Kelley,

There are several different strains of Mortgage Lifter, the Radiator Charlie one described in detail at Southern Exposure Seed Exchange as to supposed history, but I happen to think that the Estler strain is better than that one.

As to what to expect, you can rely on the info given at Tomato Gorwers Supply for most of the popular heirloom varieties ( and several other webistes as well) and thus their description of ML is just fine.

The major difference between the conventional strain and Estler is taste and perhaps a bit greater yield.

There are also some who feel that the Estler family developed ML and not Charlie Byles. For that story go to Heirloomtomatoes.net

So what you have is a med pink fruit, indet plant, reg foliage, DTM about 75 to 80.

For future reference, you'll find lots more about heirloom tomatoes if you go to the link above on this page and go to the main Tomato Forum, b'c that's where they are discussed about 99% of the time and always have been since I've been at GW, which is several years.

Will look for you there and I think you'll enjoy reading there about all the other heirloom varieties that folks are growing.

Carolyn

Thanks for the info Carolyn! You will most certainly be seeing me around the boards... I am a gardening newbie but longtime admirer of heirloom veggies, especially tomatoes (my husband disagrees, but I firmly believe that one can exist on tomatoes alone... they are the world's most perfect food). I am loving all the information here, and have learned so much just from reading the boards.

Thanks again!!!

Kelley

Carolyn=So what you have is a med pink fruit
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Med size fruit?I dont get many with my close spacing but growing or reading posts I have always considered Estlers in the large beefsteak size type.Am I wrong?usual pound+ size fruits-are they considered med.or large size.
Bill

Med size fruit?I dont get many with my close spacing but growing or reading posts I have always considered Estlers in the large beefsteak size type.Am I wrong?usual pound+ size fruits-are they considered med.or large size.

Yes, medium sized fruits the way I see it, perhaps in the 8 to 12 oz to maybe one lb pound range when happy and they don't have the shape of a typical large beefsteak either. Nor should any of the ML strains, as in length being much greater than depth for a typical beefsteak.

Carolyn

Too bad TGS doesn't have Estlers

OK, I can't stand it anymore. Will someone please explain the name "mortgage lifter"?

OK, I can't stand it anymore. Will someone please explain the name "mortgage lifter"?

Ginny, go to Google and enter Southern Exposure Seed Exchange and then look for Mortgage Lifter and read what's there.

It's really more than I want to type here. (smile)

Carolyn

Will do. Thanks, Carolyn.

Here is what i know of the Estler morgtage lifter. I grew up in his
town of Barboursville, WV. My grandparents said that he developed the mortgage lifter hybrid, and people came from all over to buy the tomatoes from him. It enabled him to pay his mortgage. It
is a great tasting beefsteak, although it readily splits open when it gets
big. I never liked tomatoes until well into adulthood but I love them now.

The Estlers were good friends of my grandaddy, Dr. W. D. Bourn. They
lived on a nice big estate on a hill. Now, the property is a golf course and the old house is the clubhouse. I remember one morning my
mother woke me, and said Mr. Estler had died. There was a fire and
he did not make it out. That was about 1965 or so.

Where can I get Estler's strain seed?

D

I got my Estler's Mortgage Lifter seeds from the website started by the late Chuck Wyatt and continued, in his memory, by this friend Donna.

The website is heirloomtomatoes.net and I've linked it below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Heirloom Tomatoes

Where can I get Estler's strain seed?

*****

Chuck's site now run by Donna who used to pack seeds for him is one possibility but I worry a bit about the seed purity and age.

Chuck was a very close friend of mine and I sent him lots of varieties. he died in June of 2002 and for a couple of years before that b'c of medical conditions his seed saving wasn't what it should have been.

Donna can replace some varieties wholesale but cannot replace many others, actually most of them, b'c there is no wholesale, or sometimes even a retail source.

And those seeds by now are at minimum 6 and maybe more years of age.

So you can go that route or if you send me an e-mail with your home address I'll send you a few seeds of Mortgage Lifter( Estler) which I find to be much better than the regular Radiator Charlie strain. No trades or SASE wanted and my addy is cmale@aol.com

Not a general offer folks. Sorry

Your choice entirely as to how you want to proceed re seeds.

Hope this has helped.

Carolyn

My uncle Bob Estler just sent me seven beautiful MORTGAGE LIFTER tomatoes via US Priority Mail - from Barboursville, WV to here in East Texas. They travelled beautifully in 2 days, surrounded by bubble wrap. Uncle Bob is 91 years old and well remembers how the name came about. Grandad came in the kitchen one day and announced to his wife Edith that another man loved the tomatoes so much he suggested Grandad name them "Mortgage Lifters." It stuck. Had nothing to do with paying off the farm, which was already paid for. Hope that helps.