C&T Produce CSA Box #15
What Are Heirloom Tomatoes, and Why Are They So Special?
Heirlooms are different. The tomato must come from an original plant with seeds traceable back to 1951 or older (although many heirloom varieties are well over 100 years old). They also must be open-pollinated. Basically, that means that birds, bees, insects, or a strong gust of wind are the only source of pollination, with no unnatural intervention.
There Are Four Main Types of Heirloom Tomatoes
Not all heirloom tomatoes are the same. Each variety falls under one of four categories:
- Family Heirlooms: This type of heirloom must grow from seeds that a family has passed down from generation to generation.
- Commercial Heirlooms: Open-pollinated, pre-1940 tomatoes or plants in circulation for at least 50 years are known as commercial heirlooms.
- Created Heirlooms: These consist of a cross between an heirloom/hybrid or heirloom/heirloom, which can take years to complete.
- Mystery Heirlooms: When heirloom varieties naturally cross-pollinate, the resulting plant is a mystery heirloom.
You Should Never Store Heirloom Tomatoes in the Fridge
Heirlooms don’t last as long as hybrids. Once you pluck an heirloom tomato off its vine, try to eat it or use it in a recipe as quickly as possible. Don’t wait too long to enjoy them, because you only have a couple of days before it’s too late. You might be thinking: “I’ll just pop it in the fridge so it lasts longer!” Unfortunately, that’s not going to work.
Exposing an heirloom tomato to cold temperatures actually causes it to break down faster. Make sure you store heirloom tomatoes on the counter instead of in the fridge. Or, you can always eat them right away and avoid the question of where and how to store your tomatoes!
You can use heirloom tomatoes just the same as you use regular tomatoes!!
Just be mindful that they are more fragile.
Some have low acid which won’t do well in canning.
