Long Keeping Tomatoes

I originally posted this way back in 2010, but in the last week, people have been asking lots about these tomatoes thanks to a post on The Art of Doing Stuff blog (thanks for the mention Karen).
In answer to your questions-yes! I will have long keeping varieties of tomatoes available on my "Tomato Days" sale weekend, a number of varieties actually. 
Try them! They are the best things ever!

Mystery Keeper tomato

I often think that if people knew about some of the amazing food out there, they would complain a whole lot less.

For example, how many times have you heard people complaining about off-season tomatoes.?

I think the solution to that is simple. Either don't buy the darn things, or grow something yourself that is just better.

And you can do it. You can have homegrown tomatoes in the harsh Ontario (or wherever) winter by planting a longkeeper type. I've tried a bunch of them, and like Mystery Keeper the best. But there's a Burpee longkeeper, Graham's Goodkeeper and more no doubt.

No special trick to it....these are storage tomatoes that ripen super slowly after you pick them. I've had fresh tomatoes for Easter from tomatoes picked the fall before.

Sources for these seeds are Burpees of course, but in Canada Mapple Farms and Salt Spring Seed have them . I'll try to have some too.

Join the seed exchanges and find even more variety.

I generally plant my long keepers a bit later than my other tomatoes so they are ready for picking right before a frost-that's NOW!!

And they look like the picture, just sort of ripe and still hard. Any with blemishes are no good, they will just rot. Bring in perfect fruit, sit them at room temperature, and they'll slowly ripen.

You'll know when they are ripe when they are soft to touch. They will look the same on the outside, still rather orangey. But inside the flesh will be red and juicy with a nice acid tang.

So- so long indian rubber winter tomato balls! This is better!