[dangolding]

OK, it's rare but every so often I do have, what I think, is a great idea

I've just had a rant about supermarket food on another forum (I do have a life, honestly) and in it I went on about tomatos being awful and tasteless.

So, my idea is to come up with some sort of "tomato taste test" day/event

Given we all like growing toms, and they're not that difficult once they get started, how about if we all grew 2 extra plants and then give one to each of our neighbours so they can grow them on.

Yes, they'll be quite a few who can't be bothered, some neighbours people don't want to talk to etc, but we all know other gardeners who have neighbours and maybe, collectively, we could raise the profile of horrible supermarket toms

I'm sure if we got a sizeable number of people involved, then we could get a local tv news team or even one of the celebrity gardeners/chefs to endorse it (they're never shy of some extra press coverage)

I'm quite happy to create/host a website to go behind all this, but before I ignore my wife and other to-do projects in order to build the site, I just wanted to know what other people think?

[Alex 98]

Sound a good idea

There was an interesting tasting report by the RHS in association with Raymond Blanc and others . I think it was in the Feb edition of The Gardener, worth reading

We're growing about 8 varieties this year

Keep us updated

[Trillium]

We have something similar over here - private tomato tasting festivals, public tomato tasting festivals, some of which are covered by news media. But it has no effect on store tom purchases. Due to the high volume, the stores purchase those tough things that will transport well, the #1 factor for mass purchase. Even John found that when he went to the tomato grower's facility in his latest diary entry. The toms must be able to take bouncing and shaking in trucks, handling all down the line, and to sit in the shops for considerable time in pristine condition until sold. End of story. Taste, should it be there, is a bonus point but not actively sought as all involved know it's at the expense of point #1.

If anything, it might, and probably does, encourage market gardeners to grow tasty toms as there's virtually no handling or transport involved. Same with small shops which can carry those toms in a specialty niche.
People definitely need to taste real toms, and I'd think your site slant could lean more towards encouraging more small shops to carry them and market gardeners to supply them. This might not be the angle you'd want, but it might be the most effective.

[nobby]

i work at a college [not teaching] and this time every year a frend and me bring in our spere plants that we dish out to all the staf for a small donation that gos to NSPCC
this year we are up to 13 veriaties and £200 for the charety
sungold semes to be faveret for tast

[gobs]

There is always the exception we had such yummy toms from the supie that I sowed the seed of them. :shock:

Sungold is a nice flavour to me, too. Some also say, flavour will differ depending on feed.

[GrannieAnnie]

I grow about 20 varieties each year now, and most of those are swapped with other growers either on here or on RC.  We only have one neighbour, but when I asked them and their predessors if they'd like some homegrown tomatoes...... yes please they said, but we only like the normal medium sized red salad tomato, so no good giving them any of the more unusual ones!

My new friends down the road though are going to have a few plants.  They planted the seeds of a supermarket tomato and got 80 plants growing, but they don't have any more unusual varieties, (they will have in a few weeks though!!!!! lol)

[crackedflowerpots]

we are growing tigrella, golden pear, marmande, money maker and the good ol' gardeners delight but are open to suggestions for next year

[mfconway]

I am trying one i have not seen before 'sub artic' after last years lack of sunshine they seemed like a good idea, anyone else tried them

[Ice]

I like your idea dangolding.  Would need more info on the practicalities though.  Anything that exposes people to proper tasting tomatoes is ok in my books.  So it won't change supermarkets overnight but little by little I think people are waking up to the idea of local produce eaten in season.

[gobs]

I am trying one i have not seen before 'sub artic' after last years lack of sunshine they  seemed like a good idea, anyone else tried them

They are a very good performer.    Was not after the fleshiness of them and flavour is not out of this world, but returned to having some this year.

[mfconway]

ah! you too are playing on the side of caution, i think we have made a wise choice, why! we have just had summer. Just got my fleece jacket back out of the vacum condensed bag today.

[Trillium]

My mum grows a sub-arctic variety called manitoba, which ripens in 60 days. Although she's only 30 min. east from my house, she's in a colder zone with very late and early frosts, so regular toms simply won't grow there. Like gobs says, there isn't a lot of flavour, but for canning they're fab since you at least get lots of ripe toms that don't mind some cold.