RE: [tomato] Creating your own heirlooms?
cvinson@mindspring.com (Tomato@GlobalGarden.com)
Wed, 31 Mar 1999 18:06:18 -0500
Chuck wrote:
Recently there has been a big hoopla about "Caspian Pink"tomato. In the
back of my mind lurks the thought, "Terminator Gene." I, for one, don't
plan to plant it until I get seed from some trusted person who has
personally grown it out. There's just too much chicanery going on.
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Isn't Caspian Pink the Russian O.P. variety for which Seymour Seeds
(Shumway) supposedly has an exclusive on for U.S. distribution this year due
to shortage of seed? Or is it Totally Tomatoes? I can't remember. Wait, just
checked. Totally Tomatoes is selling it (and that in itself gives me
pause....those people invariably send either old seed or mislabeled seed).
Still, I understand the paranoia. Some of the members of the Internet Tomato
Gang "gang" helping me grow out 600+ varieties of o.p., heirloom, and
hybrids started worrying that they may be growing "terminator seed" since
all the seeds are unlabeled and coded. One of the growers went so far as to
burn his seedlings and dispose of the soil in which they were growing! At
one point even I was ready to begin grilling everybody from whom I'd bought
seed about "where did it come from". Even you, Chuck <grin>.
The sad thing is that all of us may have reason to fear the safety of our
food supply. That's a hell of a note.
Catharine/Atlanta, zone 7b