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True Black Brandywine
New!
This fine variety was sent to us by our friend, famed seed collector and food
writer, William Woys Weaver, of Pennsylvania. It was passed down to him
from his Quaker grandfather’s collection dating back to the 1920s. As to its
history, Will states "The "true" Black Brandywine was bred sometime in the late
1920s by Dr. Harold E. Martin (1888-1959), a dentist turned plant breeder who
is best remembered today for his famous pole lima with huge seeds. Dr. Martin
lived in Westtown, PA, only a few miles from my grandfather’s place in West
Chester, and the two were gardening buddies. It was
through that connection that his grandfather
managed to wheedle seed out of the good doctor,
as well as the details on how he created it.
Dr. Martin always had a high opinion of his
plant creations and did not like to share
them–he charged 25 cents a seed for his
lima, unheard of in those days. And he
never released his Black Brandywine
to a seed company, nor did he share
it with many people, so I am fairly certain
it never circulated among growers
like his popular lima bean. According
to my grandfather, Black Brandywine
was a controlled cross between Brandywine
and the original brown Beefsteak
tomato otherwise known as
Fejee Improved. Fejee Improved is
probably extinct." We thank Will for
entrusting us with this great-tasting
tomato that is extra large in size and
full of the deep, earthy and sweet flavor
that has made blackish-purple tomatoes
so popular. Some fruits tended to crack, but
the yield was heavy, and the plants were vigorous
and did well in our hot Missouri summer.
Superior for salsa and cooking. We enjoyed these
all summer, both fresh and in countless recipes. A
great home garden variety that will surely become
a favorite. See Mr Weavers' article about this tomato in the Winter 06/07 issue
of "The Heirloom Gardener" magazine.
Item Code: TP114
Bulk Quantities
1/8 oz - $13.00
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