That is what I did today.
Being that I processed down Rumi Banjan tomatoes. Nothing complicated. Not even completed really. Had a family running-around evening after a day of meetings relating to my regular job. When I got home I noticed that some of the Rumi Banjan tomatoes were as ripe as they were going to get on the vines without becoming susceptible to insect damage, or predation by my children and wife.
That is not really fair. I eat more tomatoes fresh than anyone else in my family does. Just the nature of the beast I suppose. These are hard to resist too. Patti and I worked our way through a couple of them, first plain, then with salt, and finally stacked on toasted slices of home made sour dough bread, thick with chard leaves, cucumber slices, turkey and ham. Really, this is my fresh summer favorite sandwich. Lots of butter on the bread. Some real mayo. Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Tomato juice dripping out of the sandwich, mingled with melted butter, running down your fingers. Kids were not here for dinner, so we selfishly ate as much as we could, and then I seeded and diced the rest up.
For now, this ranks top in our taste test for fresh eating. Not as early as Siberian or Sasha’s Altai, but but earlier than any of my other varieties this year.
I really want to get as many seeds as possible from these. A full pint of seedy pulp now sits on my windowsill, and nearly a gallon of chopped tomatoes are in a covered dish in the fridge. Randal over at Baker’s Creek Heirloom Seed Company is interested in possibly getting them offered there this year, and I might even see if there is some way I can offer them through this site. We will see. Always so many plans. Seldom any time.
Randal is a long time friend of mine. I shared seed with him in getting Abundant Acres started. My mentor and friend, Merlyn Nieden’s was one of their mater seed growers; I shared all my Kentucky Heirloom tomato varieties and he listed them with Baker Creek and Southern Exposure Seed Exchange. He died several years ago very suddenly of a heart attack.
I would be very interested in growing the Rumi Banjan from Afghanistan. I could do a seed purchase or an exchange if that would be agreeable with you.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Happy Gardening to us All!
Gary Millwood
4816 Wooded Oak Circle
Louisville, Kentucky 40245
Not a problem. Can do this fall after all the harvesting is done. We will work something out.
Hej, Tom!
We talked about trading this fall on one of the tomato forums, remember?
Please let me know when the Rumi Banjan seeds will be ready and I’ll send you my trading list for you to pick whatever you like from it…
Great blog, like going through it, BTW!
Got the seeds somewhere else, thanks anyway! 🙂
Not a problem. with how much seed I sent out last year and went back to GRIN I am glad to know you were able to find it.
FYI, Rumi banjan means “tomato” in the Afghan language (a dialect of Farsi). Any and all tomatoes in Afghanistan (red, yellow, etc., and any shape) are called Rumi banjan. That said, I hope to be able to buy some seeds of this particular variety sometime. They are gorgeous. I saw that you rank these high on taste, but could you describe the taste a bit?
Sweet, tart, light skin, juicy, oddly good keeper, lots of seeds. like any tomato, you have to try it to really know it. However, everyone I know who has grown it has loved it.
Those are probably the prettiest tomatoes I’ve ever seen! Might you have 3-5 seeds you could part with? I’d love to give them a try. I take it that they are fairly early, since you’re showing them in mid-August.
I live in the PNW, and am just getting started in growing OP and heirloom tomatoes.
Your photos are beautiful. They add so much to your blog.
Send me an SASE to Tom Kleffman, 3444 Livingston Ave Orono MN 55391. Include a note as to what exactly it is you want. You will want more than 3-5 though plus some to share.
Thank you, Tom. It will be in the mail Tuesday. I’ll be sending you a small thank you.
I hope all is well with you. By my reckoning, Daughter #4 is due soon. Will you be changing the name of the farm?
Warm regards,
Jane
guess I will have to, but going to keep the website name the same. Just will change our logo I think. Cant afford to own more sites.
Hey Dad! I like how you can identify the toetmoas. I guess since you gave me a lot of the seed, you already know what they look like. We have had some great summer weather lately and they are just turning colors like crazy. I am really happy.
Travis:Love this post agree with you. My husband and I are at the beutuifal gulf coast beach of Destin, FL this week.What does that have to do with tomatoes? You know you’re a true Southerner when you take your tomatoes with you on vacation!!!We actually brought 9 tomatoes with us from our garden! No way was I leaving those precious home-grown fresh tomatoes to ruin while we are away.There is nothing better than a good old tomato sandwich especially at the beach (everything is better at the beach).They can’t be a fruit that just doesn’t seem right. Maybe it’s a southern thing!Have a great weekend at LPL Memphis would love to be there!Blessings to you and your family,Georgia Jan