Old 99 Farm, week of July 23 2023

Berry season is here. The neighbour has blueberries but we black and red currants, raspberries, mulberries, blackberries, aronia berries and Jostaberries! Come pick currants now, just call ahead at 905 537 0163.

This week starts our tomato season, and do we have some specials. All heritage varities, starting with flavour supremo Yellow Brandywine beefsteak. Other beefsteak type: Kellogg’s Breakfast, Sophia, Yellow Beefsteak. Pink Brandwine. Cluster types: Cherry Brandywine, Lemondrop. Specials: Patsy’s Striped, Amish Paste, Gold Medal (multicoloured).

The peppers and cukes have started too. We’re growing an italian bell pepper called Capriglio and a traditional Bull’s Nose. We chose the Wisconsin open pollinated variety of cucumber for slicing and pickling sizes. Multiple plantings should ensure cukes all through the summer.

The Sweet Potatoes have been in the ground for a month, growing vines already and the tiny tubers are starting two swell. We just put in Irish potatoes last week: four varieties, including Russets and Purples.

Gold Medal Tomato
This is our 200 plant tomato plot growing the varieties listed above.


Here’s what the heirloom seed catalogs say about this luscious fruit.
“The 1-3 lb fruits are among the smoothest bi-colored tomatoes we carry and one of the most beautiful we have seen. Yellow fruit is blushing with rosy red that radiates from the blossom end. Lovely! The firm flesh is of superior quality, being sweet and mild. They have very little acid; great for fresh eating. From the late, legendary seed collector, Ben Quisenberry.”
“A fantastic heirloom tomato dating to at least 1921, where it appeared in a New York seed catalog. Originally named ‘Ruby Gold’, the variety was repopularized decades later as ‘Gold Medal’. This heirloom bears large, beefsteak style fruits that ripen to a remarkably attractive, marbled orange-yellow-red color. It is also known for its excellent flavor and has won a number of taste test contests over the years. Has beautiful coloration when sliced too. The 1-3 lb fruits are among the smoothest bi-colored tomatoes we carry and one of the most beautiful we have seen. Yellow fruit is blushing with rosy red that radiates from the blossom end. Lovely! The firm flesh is of superior quality, being sweet and mild. They have very little acid; great for fresh eating.”

Of course we are growing more than tomatoes, about 20 crops and 5 herbs, plus berries.
Crops this week: frilly kale, Nero kale, Rainbow chard, Tiara and Savoy cabbages, Tokyo Bekana chinese cabbage, beets, bell peppers, sweet bulb onions, scallions, fennel, green garlic and scapes, baby lettuce mix, baby buttercrunch lettuce, radishes, rhubarb, carrots, collards, cabbage collards, leeks, basil and herbs. Surf to the online store here to place your order. Store pick up Thurs 4 to 6 or by arrangement.