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In Tomato Heaven

9/12/2012

445 Comments

 
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Oh What fun!  I am collecting tomatoes every day - trying to beat the ever-lovin' squirrels for the first ripe tomato on each plant.  Besides saving for flavor, I am saving for earliness. I taste them as I am squeezing the seeds into a jar, then run to the computer to write a critique on my list.  I'm still chewing while I write.  It's so fun how different they are - and how different they can grow and even taste year to year.  
This year Kotlas is producing outstandingly, before - I rarely noticed it - kinda small and funny I wrote, but now I am raving. Of course Sasha's Altai is the best tomato in the world, no matter what is happening.  Nothing can beat it for earliness, and nothing can beat it for flavor either.  It makes you make noises when you eat it.
I am cataloging every one - as they come in and into the seed jar.  Here's a few awesome shots of tomato porn. 

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Sasha's Altai, best tomato in the world.
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Wendy
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Olga's Yellow Chicken
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Kotlas
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Silvery Fir Tree
I love these tomatoes - Big and Little.  Above is the mighty Silvery Fir Tree, beloved by all who grows it.  This plant grows only 2'X2' and has delightfully lacy foliage - like a silvery carrot.  But the load, oh the load of big, fat, slicers.  It's a good thing it's so short or it would fall over.  It is Russian and a determinate so you get a lot at once.  Like most of the determinates, it puts on another flush - as does Moscow - another favorite.  So drool while thinking about the next sandwich that needs this tomato  and grow it - a BLT?, a grilled veggie sandwich?  No matter - you will love this tomato.
Below is Coyote.  A currant tomato of course and born in tiny clusters.  Diversity is the name of the game.   I'm holding him in the rain, which is making them grow right now.  Each tomato is completely unique.  I love tasting them, discovering their idiosyncrasy's, how they grow, who is first.   Olga's Yellow Chicken really does look like bright yellow eggs on the vine - too cool.   And Wendy - from New Zealand - "Sweet as a plum" - and so early and plentiful - I've gotten to know each one.
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Coyote - currant tomato
I buy my seeds from Seeds Trust first, then go from there.  I am now saving seeds so I buy less and less all the time.  You can save seeds too - it's easy and fun.  Go to our website for The Westcliffe Seed Lending Library and learn how on the education page. 
Remember, it's not only economical, it will help you grow better than you ever have before.  Seeds adapt to their environment and carry the information over into the next generation.  In the mountain garden - this is exactly what we need.  
So I'm having a ball - can't get enough.  I hope to save 130 varieties.  I am well on my way.  It's hard to eat them though - especially Sasha's Altai - the fastest mountain tomato you ever saw, as now I see the seed as precious bounty for me and the masses, instead of perfect deliciousness for my belly.  I'll take more pictures tomorrow - like Black Plum, a 'brown' tomato, Indigo Rose, the deepest purple ever, and White Queen, chosen for fine Russian flavor.
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ThinderfooT's desert-adapted Golden Grape
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Aurora
445 Comments

The Latest Greenhouse

9/3/2012

3 Comments

 
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Beau, Cord and Max on the last day.
Check it out - what a beaut!  18' X 64'  This greenhouse is in the Gardner area - a lovely warm micro-climate for growing indoors and out.  It is aerodynamic, and has snow shields on the front winter vents, and over the upper vents.  They all have automatic openers on them.  Natural convection provides the ventilation.  There are two layers of barrels instead of 3 as this is in a warmer clime.  
There is a combination of double-paned glass and clear twin-wall polycarbonate on the south wall to provide a Rocky Mountain view and to diffuse light and cut cost.
The boys double dug the beds and I sent tomato plants along - to get them started - it was so fun.  It will be interesting to see what else they grow this winter.
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Double dug (Bio-intensive) beds ready to plant.
What a floor plan!  They left room only for a table made of two blue barrels with a board on top.  The rest is for growing.  This is such a cool pic - I want to plant it - don't you?  Think of all the possibilities and potential.
Okay - enough drooling.  Hopefully - I will finally post the rest of the pictures of the building of this thing on the greenhouse pages.  I gave it up - I don't know why but am fully aware I must continue and finish.  
Cord, once again, learned so much building this thing and is currently designing the next one in Salida which involves an attached shed and porch.   He is a great designer and is working away on it.   There are talks for a greenhouse in Howard, Alma, La Veta and Walsenburg - we have to just keep on building - go Cord!  
Many thanks to our good friend Rick, who built this along with Cord and the boys.
One more...
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The other direction.
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End of day.
3 Comments

    Author

    Penn Parmenter is a high altitude gardener, seedswoman and student of the earth.  She is married to Cord Parmenter - an awesome gardener, gorgeous man and a master blacksmith. Together they own and run a sustainable greenhouse design company, Smart Greenhouses LLC and Penn grows seed for her seed business, Miss Penn's Mountain Seeds.  She is a mother of three sons and an outdoorswoman.  Penn forages wild food, hunts big game, fishes, preserves, maintains a huge organic forest garden and occasionally makes dinner.  At home you can find her in her greenhouses as well as in the wilderness - nose to the ground, butt in the air, trying to identify Colorado natives.    

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