A big thank you to the FOTESS members for keeping in touch with me! I haven't kept up with the switch to Houzz. This year has been one of huge changes since new management let 1/2 of our staff go in January including us. We purged & packed up into storage then moved in with my parents. James found employment that has taken us into the next county, so we're moving into our own home on 10 acres soon. There is one deer nibbled 3' partial apple tree, but haven't found any other cultivated plants there. This is a great new start and chance to do our own thing on our own land. Thanks to FOTESS I have seeds to start over again! Corrine

I realize my Houzz account merged with GWeb, so my old GWeb name was Corrine1. I should haven't added that to my post.

Corrine, welcome back! It's nice to have you stop by to let us know about your new adventures. I'm hoping that you're able to join in next month's swap.

Nicole, thanks for the update :)

Amy, hopefully we hear something from Connie soon.

Corrine, how exciting! A new canvas for your growing masterpieces although it was not an easy road.

After all those tomatoes I'm imagining how beautiful a salad or pico de gallo would be with yellow, red and green tomatoes!

We are getting rain. I'm happy, happy. Many are grumbling...poor unthankful tarts!

My mother went to a Farmer's Market in central Nebraska and the tomatoes were staying hard. She picked one up, squeezed it, then turned it over and a sticker said, "Arkansas." I think that's misleading, but it doesn't take much to bruise my sensitive ego. Tomatoes never ripened--picked too soon probably. Heidi

Welcome Back, Corrine! Very nice to hear from you and wishing you the best in your new venture! And I second Katie's wish that you join one of the next swaps!

It looks like we might get rain here, too. Sure hope so!

Have a great day,

Shirley!

Me again! Just wanted to post this pic for Katie! These are the Hawaiian Currant Tomatoes, from seed that you sent me! There are 6 little tomatoes in that cluster and the plant has 4 more clusters that haven't begun to ripen yet. This plant is doing well, the other one has lots of blossoms but no fruit yet. I am thrilled!

Oooo, Shirley! I can't wait to here about what you think when you taste them :)

I got Katie's wicked card today. She sent a variety of tomatoes from this year:. Black zebra, Edelrot, Great white tomato, Girl girl's weird thing, Hawaiian currant, and Wagner blue green. I am really excited to try these, especially the Hawaiian currant after what you wrote about it. Thank you, Katie!

Time for another tomato review!

It's hard to decide on a favorite, but out of all the varieties I grew this year, Girl Girl's Weird Thing might be my favorite. It's beautiful, meaty, and the taste is a 10/10! This beautiful beefsteak is a mutation that showed up in someone's garden of Green Zebra tomatoes a few years ago. It's medium in size, with my biggest one being 4 or 5" in diameter. How's this for WOW?!

Hi Amy,

I just got your great card and seeds. She sent Casper eggplant, cape gooseberry, lemon balm, yellow sweet peppers, corn, and all manner of great seed. It was wonderful, so thoughtful, lovely. Yours is on the way.

Sorry I got called to take care of a cousin that just had cancer surgery. He couldn't keep food down, and wasn't going to make it. The doctor had no suggestions so I grabbed my home grown food and rushed over so fast, I left the door to my apartment wide open and my neighbors had to close it.

Soon as I got there I put him on herbal tea and he said that was the first thing he could keep down. Then I made him some vegan Turmeric curry black Eyed Peas with okra. Everybody said he could only eat a tablespoon - he ate four bowls. Drank my native American recipe tea like it was kool-aid and I can't stand the taste of it myself. At the weeks end I had him on potato green bean stew seasoned with turkey sausage, garden salad, boiled greens, homemade cornbread and peach cobbler. My family couldn't believe it.

I just used different fresh herbs in each dish so I could figure out what his healing foods were. Fresh and dry.

My family has always made fun of me as doctor Doolittle, tree hugger, the nutty gardener, low salt, fruit and flowering herbs. There's a wild hawk in my that follows me around like a puppy, that made me top weirdo. They are all looking at me like they just saw the Virgin Mary. I feel like they might whip out a welcome alian sign soon.

He tried a deli ham sandwich and his body shut down on him. So he had to go back to my whole grain home made food with herbal tea. When did old fashioned homegrown home cooked meals get to be a medical miracle?

Katie -- I've loved reading all your tomato reviews. Would it be possible to get a list of your top 5 all-time favorites, in order of preference? I'm sure I'm not the only hot weather gardener here that would love to pick your brain a little more.

A Tiger Swallowtail dipped and glided by yesterday. Couldn't get a picture, but it was exciting.

Shirley, I hope your package arrives soon.

A week ago it was 104 with heat index of 115. Today supposed to get to 78. What a wild ride! It's raining, too, so I'm happy.

Working on a city flower bed this afternoon with a group of Christian youth who do community projects during a 4 day retreat. Also hoping for a big, strong lad who will trim tree branches (but stand on the ground). Heidi

Katie, that is great news about Girl's girl weird thing. I will definitely make sure I grow it next year.

Connie, that is great you were able to help your cousin.

I received my Wicked Pack from Heidi, and it truly was Wicked, in a good sense that is! Heidi, the card was great and the seed selection was astounding! Where did you find these seeds? I've never raised Datura, so there is a new challenge, sure glad I didn't give my old trellis away!

Did you write the poem on the inside? Very Wicked!

Heidi sent: Double Datura/purple and white; Datura Golden Queen; Ruella Chi Chi, another newbie for me and yet another: Solaneau Viginianum (forgive the spelling please!). She also sent 4 kinds of Echinacea, balloon flowers and Painted Tongue seeds.

Heidi, this was great, Thank you, Thank you!

Hi, everyone - from super hot and staying hot South Carolina! Now we are getting into the drought phase as well. My poor plants! We are more than an 8 inches below our normal rainfall by this time of the year and with day after day around or above 100 degrees, it is rough.

I received my Wicked Swap today and will post about that separately so this next point doesn't get lost. We have someone fairly new to Houzz who would like to join our group. She will need a sponsor since she is new. Please let me know if you will sponsor her or if you just want to know more. I have her information, but will wait to post it until she is welcomed into the group.

What is your responsibility as a sponsor?

If someone
new to GardenWeb (now Houzz) wants to be a member and has no track record for any of us to
rely on, he or she can join if someone will be their sponsor. They will need a
sponsor for the first 6 months or until they complete 3 swaps successfully. If
you volunteer to be a sponsor, you will be expected to send in place of the
"newbie" if they do not send. Of course, that will only happen one time because
after that the newbie's membership will be dropped. The swaps are intended to be
inexpensive so you may consider this if you are inclined.

Thanks for considering this request. Once someone has agreed to be her sponsor, I will post so you'll know one is no longer needed.

Thanks,

Jeanne

And now for my wonderful swap envelope that I received from Breanne today. First of all, she made a great card ... a ghost on the front and it has some lime green accents worked into the design. The inside says, "I hope these seeds grow wicked good!" Love that you thought of that saying! Inside I had a nice note about the seeds she sent, she had printed out copies of 2 of the seed packets so I could read about them, and these seeds :

Grand Bell Pepper Mix

Black Beauty Eggplant

Tomatillo

Roma Tomato.

Great choices for me and I think I may soon need to see if I can start some new plants from seeds. My back was hurting so bad on Wed. and Thurs. that I didn't water the outdoor plants and I was so sad to go out there today and see how droopy they were. (Most of my plants are in containers so they need frequent watering ... especially when it's like this.) I soaked them the best that I could so maybe they will look a lot happier tomorrow.

Thanks so much for the swap, Breanne. It was perfect and such a nice surprise to come in today's mail.

Jeanne

And here I am again. I wanted to say welcome back to Corrine and also tell Connie I am amazed at your success in caring for your cousin. You were a nutritional angel! That's fantastic. As time goes by I realize how much our food influences how we feel and various physical ailments. Homemade and home grown food - wonderful!

Jeanne

Jeanne -- Who is looking for a sponsor? Maybe one of us has had experience with her and would be more willing to sponsor her if we've happened to cross paths.

Katie, thanks for offering to sponsor the new member. I will send you her information. I was hoping she could join in time for August if she wants to join in on that swap.

Hooray - more tomato information! I think the heat, tomato hornworms, and lack of rain hindered mine. Not a single tomato growing on my plants, but I do have a few buds. I sure hope I get at least one tomato this year! My pepper plants have been more cooperative, but they are having a hard time with the heat also. I think next year will be a time for me to plant less and focus more on the welfare of each plant.

Jeanne

We want to welcome our new member Brynn. Her Houzz name is brynnbrynnbrynn. Thanks again for offering to be Brynn's sponsor, Katie.

Brynn, when the August swap gets posted you will be fine to sign up if you wish. Again, welcome and please join in on the swaps, games, and conversation when you can.

Jeanne

Welcome, Brynn! Nice to have you join in!

Shirley!

Brynn -- Welcome!

Well, uploading a photo isn't happening tonight, so I'll wait until tomorrow to give the next tomato review.

Big welcome to Brynn! She and I have already "met" because I'm sending her seeds from my Attention Newbies thread on the Seed Exchange. She was really quick to send stamps to cover postage. Hey Brynn, you should tell the group about your gardens and what you would like to try growing. There are others here who share your interests.

Happy Weekend!

Katie

Well here's a review of a tomato called Edelrot. I bought seeds from a commercial vendor. Edelrot is supposed to be determinate, but mine is growing like an indeterminate. Oh well... This tomato is early! Produces round red globes that are slightly fluted on the shoulders. Taste is pretty good (7.5 / 10), not 'the best' but good enough that I will grow it again due to its productivity. Productivity of this medium sized tomato is impressive, even in this heat! It has produced more than any other variety this year. Because of that, I've used it in many sauces and salsas that I've canned this year. After roasting it in the oven, it tastes fantastic

Nottougly ~ I received your homemade card and lovely seeds!!! Thank you so much for putting so much time making the card for me.

When u harvest your tomatoes and feel a great tomato feeling!!

Erica has the August FOTESS swap open for joining!

Nicole, thanks for the update!!
We just have a few more swap cards to wrap this month up.

I'll continue the tomato reviews until I've covered them all.

Swap update:
Nicole SENT RECEIVED & Faye SENT
Heidi RECEIVED & Shirley RECEIVED
Katie RECEIVED & Emily RECEIVED
Connie SENT and RECEIVED & Amy SENT
Erica RECEIVED & Ruth RECEIVED
Breanne RECEIVED & Jeanne RECEIVED

Black from Tula is a beefsteak "black" tomato with green shoulders. My fruit were 8-12 oz., which is the perfect size, in my opinion. I had regular cat-facing, but that doesn't detract from the fruit taste. Black tomatoes have a very rich flavor that can almost be described as a faint "smoky" quality. We gave this one a solid 9/10 on the flavor scale. I'm looking forward to continuing to grow more and more black tomatoes.

Katie -- I really want to thank you for all your tomato reviews. They have been fantastic and I even bookmarked the page, so that I can refer to it again next year, when I'm picking varieties to grow. Much thanks for taking the time to share your pictures and results with us!

I received my card from Nicole.

bluee19 sent a great card and
these seeds.

Thank you very much. I have never tried Petunia seeds before. I can't wait.

Petunia;

Purple

Mixed,
Red, White and Purple

Red

Purple
and Pink

Laura
Bush Pink

Datura, White

Mexican Hats

Sunflowers;

Evening
Sun

Mexican

Connie, Thank you for the card and seeds. Included in my card were, orange habanaro, fresno peppers, red/orange bell pepper, violetta lunga eggplant and yellow pear tomato.

Love all the information on the tomatoes Katie! My tomatoes have been a flop this year but then there is always next year!

Just checking in. I didn't get any good bird pictures but I did get an old cemetary picture. Shirley I thought of you when I took this one. I think the road may have taken over part of it. Also got some awesome sunset pictures.

Thanks for the update, Amy. Glad you've enjoyed the tomato reviews, too. I still have some left to do. Sadly, I lost my Big Cheef plant early in the season before I got any ripe fruit. Boo hoo!! Ruth, love the photos! Old cemeteries are fascinating.
Well, folks, that wraps up our swap! Thanks to everyone who joined in. Prizes are going out to the winners Ruth, Shirley, & Emily this week.
Nicole RECEIVED & Faye RECEIVED
Heidi RECEIVED & Shirley RECEIVED
Katie RECEIVED & Emily RECEIVED
Connie RECEIVED & Amy RECEIVED
Erica RECEIVED & Ruth RECEIVED
Breanne RECEIVED & Jeanne RECEIVED

Katie, Thank You for hosting the July FOTESS swap! You did a great job and I too, enjoyed the tomato reviews.

Ruth, how great that you got to see an old cemetery like that and how great that you took pics. Yes, it is entirely possible that the road was run over a portion of the cemetery. That happens frequently. One of our main streets, here in Monroe, was run over some graves of early settlers. They aren't sure if it was a family plot or what, but there are definitely bones down under there! Cadaver dogs found them! And was that person in the second picture born in 1735?l Sure looks like it, that is an oldie for sure! Thanks, Ruth!

Hot and humid here today, we need some rain!

Shirley!

Shirley, this old cemetery is in North Georgia where I grew up. It does look like 1735, but I can't really tell. We would have gotten better pictures but it's basically in someone's yard. I'd really like to pull some weeds and make it look more respectabe.

I've never noticed it before and my family members have lived all around it, including in the house beside it. Just to the left was a new grave and fresh flowers. We were on our way to see my brother's new headstone that was just delivered.

Ruth & Erica, I grew Beaver Dam peppers for the first time this year. Just tasted one recently and wow, they are delicious! Size of a bell pepper, but with more flavor, and sweet with a bit of heat. I will be growing them again! Another pepper I'm growing this year that is similar is Faludi. Also excellent, thicker flesh and more heat than Beaver Dam. Another pepper that has earned a permanent spot in the garden.

I'll have to try Faludi. I'm always looking for thicker flesh peppers with some heat. Beaver Dam has been a favorite for years now. My peppers aren't doing good so far this year but here's a picture of Beaver Dam from last year.

Evening All!

Well, Katie, I have to tell you that I tried the Hawaiian Current tomatoes today and they were quite tasty! Just a little sweet. However, I had to remove one of the plants - I had noticed last night that something was eating the leaves, and discovered what it was tonight. Yes, it was Manduca Goinguemaculata! Good Grief! A tomato hookworm, 3, to be exact. I pulled them off and drowned them. Boy, they sure stripped that plant fast! Fortunately, it was the plant that wasn't fruiting, so I may get to eat more of the HCs. Strange experience!

Have a great night!

Shirley!

Shirley, I get tomato hookworms every year and you are right, the whole plant will be stripped of leaves in about 2 days or less. You really have to get them off the plant fast. I use no pesticides so it's up to me to find them. I hope you got all of them!

Jeanne

Ruth, those beaver dam peppers look delicious! Do you let yours turn red?

Shirley, yes the tomato hornworms are impressive with their size and voracious appetite. I've had many this year, just like every year. I think the caterpillars are really pretty but they are so destructive so they've got to go. Happy to hear you've eaten your first homegrown tomato. I'll bet those Hawaiian currants never make it in the house.

Jeanne, hope your back is feeling better!

Another heat tolerant but delicious tomato in the garden this year is Yasenichki Yabuchar. Flavor is fantastic, a 9/10. I wish the plants were a little more productive but I will try it again next year. The fruit are perfect red oblate, medium sized tomatoes. My seeds came from Canada, so I am hopeful that it will become even more heat tolerant thru subsequent generations.

Katie, most of our peppers don't last long enough to turn red. They end up sauteed or stuffed.

Thank you for the wonderful seeds, Katie! Got them yesterday, emailed you thro Houzz, hope you got it. I googled all the seeds and they are just beautiful! Have never tried growing Nicotania, and love, love, love Petunias!

Thanks again,

Shirley!

Update on prizes:

Ruth, yours went out today.

Emily, yours went out last week and should be received soon.

Shirley, yours has obviously been received.

Hope all 3 of you enjoy your wicked prizes!

Katie, I got my prize today. Thank you for being so generous. I was really only expecting seeds for Blonde Boar (yea!) but that was a beautiful card and I appreciate the other seeds. I am especially excited to try the Beaver Dam pepper after all the raves here (first time I heard of it). Thanks again for your generosity and for being a great hostess. I have enjoyed learning about all these tomatoes that I haven't heard of.

I got my prize yesterday. Thank you for hosting a great swap and thank you so much for sending such great seeds. I am so excited to try the pepper and the Asclepias. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. I've learned that just because I have seeds and get them to grow into plants, doesn't mean I'll get flowers with various butterfly weeds I've tried. I think maybe too much shade.

Tomatoes don't like my yard so I give up on them about every other year. I guess next year will be the year to try again and I can try the tomato seeds. Someday I'll find one with few seeds that can take the Texas heat. I have friends here that grow them so I know it can be done.