Greenbush Italian and Wisconsin Chief

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jmsieglaff
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Greenbush Italian and Wisconsin Chief

#1

Post: # 41050Unread post jmsieglaff
Mon Feb 15, 2021 6:37 pm

I am looking for seed for Greenbush Italian and Wisconsin Chief tomatoes. The correct shape color for Greenbush Italian is a red (pink?) heart (I've seen some posts about folks having incorrect seed). I know I can buy Wisconsin Chief from Seed Savers Exchange store and may, but thought I'd look for trades first. I have a fairly large collection to trade or can send SASE. Thanks!

Gardenboy
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Re: Greenbush Italian and Wisconsin Chief

#2

Post: # 41073Unread post Gardenboy
Mon Feb 15, 2021 8:51 pm

I have Greenbush Italian if you still need seeds. I grew it 2 years ago and had very large pink oxheart shaped fruit. The fruit gets very big and needs to be supported or branches will break from the weight. I am NOT fond of "oxheart" tomatoes as they can get meaty and not as acidic as I like them so haven't grown them again. I have seeds if you still need some. Send a SASE in a business envelope and not the regular small letter envelopes as they are harder to work with.

Paquebot
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Re: Greenbush Italian and Wisconsin Chief

#3

Post: # 41112Unread post Paquebot
Tue Feb 16, 2021 9:58 am

Greenbush Italian had a lot of meals behind it when I got it in 2006. Greenbush is an area in Madison, WI which was mostly Italian immigrants. Laid out with big houses on big lots and big gardens. Two weeks ago I spent a week on 8th floor of St. Mary's hospital which overlooks the Greenbush. Gardens now replaced with 2-car and 3-car garages.

When I was given the seeds, it had no name. It was simply the one that everyone in the "Bush" grew and one old man supplied all of the plants. Having Italian kin who grew up there, the story was further confirmed when a classmate's husband told me that the Germans there also grew it but it was definitely Italian. Hence I named it for the area and the source.

It is indeed a big oxheart and main purpose was sauce. Behaves well at only 4' or so. Some double fruit will top at 1½# but most around 12 ounces. It was very popular in our local community gardens and has been saved by a number of gardeners.

Martin
Last edited by Paquebot on Tue Feb 16, 2021 2:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.

HenriSportif
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Re: Greenbush Italian and Wisconsin Chief

#4

Post: # 41130Unread post HenriSportif
Tue Feb 16, 2021 2:11 pm

Thanks for that history, Martin; it's good to know!
~Bee

This then is life - How curious! How real! Underfoot, the divine soil - Overhead, the sun.

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jmsieglaff
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Re: Greenbush Italian and Wisconsin Chief

#5

Post: # 41156Unread post jmsieglaff
Tue Feb 16, 2021 6:27 pm

Yes, thank you Martin for the info. I enjoy the back story with heirlooms, especially local ones.

Thank you to Gardenboy for the offer! Still looking for Wisconsin Chief if anyone wants to trade/SASE.

Paquebot
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Re: Greenbush Italian and Wisconsin Chief

#6

Post: # 41163Unread post Paquebot
Tue Feb 16, 2021 8:53 pm

Not certain how many Wisconsin Chief seeds were turned over to the SSE member who has taken over my holdings but it is now available in the public catalog. I have not seen any of the retail displays but would almost bet that it would be in Wisconsin racks. Closest to you is Fitchburg Farm, 1839 County Road MM.

We could include the history of that again. It was a simple cross between Long Red and Victor, both good field tomatoes. Came out as possible improvement over Wisconsin 55. Fruit were slightly bigger but the late 1950s was when hybrids were the rage. Released in 1957 and last offered commercially in 1965. Then took a vacation in a European seed bank for 40 years. Left so fast that even USDA didn't get any. I got it back home and grew it and knew that it was a winner. SSE ended up with seed to trial several years ago. They included it in their taste test and it won. Too nice to keep away from the public so it's in their 2021 catalog. No more long vacations for that one!

Martin

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jmsieglaff
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Re: Greenbush Italian and Wisconsin Chief

#7

Post: # 41165Unread post jmsieglaff
Tue Feb 16, 2021 9:32 pm

Thanks for sharing the history Martin, while I won't be growing it in 2021, seems fairly likely I will in 2022. It will be interesting to compare it to Wisconsin 55--for me especially with regard to production season length and foliage health.

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