>With that background in mind, I can't give you a favorite, but I can give
>you a partial list of the best for me in several categories. I would give
>any of these a nine.
>
>1. Big Juicy, succulent reds--- Mortgage Lifter VFN, Sojourner South
>American,
>Brandywine Red, Druzba, Abe Lincoln, Old Virginia. German Red Strawberry,
>Page German Red, Olga's Biggest.
I was under the impression Sojourner was a yellow. However, I'd submit
Dinner Plate as an additional exceptional large red.
>
>2. Super flavored and great textured pinks-- Anna Russian, Blue Ridge
>Mountain, Stump O' The World, Purple Perfect, Eva Purple Ball, Brandywine
>Pink, German Johnson, Pruden's Purple, Jeff Davis, Scarab (my own
>discovery). OK. so I'm biased!
I like Black Krim, but a friend in Atlanta says Black from Tula, side by
side, wins over BK and Cherokee Purple, hands down. She didn't care much
for CP.
>3. Yellows, most of which are either too bland or too tart for my taste.
>Manyel and Lillian's Yellow Heirloom are exceptions. I would give either
>of them a nine. A couple of eights here would be Dr. Wyche's Yellow and
>Kellog's Breakfast.
>
>4. Red/Gold Bicolors. Regina's Yellow for hot climates and Marizol Gold
>for cooler weather.
I like Ruby Gold and Pineapple.
>
>5. Novel but outstanding in flavor as well. Aunt Ruby's German Green
>which stays green after ripening to a superb flavor. Its pale green flesh
>sets off the lime jello green gel. This one is gorgeous on a red lettuce
>salad! Cherokee Purple is a maroon color with green shoulders and green
>gel as well as great taste. Looks terrible, tastes great!
>
>6, Outstanding under hot, disease prone conditions. Tropic, Arkansas
>Traveller, Mission Dyke, Super Sioux, Homestead 24-F, Peron, Porters'
>Pride.
Super Sioux is prone to cracking around the stem end.
>Where's my ten? Like the farmer said when he first saw the Elephant,
>"There ain't no such animal!" I might give a ten to any of the above when
>eaten in the garden with the dew still o them. If some runs off your chin,
>that's fine, too.
>
>All of these varieties are available from either Southern Exposure Seed
>Exchange, P.O. Box 170, Earlysville, VA 22936 or Seed Savers Exchange, a
>non profit organization that publishes an annual catalog for members only.
>This is the "mother of all seed catalogs" and carries more varieties than
>all other mail order sources combined. Seed Savers Exchange, 3076 North
>Winn Road, Decorah, Iowa 52101. The wealth of varieties without cultural
>information may be a bit overwhelming for the beginner but this is really
>"where it's at."
>
>As far as disease resistance goes, I find Mortgage Lifter VFN AKA Red
>Mortgage Lifter from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange to be more resistant
>to the diseases that have built up in my garden than any other variety.
>Abe Lincoln is another. The SESE catalog is unique in that it does provide
>disease resistance information on heirlooms.
>
>As far as I'm concerned, the hybrids are OK if you don't know any better
>and you don't know any better if you've just grown Brandywine and a few
>others that the kingpin seed sellers want you to try.
>
>BTW, I have it on good authority that Dr. Randy Johnson, the developer of
>the Mountain Series, grows German Johnson at home for his own use. <G>
That wasn't very impressive in this Idaho gardener's t-patch.
>Here endeth the epistle,:-)
>Chuck Wyatt
>
Hey, Chuck, do you know Mark Scarinzi in Maryland? Margaret, who's growing
49 new-to-her OPs this year.