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Stewardship Stories
‘Tomatoes are actually good!’
Niki Stevens , Exchange lister , recount why she grows , saves , and shares two very special tomato varieties .
My path to seed delivery started around the years of four . I know that those flushed thing ( tomatoes ) my mom had picked were unfit news program . Did n’t she roll in the hay they were poisonous to masses ? I knew . I also knew that we had a pig named Wilbur and that Wilbur was willing to eat anything . The trouble was he last far from the house and getting the tomatoes to him by myself was going to be an issue . Thankfully , I was able-bodied to convince my untested babe , Katrina , that we needed to get rid of the tomato . With many break , we transported them midway to Wilbur before we were caught literally reddish - handed . My penalisation was brutal : I was made to run through one of those flushed things . At that moment , I had an Epiphany of Our Lord — tomatoes are actually undecomposed !
Many years afterwards , I was married and was growing my own gardens , which always at this distributor point admit love apple . One year , about 1999 , my husband ’s grandma , Lydia , was n’t feeling very well so she gave me the seven tomato plants she had growing in little cups on her windowsill to tend . I asked her what kind they were , and she replied , “ George Washingtons . ”
‘George Washington’ tomatoes
I look everywhere for information about the ‘ George Washington , ’ hoping to get word more about this potato - leaf tomato variety . It grew tall and produced the big , tasty , dark - pink beefsteak tomatoes I had ever seen . And the tomato had very few semen . In short , it was the ultimate Lycopersicon esculentum ! I was soak , but nowhere could I find a Lycopersicon esculentum key out ‘ George Washington . ’ For a few year , I thought perhaps Lydia intend it was the ‘ Abraham Lincoln ’ tomato plant , but after develop that one out , I realized it was in spades not my love apple . Mine was better !
I also meet one lonely fiddling paste tomato from my hubby ’s grandmother and have develop it every yr since as well . It is my go - to canning tomato . I do n’t get laid what its name was so I just call it the ‘ Lydia Stevens ’ glue tomato plant . After require around , I learned this Lycopersicon esculentum had been stewarded by my hubby ’s side of the family for probably at least 70 years before I began grow it in my garden 25 years ago .
I am grateful Lydia Stevens give me these tomato seeded player . I go for that one of my kids will someday take over growing these miscellanea , but there ’s no guarantee of that . And that ’s why offer them on the Exchange is very important to me — I need to be sure that these Lycopersicon esculentum are n’t lose when I can no longer originate them , and if other Exchange player are also originate them in their garden , then they wo n’t be .
‘George Washington’ tomatoes
Niki Stevens of Amberson , Pennsylvania , is volunteer five diversity through the Exchange in 2025 , include the ‘ George Washington ’ and ‘ Lydia Stevens ’ tomatoes .
To celebrate Seed Savers Exchange ’s fiftieth day of remembrance , we are sport the work and inspiration of Exchange listers in the " Hope and Practice " series .
3094 North Winn RoadDecorah , Iowa 52101(563 ) 382 - 5990
‘Lydia Stevens’ tomatoes
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