Beefsteaks (Med)


Medium sized tomatoes have always filled a special niche for the home maker by means of canning, cooking and freezing. Some of the most acidic, most tastiest and most productive varieties can be found in this section. Many many customers have contacted me with their favorites, such as Early Annie, Alpine, Red Calabash, Santa Clara Canner, Sweet Cluster and Edelrot.

Will remain online for educational purposes. Operating on a “Hobby” basis.

Occasionally we may have “extra” seed. Pkts. marked below.  If nothing marked...then it is “N/A”.

  1. Alpine – developed prior to 1950 at Cheyenne, Wyoming. Red fleshed, mildly tart, refreshing oblate-shaped fruits average 6 to 8 oz. Plants offer outstanding yields. Ind. Early      Pkt…$3.00
  2. Brazil – small flattened, very red fruits, that are meaty,very flavorful with FEW SEEDS. Unknown history. Some variations in size…2.75″ in diameter. A mid-season producer, from very productive plants. Rare. Ind. 75 days    Pkt…$3.00
  3. Bush Beefsteak On a special request from my Dad! He always enjoyed these, because on a short plant (less than 2 feet) these monsters of one lb. or more would show up. Juicy scarlet red beefsteaks geared for smaller gardens.    Pkt…$3.00 
  4. Canestra Cluster – here is another that looks just like “Ceylon“, only with less ribbing…offered on a small 3 ft.plant! Each cluster contains deep red 3-5 fruits, the size of a double toonie. Flavor is modestly strong with some dryness and lots of seed. Peels easy. Ind. 75 days
  5. Cosmonaut Volkov Brought back by popular demand! This is a Ukrainian variety named after Vladislav Volkov, a Russian cosmonaut, who was killed during the landing of the Russian spaceship Sotuz 11, along with the other crew members.( S.S.Ex. yearbook’11) This heirloom was introduced into the S. S. Ex. in 1995 by Marina Danilenko. A juicy, deep red, sweet, beefy 200 to 350 g, oval yet flattened tomato that excited almost everyone who has eaten it! Clusters will have from 4 to 6 fruits. Plants will grow to 4 ft. with regular leaves. Ind. 75 days   Pkt…$3.00
  6. Creole – developed in Louisiana for warm humid climates. High yields of smooth, medium to large tomatoes with good texture and firm flesh. Resistant to fusarium wilt and blossom end rot. Scarlet red fruits have strong tomato flavor and plenty of juice. Ind. 78 days
  7. Early Annie Impressive overall! Smooth blemish free scarlet/red skin in a beautiful medium fruited variety, combined with super productivity and very early. Neither cool weather, nor hot and dry will slow this one down. Just love the fact, that it is a “tree” tomato of only 20″. Excellent for canning, slicing and salads. Determinate 60-65 days    Pkt…$3.00
  8. Ecuador – a massive producer on healthy 4 to 6 ft. plants. Fruits are red, a large-medium in size, flattened, deeply ribbed to fluted, variously shaped, exceptionally pretty with pleasant, mild, slightly tart taste. Pretty. Rare. Ind. 75 days    
  9. Edelrot – “Edel” is my family name and “Rot” means “red”! A very bushy, squat, thick-stemmed little plant that caused quite a commotion in my parent’s vegetable garden! My Dad could not stop talking about its virtues. He (……an avid and devoted tomato grower) could not get over the production of their 2 plants. Each put out close to 50 – 80 nice little flattish “clover-like” medium-sized deep scarlet red fruits. There appeared many clusters, many containing 6 to 12 fruits in each! The fruits had no trouble with known tomato fruit diseases. I have been trying to obtain this rare variety for the last 10 years after I heard that this name existed. I was also surprised by its uniqueness…..an added bonus! Rare AND different! Determinate 75 days    Pkt…$3.00
  10. Harbinger – In British vegetable trials, praise was heaped on the flavor of this variety when it was introduced in 1910. Fruits are very tasty, red, medium-sized and thin-skinned. Plants are very productive and have shown they can tolerate heat and cold. A great one to grow outside under plastic tunnels. Ind. 65 to 75 days 
  11. Heinz – developed by the famous Catsup people for Catsup, sauces and purees. One can expect and receives heavy crops of beautiful bright red, crack-resistant, acidic 6 oz fruits. A great variety for canning/processing as the fruits are smooth & globular AND the plants concentrate on pumping them out all at once! Determinate 70 days  Pkt…$3.00
  12. Ikarus – from ? Germany. The name is of a Greek God in Mythology. Plants are strong, (offering some reduced blight protection) vigorous and high producers. Fruits are red, round, meaty with strong acidic flavor. Their sizes range from 150 to 200 grams (5-7oz). Ind. 70 days
  13. Landry’s Russian – Goodness me! This was a dark horse! Trials in 2011 showed me this one is nothing to sneeze at! For most part of the season, not much was happening under tallish healthy heavily foliaged plants. Suddenly (late summer) when most others were waxing and withering…there they were! Tons of them. More like a gorgeous 12-14oz large! Fruits were a deep scarlet rose red, perfectly round, smooth skinned & juicy with some of the best taste I have had in years. Under every leaf were trusses filled with these, sometimes as many as 3 to 5 each. I was very pleased to say the least. My season favorite! Will certainly want to grow this one again. Ind. 60-75 days    
  14. Legend – introduced by Dr. James Baggett from Oregon. Considering its size…this large 8 oz., real red, egg-shaped fruited variety offers very early production. Flavor is a nice blend and texture is meaty, solid with very FEW seeds. Plants are small…3 ft. offering excellent resistance to late blight…making then a suitable choice for G.H. production and cooler weather growing. They also have great heat/drought tolerance and their over-abundant leaves provide good sun-scald protection. Like some cucumber varieties, these will also set fruit in great numbers, without pollination (pathenocarpic). An all-round fine tomato. Determinate 68 days   Pkt…$3.00
  15. Lunch Box (German) – A German family brought this var. to the U.S. when they immigrated. The vibrant deep rose/scarlet fruits are the size of small eggs…perfect for lunch boxes. Trialed it out in 2011 and was in for a surprise! It grew quite tall, easy 6 feet and became loaded with fruits, much later in the season. It grew right along side “Landry’s Russian” and I couldn’t decide which one I favored more! Flavor was rich, starting out acidic and later maturing to a sweeter level, more tomatoey taste. Skin and flesh walls were thicker, making a better storage variety. Ind. 70-80 days
  16. Matchless Some history found from the late 1880’s. This var. has “rugose” (heavily quilted deep green…) leaves found only on just a few other varieties, such as the “Bush Goliath” series. These rarely fall victim to many leaf diseases or insects. The oblate scarlet red fruits are medium sized & produced in small clusters. True tomato flavor, making it very versatile. Determinate 80 days    Pkt…$3.00
  17. Money Maker – Given to me by our very own Roger Brown (of Wpg.,MB) in 2011 (with grateful thanks!) A classic English G.H. heirloom variety which gained popularity in the 60’s and 70’s. Great in the G.H. or in the garden. Known for its large yields of very even, roundish, med. sized, very smooth, deep red skinned globes. Plants are able to tolerate heat, humidity and extreme weather. Ind. 80 days
  18. Montreal Tasty – not much history on this one! (…a Canadian variety) But for the record this happens to be the favorite of 2 avid Beausejour “tomato’holics”, and so I keep it for our local folk. A lovely medium red slicer on compact vines…..awesome for small gardens. It apparently packs quite a punch for such a small plant. Determinate 80 days
  19. Muchamiel – from Spain, which means “Much Honey” in Spanish. The fruits are deep red, ranging from 100 to 180 grams (a lb. is 454 grams), slightly flattened, somewhat ribbed with yellow/green shoulders. Very productive. Good taste. Ind. 75 days  Pkt…$3.00
  20. Mule Team – a great choice for a “main crop”. Vigorous plants bear plenty of 7 to 12 oz deep red, round fruits with a high spicy-acidic flavor and texture. There have been reports of this variety being able to withstand and weather anything! Not only are harvests very heavy but the production continues right up till frost. Stress of heat and drought is no problem for these. Disease-resistant. Ind. 78 days
  21. Nigeria – Records originate from S. S. Ex. tomato # 5219. Trials for 2011, proved this one could hold it together better than most others in its class. Loaded with smooth round, non-cracking scarlet red small to medium sized fruits. Plants had no problem growing to 6 ft. with no hint of disease. Was told by my friend Dan Jason of Salt Spring Seeds, BC., that these were reputed to be more disease resistant than any other variety…could not be proven this year as the disease did not show up as it had previously. A great performer by all means. Ind. 78-80 days     
  22. Olirose de St. Dominque – French name for “Tomato Rose de Santo Domingo” (or pink tomato from…) An old variety from the island. Also grown in Haiti. Seed was coll. by the ENSC in Arles, France coming from a collection of the late Norbert Parriera of France. Healthy plants bear copious clusters of rose/pink, oval/pear-shaped 6-8oz. fruits that drop when they feel they are ripe! The fruits themselves are sweet & juicy, mixed with some old-fashioned flavor. They keep well, due to their thicker wall and skin. Similar to “Pink Nibblets“… but much larger and darker. Ind. 75 days   Pkt…$3.00
  23. Quebec #3 – history says it originated from Claude Gagnon, Quebec, Canada. Developed by J. O. Vandal in St. Hyacinthe in the 1960’s. I actually obtained this one from an American friend of mine. As are most of the Canadian series, another medium-sized tomato with super great production, red globes, whose plants can withstand cooler weather. Thick-walled, solid, meaty, no cracks and produced abundantly. Ind. 70-75 days
  24. Red Calabash – an old heirloom sport from the famous “Purple Calabash”. The little beefsteak-type fruits are 3-4oz., flattened red globes, highly ribbed, ruffled, fluted and generally irregular in shape. CUTE! Plants grow to 6 feet tall……very indeterminate! Terrific producer over a long period of time. Ind. 75-90 days    Pkt…$3.00
  25. Red Tree – a full season producer of small to medium red fruits with rich, complex flavor and meaty texture. 50+++ fruits can be enjoyed from one plant. Plants are a modest 4 feet tall. 70-80 days   
  26. Rouge d’Irak – this variety is endangered even in its own country, where seed saving was made illegal under the “Colonial Powers” of the United States Government. Under the new law (2005) “Iraqi farmers must only plant seeds from ”protected” varieties scientifically constructed by International Corporations who have only monetary agendas in mind”. Is this under the umbrella of promoting democracy? A red, medium-sized, finely flavored great yielding variety that should not be lost. Ind. 75 days
  27. Santa Clara Canner – originated in Italy and was later used in the California canning industry. Plants bear huge harvests of smooth, flattened, intensely red fruits with a rich complex flavor. They just happen to have great amounts of juice AND meatiness…..making them ideal for canning AND eating off the vine. Wouldn’t grandma have loved these??? Holds in storage well. Ind. 85 days   Pkt…$3.00   
  28. Sweet Cluster Glossy red fruits of 3 to 4oz (100-130grams) hang in clusters of 6-8. They ripen within their clusters, all at once. They have great shelf life, preventing breakdown of the 1st cluster of fruits! Flavor is good…rich in Vitamin C, folic acid, iron and fiber. Plants are prolific and disease resistant. Good enough for garden or greenhouse. Ind. 68 days  
  29. Tatar of Mongolistan – a US seed company was sent these rare seeds in the late 1990’s. Originated from an Iraqi seed collector, Aziz Nail, who was living in France in the 1970’s. Great fresh or dried. Good producer of medium-sized reddish-orange fruits being very solid, well-flavored and flattish in shape. A refreshing tomato tang. Dries well. Some say plants are short and bushy. Very popular with seed-savers, world-wide for the last 8 years. Ind. 70 days
  30. Tibet-Appel – from Tibet…via Holland. Red, smallish, apple-shaped fruits that prefer dry conditions to wet. Loves moderate to hot conditions. An extremely prolific bush plant producing over 11 kg each plant. Determinate 75 days
  31. Tolstoi (hyb?) – developed by breeders in India. It has been quickly adopted for its fine qualities, by growers and home gardeners in Mexico, China, Holland, Guatemala, Hungary and of course…North America. Vigorous yields of up to 13 bright red, 3 to 4oz round fruits per cluster. All are full-flavored and easy to harvest, as the plants grow tall with these huge clusters being produced all the way up! (Also name of a town in south-eastern Manitoba!) Ind. 75 days  
  32. Ukrainian Red – Obtained from Peter Dyck of Winnipeg, Manitoba. He tells me this one is an original from the Ukraine. Is a beautiful blemish-free scarlet red round 6 oz. fruit on well-behaved medium sized plants. Good old-fashioned tomato flavor.
  33. Valiant – an early “old timer”, being once very popular in old farmer’s markets. Fruits are deep red, very smooth round globes. Flesh is sweet and mild, yet with good flavor. Yield is heaviest, concentrating at harvest time (fall). Plants are Ind. no larger than 30″. 
  34. Victor – Bred by Dr. Yeager at N. D. Experimental Station for Northern States and Canada. Was an AAS winner in 1941! ?Re-introduced by the Michigan State College and won again an All American Bronze Metal in 1942. Here is a very small “determinate” bush tomato (of 24″) that packs a punch to the tomato industry! A heavy producer of 4 to 5oz semi-globe red fruits.  65 days     Pkt…$3.00
  35. Yasenichki Yabuchar – Original seeds were obtained thru Andrey Baranovski, Minsk Belarus, who obtained them from a small regional seed company “Semena” from the Belarusian town of Baranovichi, which is only one local company that imports seeds from former Yugoslavia (Serbia & Montenegro) “Jasenicki is a place in Serbia and Jubucar means “apple”…S.S.Ex. Yearbook ’07 Performs real well in hot conditions. 2021, this one proved what was said and threw real nice large sized fruits. An apple shaped, apple red tomato variety, with excellent taste, offering from 3 to 4 fruits per cluster on highly productive plants. 2013’s trials showed this one to be a generous large to medium sized with very smooth skin. Long season producer, too. Thank you Ken Cooke for this one. In conversation with him, I mentioned I really wanted to find this one. Well don’t try saying that to him! He claims to have over 1500 in his collection. (Sorry Ken, I hope this doesn’t get you into trouble?) And suddenly a sampling arrived in my mailbox.