Hi,

I was reading a thread on the Tomato Forum about Mortgage Lifter tomato. I am growing Mortgage Lifter Ester's Straiin. But the following extract attracted my attention. Note the mention of the Australian strain. I'm going to grow this one next year after buying seeds from New Gippsland Seeds.

And Ray, you might want to add this one to your Aussie grow list. BTW: College Cropwell is comiing along okay and one very late Aust. Giant Oxheart needs to be planted out.

Here's the mention of the Australian strain of Mortgage Lifter...

The following text was cut from HeirloomTomatoes.net and pasted here:

Mortgage Lifter Estler's- 85 days, Indet, reg. leaf Pink- Huge,(1# and considerably over when well grown) fruit with excellent flavor. This one is said to be older than Radiator Charlie's. It reportedly goes back to 1922 and is a considerably bigger plant with larger fruit than Charlie's and seems much more prolific. Chuck's seed came from "Bob" Estler, son of the "Bill" Estler who originated the variety. Seed of this variety was sent to Australia in the thirties by the Estler's is probably the ancester of the Australian variety Mortgage Lifter which has evolved considerably. Chuck found Estler's Mortgage Lifter to be the biggest and most prolific of the eleven Mortgage Lifter strains which Chuck had grown. There seems to be little, if any difference is taste.

Mortgage Lifter Red- 80 days, Indet. Reg. leaf Although it is not truly an heirloom because it is a recent improvement on Radiator Charlie's by Jeff McCormack PhDs. This was Chuck's preference for the best of the "Mortgage Lifters". Red Mortgage Lifter carries far better than average resistance to diseases. It's a wonderful producer of one lb. and larger superbly flavored red fruit with the true beefsteak texture.

Mortgage Lifter (Australian)- 85 days- Huge Indet. reg. leaf plant bears good set of one pound plus, typical Mortgage Lifter fruit. This variety is said to be a descendant of the Estler's version which was sent to Australia in the thirties. From New Gyps land Seeds of Tasmania via Steve Parton of Melbourne, Australia.

Mortgage Lifter- (McGarity)- 85 days - Indet reg. leaf plant bear s a nice crop of typical Mortgage Lifter type fruit.

Mortgage Lifter(Mullens)- 75-85 days - Another of the great strains of Mtg. Lifter.

Mortgage Lifter Riegers- 80 days - Indet. reg. leaf pink. Much like the other Mortgage Lifter types.