How cool! And my mistake with coloration. Your are exactly right with the pink/red thing. I had been thinking of it as red because of the flesh color, totally overlooked the epidermis trick. Cool story too. Like I had said, i kinda like the ugly ones for whatever reason. That was the only one that was quite that nasty. For the most part, they were a reasonably well formed pink beefsteak. I tend to grow pretty vertically due to a smallish garden and trying to rotate my crops as much as possible. Omar's was a great producer in a 6' home made cage, though it spilled out the top and kinda drowned out an eggplant that i apparently planted a bit too close. I ended up tying some of the really big ones to the wires, but the vines were really tough, so maybe I didn't have to. It was a big hit with the family and friends. Congrats on a kid done good. Thanks much!

Omar's Lebanese was one of my favorites this past season. Plan on growing it again this year.

Paul

Sage,
I don't know why more people don't grow this love apple! It is a monster of a tomato (I don't know why people that are interested in the real big ones don't start with this fella because it's truly a monster) with an incredible taste! It's fairly prolific too. I was wildy impressed with it when I started growing it many years ago and it has found a home in my garden ever since.
Sage, I'm so glad you found it because it is just yummo!
Thanks for sharing your experience... :)

I grew it the first time this year, along with quite a few that Carolyn has recommended. It was supreme! I went through my garden and tasted one at a time. It turns out that I agreed with Carolyn on every one of them. From now on, if Carolyn recommends it, I won't have to guess!

Thank you Carolyn!!!!

It is time to order my seeds, and I CANNOT have a tomato-free summer! Last year was 3 months of near 100 degree temperature, which is a bit extreme, even here in Tulsa, but it was made worse by a lingering winter that stopped about a week before we jumped up to high heat. Not very good for growing tomatoes.

So, the question. It looks like Omar's Lebanese would be a good start. I'm also considering Arkansas Traveler or Sioux or Heat Wave for a medium sized tomato, and San Marzano for a paste. Am I on the right track? Our garden is too small to grow many varieties for insurance.

I'd love to hear your thoughts including any other suggestions that might be better. Flavor is of prime importance.
Thanks,
Betsy

Betsy,

I can't comment on the other varieties you mentioned as I haven't actually grown them yet, but a big thumbs up to Ark. Traveler. I'm from Sacramento where I grew insane tomatoes & just assumed I was a natural gardener. Well, I'm now in KC, MO...and I'm really NOT a good gardener lol - it's just that everything grows in CA. Ark. Traveler, however, grew really well for me here my first year in KC with the really weird weather & was very very tasty. I'll be planting it again this year and due to this thread might try Omar's Lebanese as well.

Thanks for the feedback KCKook. Don't doubt your gardening abilities, though, based only on last year. We don't do that very often, thank goodness. But our summers down here just south of you are typically hot enough to stop fruit set. About the only thing that will set during July and August for me are cherries.
I've asked at the farmer's market what varieties they grow, and they are nice enough to share, but it seems silly to grow the same varieties when I can get those at the market. And none of the tomato farmers live in the city. We live in the heart of the urban heat island, and are several degrees warmer than the suburbs. It doesn't help.
I've ordered my Omar, so I'll let you know how he does. And I think he needs an Arkansas Traveler to keep him company.

Anyone have some spare seeds of an Omar for trade or the like? My wife's family on her Dad's side are from that area.

JD

Here is a link that might be useful: Pierce Farmstead