Rainbow Tomato
A touch of red, yellow, green and blue,
we welcome summer with heirloom tomato hues.
Tomatoes are part of the nightshade family, Solanaceae, which include pigmented fruits and vegetables such as eggplant, bell peppers, and potatoes. While tomatoes are an excellent source of biotin, potassium, iron and zinc, different colors of tomatoes offer different levels of lycopene. The red pigment contained in tomatoes is called lycopene. This compound acts as an antioxidant and neutralizer of free radicals in the body. Purple tomatoes are dominant in lycopene while yellow and green tomatoes have a lower lycopene dominance. The blue hues generate from combinations of low levels of lycopene and dominance of flavonoids. Tomatoes are high in antioxidants and one of the best sources of phytonutrients. Packed with vitamins A, C, E, and K, heirloom tomatoes are dense in nutrients and can be used to make beautiful salads, pizzas, and tarts.
What makes an heirloom an heirloom?
Some say that it is their place of origin or their first record of existence. Since seed companies started to create hybrids by crossing two varieties in the 1930s, some maintain that heirloom tomatoes must have been cultivated prior to the 1940s. Yet, others avow that an heirloom is not a true heirloom unless it has been passed down from generation to generation within the same family. Our sympathies lie with this faction.
Craig LeHoullier, the author of Epic Tomatoes, proposes that heirlooms could be classified into three groups: commercial heirlooms, family heirlooms, and deliberately created heirlooms. Commercial Heirlooms compose of USDA selected seed varieties that often lack flavor because seeds are selected based on their yield and ripening time. Family heirlooms are the heirlooms that produce fruits that look exactly like the ones from which they came. Some examples of family heirlooms are Cherokee, Red and Pink Brandywine, and Kellogg’s Breakfast tomatoes. Created heirlooms are a cross between two known heirlooms, and desired traits can take up to ten years to create. Some examples of created heirlooms include Lucid Gem, Striped Green German, and Bleeding Heart.
Spade & Plow Heirloom Tomato Varieties
Heirloom tomatoes are usually a tricky crop to grow. Soil type, weather, and climate can profoundly affect a tomato’s flavor and appearance. After 4 years of growing heirloom tomatoes, we’ve finally dialed into knowing which varieties do well in our growing region, and most importantly, are delicious enough to keep our customers coming back for more!
Sungolds
The extra sweet tomato, Sungolds apricot color never turns red. They get sweeter as they ripen, yet balanced out with floral and grape notes.
Black Cherries
These dramatic tomatoes are sweet with smoky overtones. Perfect in salads as they are meaty and do not have as much water as typical cherry tomatoes.
Brad’s Atomic Grape Tomato
These tomatoes have galactic coloring. Ranging from lavender stripes, turning olive green to lime green, and hints of red and yellow. These elongated, large cherry tomatoes are full of flavor. Their sweet flavor bursts through the thick wall of the tomato. We like to eat these raw, or use them as you would a Roma tomato: in salsas and sauces.
Blue Beauty
Similar to a Brandywine tomato, Blue Beauty is a modest beefsteak-type slicer. Offering a true tomato flavor that is not too sweet.
Lucid Gem
This excessively beautiful tomato is prized for its deep purple shoulders. Medium in size, lucid gems are the first tomato we have grown that has a slightly savory flavor. Perfect for sandwiches.
Kellogg’s Breakfast
Kellogg’s breakfast tomatoes area a cheery kind of orange color with tangy-sweet flavor. A perfect breakfast tomato packed with juice, few seeds, and meaty goodness.
Striped German
Juicy, sweet, hints of citrus, and complex tomato flavor, Striped German are a true yellow tomato. Premium by all accounts.
Bleeding Heart
Everyone loves the sweet and fruity taste of these tomatoes. Not to mentions the luminous swirls of red and orange inside and out, making bleeding heart tomatoes a chef favorite.
OxHeart
Earthy and hearty in flavor these tomatoes are reminiscent of a well-finished steak. They are pear-shaped and smaller in size and are beautiful when cut down the middle and served with a little salt and herbs.
Pink BrandyWine
This rosy pink tomato is the perfect slicing tomato for its large size and superb flavor. These will go great on your lunchtime sandwiches!
Large Barred Boar
Extremely flavorful, moderate size and versatility, these tomatoes are a perfect for sandwiches, salads, or simply slice and eat!
Green Cherokee
Considered to be one of the best green-colored fruits, Green Cherokees offer luscious flavor and tender texture.