Here it is! The first tomato to make it from seed to dinner plate this year is Silvery Fir Tree, a variety that Fiddlegirl shared with me. This was a surprise winner. I was expecting Sub-Arctic Plenty to win handily, but its tomatoes are still quite green. We had 3 of the Silvery Fir Tree fruits with supper last night. The tomatoes are on the small side of medium, a nice bright red, and a pleasant, juicy mild flavor. I like something a bit more tart, myself, but these were quite fine. Ah, nothing like those first tomatoes straight from the garden!
Here are the Silvery Fir Tree tomatoes on the plant.
I started my tomato seeds on March 19th and wrote about them in a post titled Tomato Season Begins, linked here. I had 7 varieties of tomatoes neatly labelled, but due to an unfortunate cat-astrophe, the seedlings ended up in a jumbled pile on the floor one day. They all survived, but lost their labels. As the plants mature, I can make a good guess at which plants are which. These are surely Indigo Rose. Cool, no? They’ve been that deep rich colour for a while now, but are still hard to the touch. I’m looking forward to tasting them.
I’m pretty sure these are Sub Arctic Plenty, which is a good producer.
And these look to be Michael Pollan. I couldn’t resist adding the namesake of this great writer to my garden. If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend The Botany of Desire. I’m looking forward to reading his latest book, Cooked, which is in my big stack of ‘waiting to be read’s.
Willow House Chronicles 
Gorgeous! I’m picturing a platter with alternating slices of fir tree, indigo, and michael. I love it when food imitates art.
Very interesting. Here this year, the first one is Scotia. A rather small tomato but nice. My other varieties are getting there, but mostly green. You will have to tell us what Indigo Rose tastes like. I will have to look for seeds. It is worth growing just for the wow effect.
Sub Arctic Plenty looks very productive. Tell us what it is like when it is ripe.
I read 3 chapters of Cooked when we went to Lake Superior in July (the friends we visited had a copy of it). I very much enjoyed these chapters, especially the section about bread and the one about cheese. I am waiting for cooler weather to try a variation on the bread recipes he gives.
Dandy, I’m looking forward to a colour-combo platter!
Alain, my daughter has tried Scotia and likes them. I haven’t got to them yet. I had the Sub Arctic Plenty last year and was pleased with them. The others are new. Mmm, fresh bread. Something about winter to look forward to.
Looking good! We’re still waiting for any of ours to ripen up.
For an early tomato with old-fashioned acidy taste, try 4th of July Hybrids. Here in the Pacific Northwest, 2014, mine began ripening closer to the 24th than the 4th. Skin tough but the flavor is so good I don’t care. My Sub-Arctic Plenty plants have very few fruits that aren’t even close to ripening. (8/5).
Thanks, Barbara. I’ll keep that in mind for another year!