Goose Creek seeds

[WoodSprite]

Back when I bumped this thread, I first did a lot of Googling on Jimmy and this variety. I found various articles and his book that included photos of Goose Creek. It looked very red to me and he called it red. If my brain was working well right now I'd find that article again and link to it.

[ddsack]

In Tatania's database, it talks about the color controversy, and at the end of the history description the final conclusion seems to be that it is a pink, though some photos on the page label it red.
https://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Goose_Creek
I grew it about over 10 years ago, and to the best of my recollection it was a pink for me. My seed envelope seems to have gone missing, so I can't check any comments I may have written on it.

[LindaJean]

There was a youtube video several years ago about tomato favorites, I can't find it now among so many. Goose Creek was one of her best that year so I bought the seeds hoping to get the same results . Never got around to trying them. A few days ago I cooked my goose - gave away the seeds tomato gambling. Someone appears to have a really good one , I fold.

[Tormato]

Since my posts refer to a definite red, I will likely delete them.

[ddsack]

Since my posts refer to a definite red, I will likely delete them.

No, don't do that! I think it's enlightening that the color continues to be a problem. It's good to keep track of that.

[bobrarian]

I haven't been on here in a while, but see that this thread is alive and well. I'm going to have a late start with tomatoes this year, so will be resorting to buying seedlings. Sigh. I have so many varieties from the MMMM swap (2021) that I want to try.

On the positive side, I'm still planning on picking up a Goose Creek seedling from Mr. Jimmy Williams in a couple weeks.

@ZerosMom - the seeds you gave me (from Bill Minkey) grew well. Fruit set was average. Gave us some nice, small, *pink* tomatoes, but the taste didn't wow, and the plant went down to disease rather quickly. The size, color, and taste reminded me a lot of Eva Purple Ball, which we also grew.

I saved a few seeds, but I'm going to get a seedling from Jimmy and compare. Assuming it produces, I'm happy to share seeds with anyone who's interested.

Bobby

[bobrarian]

Hi everyone,

It's time for an update! Back in April, I picked up a Goose Creek seedling from Jimmy and Logan at the Santa Monica Farmer's Market. I picked the first blushing tomato (3.5 oz.) a few days ago, and this morning, it was ripe enough to extract seeds.

Since there is significant debate on the color, I took a couple pics. See below. To me, what I have is pretty clearly a pink tomato. I'm also growing Champion (red) and Arkansas Traveler (pink), so I was able to compare. It was easier to tell as they color up while ripening. Not saying that there isn't a red version of Goose Creek, which many apparently have.

Being the first tomato, I will reserve any judgment in taste, but it did have a rather intense tomato flavor that is associated with GC. In any case, I will save more seeds as more tomatoes ripen, and will be happy to share seeds.

Bobby

GooseCreek_20230708_sm.jpg

GooseCreekSliced_20230708_sm.jpg

[MissS]

@bobrarian the only definitive way to determine a tomato's color is to check the epidermis. It is the very thin skin of the tomato. If it is clear then the tomato is pink, if it is yellow then the tomato is red. Sometimes appearances can be deceiving so it's best to check the skin.

[bobrarian]

@MissS That's a good point. I didn't check the epidermis, but I will when the next one ripens. I'll be sure to take a pic and post it. None blushing yet, so it may be a little while.

[WoodSprite]

I'm just now seeing the new posts here. Thank you so much @bobrarian for the information and photo!!!

I grew Goose Creek from seeds I received in the 22/23 MMMM. I don't know who supplied them to the swap. I checked the epidermis color on the first one I harvested and it was clear which, of course, means it a pink tomato. The tomatoes do look pink to me, just like in bobrarian's photos.

When they aren't fully ripe, they are a pale pink. When they are fully ripe, they are darker pink but not anywhere near red like I saw in Jimmy's cookbook, articles, interviews, etc. That has me very confused but I'm glad to know what bobrarian bought directly from Jimmy and Logan looks like what I'm growing. I intend to take photos and post them in the next day or two.

Flavorwise, I thought they were very good. I was actually surprised by how good. If I didn't try to grow new-to-me varieties all of the time, I'd grow them again. I did collect some seeds for the MMMM and may collect and ferment more if I remember before I eat them.

[MissS]

The correct color for Goose Creek is Pink. One vendor long ago was offering a red Goose Creek which of course was an off-type. Hopefully all of the impostors are no longer in circulation. There was a big to-do over which was the correct color back then and pink in the true color.

[WoodSprite]

Jimmy had called them red on his patent application and they looked red to me in photos in his cookbook and interviews. Now that I've grown them, I see that he and I were wrong. I can confirm, like others have said, Goose Creek is pink with clear skin. They are light pink and tasty when still firm. They are dark pink, soft and tasty when fully ripe. This must be what he was referring to in his patent application about the different stages.

While it's been a number of years since I grew Eva Purple Ball, it is my favorite pink tomato and I remember it fondly. If I'm remembering that flavor correctly, then Goose Creek tastes similar to me. I'd have to grow them side by side to compare for sure. They are definitely different varieties and I love them both.

This photo was taken on 9/11/23 when first picked. They were softer than others that were even lighter pink that I didn't pick but not as soft as I learned they will become so I'm calling this stage under-ripe.

P1100062-Goose Creek tomato - underripe.JPG

This photo was taken today, 9/14/23, of those same tomatoes (less one that I ate) after they sat on my kitchen island for 3 days. As you can hopefully see in the photo, they got darker (deep pink, almost "red" but not) and they are softer. I'd call this fully ripe.

P1100090-Goose Creek tomato - fully ripe.JPG

Here are the same tomatoes with one cut in half and showing some of the stem ends (with sun scald because I pruned my plants more than normal this year).

P1100092-Goose Creek tomato - cut.JPG

And here are other Goose Creek tomatoes from a different harvest, fully ripe, soft, juicy and delicious!

P1100008-Goose Creek.JPG

Let me know if those photos are too large and I'll resize and repost them.