Norfolk Healthy Produce out of Davis CA, is selling seeds ($20 for ten seeds) of the first and still only genetically modified garden seed.

A tomato injected with DNA from a snapdragon, resulted in this all-purple cherry tomato. Many tomato varieties have purple skin, this tomato is purple throughout. Supposed to have a lot of anthocyanin, which is healthy or something.

It's patented, so you can't legally sell plants or fruits that you grow yourself. Baker Creek tried though -- early covers of their 2024 seed catalog had a full-page photo of a 100% purple tomato, Baker Creek called it Purple Galaxy, and it's non GMO! Not so fast, Norfolk Healthy Produce said.

Norfolk: That's a pic of our Purple Tomato! Can we see your research showing that your 'Galaxy' is non-GMO?
Baker Creek: Ummm .... wellllaarrrummmm ....

Baker Creek is no longer selling Purple Galaxy anything. Duh.

Despite it's hefty pricetag, I think I'm going to get a packet. I remember 15 years ago how it was beat into everyone's head that GMOs are evil incarnate, is that still the prevailing wisdom?

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Willy Wonka has the patent.

I appreciate the links, Mark. Strange that I didn't hear about the Purple Tomato til just last month, I thought it was news.

Most are giving Baker Creek, benefit of the doubt. I sure don't. I remember that Jere Gettle guy's rants over at Tville, and at Jere's old message board, called I Dig My Garden.

I don't believe at all that this was an innocent mistake. I don't think Jere is a good guy.

I have plenty of seeds. PM me a mailing address.

I want to try these but I have enough seeds to last me a decade!

There are a handful of videos with harvests & taste test on YouTube, I think mainly by growers to mock this variety (who else would pay $2/seed?). Apparently the taste is mediocre, nothing like what Baker Creek claims. So no thank you all the way.

TerraCayda wrote: ↑Fri Jan 03, 2025 7:37 pm There are a handful of videos with harvests & taste test on YouTube, I think mainly by growers to mock this variety (who else would pay $2/seed?). Apparently the taste is mediocre, nothing like what Baker Creek claims. So no thank you all the way.

Another good reason to hold off a while. Though if I were doing my own crosses I’d be crossing this with good tasing ones to try to get color and flavor.

Even though my family has been growing GMO Corn, Wheat, and Soybeans since that poison was available I wouldn't get within a Country-Mile of any GMO seed. Once that unnatural, contaminated, Toxic, "pollen" mixes with all natural pollen... you have a perverted result.

Tomatoes are generally self pollinated for the most part, in a garden and field setting. A few bumble bee crosses and human crosses, yes.

I am not of the mindset that gmo's are evil or toxic, but each to their own thoughts. I do know the purple tomato isn't anything that would make one ill from it's parentage. Snapdragon flowers are edible, after all.

For complete disclosure, I don't work for any seed company, but I have been one of the people who has bought the seed at the high charge of $2 per seed, since I plan to find out for myself about it. Besides, we have all been eating gmo products or derivatives for more than 30 years now.