Tomato 'Homestead'

Zone 6b, Southern Kentucky. A reliable performer in my gardens for several years.

Whether in-ground, raised beds or pots,...Read More I can count on a good harvest from "homestead". Holds up to the heat and humidity with good resistance against disease and splitting. Holds up to the heat and humidity. Firm and juicy with fine texture. The flavor is mildly acidic and good enough for fresh eating (not excellent like a brandywine or cherokee purple, but a good tomato flavor). Fruit size is uniform and excellent for canning. I freeze these whole and thaw to mix with more robust flavored heirlooms for juice, salsa, sauces, etc. They will put on a few early trusses, then a big flush of ripe fruit all at once, followed by a few staggered trusses until frost.

I grew two plants in bushel baskets on the patio during the fall season - one turned out very well with multiple fruitings. The plant has...Read More survived temperatures from the 90s down to the upper 30s. So far we didn't wait for the tomatoes to ripen except one - fried them green. Most were small to medium, but one grew large. The one that I ripened had a pleasant acidic taste.

Rutgers for Florida is a good description of this variety. Introduced in the early 50's for market growers in Florida and named for Home...Read Morestead Florida. A heat resistant cultivar.