the top row, third picture are a seeding from a mystery variety sent to me by a friend (which I am calling Jennie - I think it may be the variety Kimberly, mistakenly sent in a packet of Lillian's Yellow Heirloom) - and the hybrid between Mexico Midget and Summertime Green!
The Tomato Tasting event at Seed Savers Exchange and Heritage Harvest Festival at Monticello and Splendid Table interview were all fun and quite wonderful. I've been doing a lot of journaling to try to make sense of it all (what a year!), to process the experiences, all of the wonderful people I've met, opportunities I've had to share my stories - and in parallel, keeping the garden not only going, growing and harvested, but bringing along plants from newly created Dwarf hybrids.
Briefly, on the garden - I've put a few pics below. Peppers and eggplant continue to thrive and pump out loads of great fruit. Most dwarf and indeterminate tomatoes are tired and about to be removed - they've done great, and it's been a long season! Seedlings of the new crosses I've made between some of the Dwarf releases and various indeterminate varieties (representing starting points for new varieties) are growing nicely in 5 gallon grow bags. I hope to get some ripe fruit from them before frost - or at least get an idea of fruit size and shape.
Below are views of the new hybrid seedlings, along with a view of the peppers and eggplant. In the top row, third picture are a seeding from a mystery variety sent to me by a friend (which I am calling Jennie - I think it may be the variety Kimberly, mistakenly sent in a packet of Lillian's Yellow Heirloom) - and the hybrid between Mexico Midget and Summertime Green!
Here's what's next - and it is going to keep me really busy for as far as I can see. I am off to Seven Springs PA on Friday to speak at the Mother Earth News Fair. After that, we will get ready for our annual two week escape to Ocracoke Island (finally - badly needed!). While there I hope to get a grasp on where the Dwarf Tomato Breeding project currently sits.
I am also planning for a complete revision of how I will reach out and communicate - meaning a new integrated website, which will replace this (Weebly - the nctomatoman) site and my other (Wix - epictomatoes) site. This will mean collapsing into a single blog, deciding on the fate of my somewhat monthly newsletter, and creating space for future plans (a podcast, videos). Thankfully I am getting some badly needed help with all of this - but my goal is to make it easy for me to share what I am learning about tomatoes as I continue my gardening journey.
Stay tuned - changes are on the way, and some new things as well!
I am also planning for a complete revision of how I will reach out and communicate - meaning a new integrated website, which will replace this (Weebly - the nctomatoman) site and my other (Wix - epictomatoes) site. This will mean collapsing into a single blog, deciding on the fate of my somewhat monthly newsletter, and creating space for future plans (a podcast, videos). Thankfully I am getting some badly needed help with all of this - but my goal is to make it easy for me to share what I am learning about tomatoes as I continue my gardening journey.
Stay tuned - changes are on the way, and some new things as well!
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