Best way to get "unusual" varieties is to start from seed. Lots of seed companies out there, I like Fedco, but Johnny's, High Mowing, and Totally Tomatoes are highly recommended. New England Seed ships next day but they're more geared toward commercial growers. I looked and they did have 9 pages of tomato seeds though.

If you don't mind driving to the Berkshires for plants, I usually sell my extras each May ;-)

Two suggestions for plants.

Below I've linked to Darrel Jones excellent site where you'll find many many common AND hard to find varieties. Darrel posts here as Fusion.

His plants are of good quality, packed well, and reasonably priced compared to several other sites.

The other good source is SSE itself who ship plants in the Spring as well..

http://www.seedsavers.org/?gclid=COin_frv7bgCFehxOgod1hIAww

Click on SHOP at the above page to find plants. Plant varieties may differ each Spring, so take a look.

Hope that helps,

Carolyn

Here is a link that might be useful: Darrel Jones plants

Carolyn, thanks for providing the link to Darrel Jones' site. All I can say is wow! I had no idea there were so many varieties...where do I begin?

Like OP, I do not have the resources to start from seeds. I have done it once before. Too much work for a few plants.

But from time to time , I have found pretty good unconventional tomatoes from some nurseries. PIKES( in GA) is the worthy of mentioning. I was first there was introduced to Rutgers, Juliette, Sweet 100, Cherokee P, etc
The big box stores are just the same ; Their supplier is BONNIE's.
You have to look around for small nurseries with specialties, or individual growers, if you are wiling to pay a little more. I would.

Ask the backyard tomato growers in your area where they go. In the last five years I've noticed that more heirloom and more types of hybrids are available.

I like to grow some from seed in the basement, and often buy a few four-in-a-tray things from a good nursery nearby. Even the hardware stores now carry more types of tomatoes than ten years ago.

I like three types of cherry tom, and at least three types of full size toms.

Thanks to everyone for their responses, this is very helpful. I wish I had more room (and time) to start with seeds. Maybe I will get some plants and experiment with seeds to see what happens. Always a fun project with the kids.

Cheers!

Local Farmer's Markets are a good source. Here, the selection is pretty good for heirlooms as well as hybrids. I was actually able to find a Sunsugar. I was excited because my seeds were bad and I was sooo looking forward to them.

When I go, I have a general idea of which tomatoes are the better ones. I walk around to see who has which and to compare prices, plus the health/size of the plants.

It's a fun outing in itself on a nice spring morning.

Around here the farmer's markets start too late to plant - but if local garden clubs, church groups etc. have sales in May you could look. Our local women's club has a sale (veggie and flower plants) every Mother's Day, unfortunately their tomatoes are always too leggy and are flowering already, sometimes even have fruit, and it's usually a couple of weeks too early to put them in the ground (even if they were hardened off, which I don't think they are). So shop around but read the FAQs on this forum so you know what to look for in a healthy plant.

Here's another vote for Darrel. I've ordered plants from him many times. He truly does stand behind what he sells.

Edie

I started seeds the first time this year and bought "Hydrofarm Jumpstart 2ft light T-5" for about $55 online. It comes with a stand and everything, I also bought Jiffy Peat Pelle starting kit, the kit was about $10 for 25 count, It is so simple and all I did was ad water (as directions stated to the pellets with other things). Then put the required amount of seeds in 2-3 I think it said and 2-3 weeks after I had seedlings.

I then put them under my 2ft Jumpstart light and after a certain amount of time when they got the second leaves, I tore th netting off and I put them in red solo cups with a simple drain hole in MG potting mix.

I am just trying to say for under $75 bucks or so you can do it by yourself and have many options for variety and how many you want even for backups. I am a newbie to this but i just wanted to let you know that it was really easy and not much space/cost required.

- Mr Beno

Another Idea:

In the spring time local GW gardeners make and exchange meeting, once or twice and swap plans. It is possible there could be ones who may sell extras that they have. They might not openly advertise it on GW, but if you contact them privately, they might sell you few plants.

You have to take the first step by going to your local/regional forum and try to advocate such a practice.
I have seen that being done around Atlanta, GA.

Araujo's Garden Center is in Dighton, MA about thirty miles south of you. I have been dealing with them for years. They have an extensive collection of both tomato and pepper plants for sale each season. Probably 50 or 60 tomatoes including heirlooms and perhaps 30-40 pepper varieties. I would suggest that you check them out.