Good idea with the red choices. We found the local food pantry loved to get fresh produce.....if it was "normal" looking. That meant keeping the oddly shaped and imperfect tomatoes for our canning needs. That also meant bringing red tomatoes, red/pink watermelon, orange carrots, red beets, green cucumbers, etc. Clients tended to think something was wrong with the "oddly" colored varieties. Varieties that hold up well after picking were also helpful. Many clients had to take their food home on the bus, so tender veggies requiring gentle handling were not the best for them. Herbs were mostly unwanted. The slightly different veggies we brought did not appeal to most of their clients, either. We did find another nearby pantry that could use the tomatillos and assorted hot peppers the first turned away. Their client base was different and was happy to see those veggies available. I'm involved with a group that grows a garden primarily to provide produce to the local pantry. We are checking their needs and suggestions as we plan for next season. We also plan to include several veggies that have a longer harvest window, ie, carrots, potatoes, onions, winter squash, beets. We'll try to get those to them when they need them most.

I'm not familiar with the best varieties for zone 7. Go for an early one if possible. Our pantry had lots of tomato donations at the end of the summer, but would have loved some more a few weeks earlier.

Good luck with your growing. I'm sure many will enjoy your fresh tomatoes.

Good advice Nature Girl, I completely agree about pantries needing common vegetables for their clients.

I would add a reliable variety like Early Girl to provide toms a week or two earlier in the season than the others. I would also add a few paste tomatoes to the garden because they are such heavy croppers, you'll be able to share generously from them.

Hello everyone

It is almost 2;00 a.m. in the morning and my Dog underdeveloped puppy, will live, Amen!!!!!. It's truly has been 48 hours of hard work and prays for this wee one.

The first thing that come to mind, after the excitement of the moment, was this post, because their is a "Red Tomato Standard that is too important to forgot. I have been lost in Tomato History "A Good thing" especially when Senator Bird Stated he was a proud Hill Billy, after I trying to decide which West Virginia Heirloom Tomato to Grow as Main crops. Well I went Hillbilly Crazy last year, and saved everyone of those Plants from drought. A By-color Tomatoe, very good.

I grow every Historical Tomato from My State of Virginia to remind me of Our Senator John Warner. With only 4 of Old Virginia plants which is Red. With 100 German Johnson plants which are large Pink. With only 20 out of the 30 Pink Brimmer making through the drought.

The Campbell come back by themselves, providing me with only three plants, with people just waiting for them to turn Red.

These Campbell came back true, after deciding to skip this very Red Tomato that made the Fifty Year Heirloom List.

So 'Rwk Nova" I did save some of these ampbell seeds, and will be glad to send you some, to be a Blessing to your Mission of feeding the poor, and Homeless people.

Old Virginia is a good Red Tomatoes to add to your list, but I order my seeds for many different reasons.

E-mail me with your address and I will send you the Campbell's seeds I saved.

or

I notice that Trudi has campbell on her list, just send her the postage.

Any perishables that you donate to a Food Bank are going to get a lot of handling, which I know for a fact, so I would grow hybrid varieties that can withstand that handling and would suggest that you look into the Mountain series bred by Randy Gardener at NCSU.

They taste pretty good and hold up very well.

If your Champion Hybrid is as good as the MT series, then that's fine, but I wouldn't grow most OP's b/c they are just too fragile.

Mountain Fresh and Mountain Spring are two good ones, and your Better Boy and also Big Boy might work as well, but I really would shy away from most OP's

Carolyn

go with the older Campbells lines

Big Beef

betterboy makes impressive amounts of regular, store sized tomatos that keep well.

per natutregirl_2007's post, its probably a safe bet.

IMHO not too shabby of a taste either.

Dear Rwk Nova

I was looking through my Tomato list from last year and realized that I had many Red Tomatoes that did not survive the Drought, and all of them was not weather sewed, other than the Amish Paste. With all my Amish Paste surviving the Drought. So I guest, I really had a crop failure on my "Red Heirloom Tomatoes".

I guess the Od shape of the Amish Paste, lost to "Round Shaped Red Tomatoes.

I guess many people do not realize the True Benfits of having a Large Paste Tomato that you can "can" with in cooking, and slices Bigger enough to make a meaty deep tomato Sandwich.

I will continue to give my Heirlooms Tomatoes to the Homeless shelter in my area, but focus on increasing the Campbell's and the other Red Round tomatoes for those people that don't know about Heirloom History, because the shelter I give to loves my Heirlooms, and the Amish Paste. I think they understand the Hard work it takes to Grow Heirlooms, than other Variety, Amen!!

So thank you for sharing with us, because I have Learned from you.

Natural girl is right, many charities will take Veggies, but in good clean condition.

Since, you hold mission is feeding the poor, than I will take Carolyn and other's Advice for Hybrid to feed a massive amount of People, as for why Dr. George Washington Carver dedicated his life to improve American Crops and Farms for better Plant production for American Farmers to feed a Large Population.

Dr. George Washington Carver was my Ninth Grade Science Teacher Mentor. I Just fell in Love with heirlooms Tomatoes.

To Save my Heirloom Plants last year, I had to reach back to my childhood, especially those time I travelled to the south and lived with my Aunt, who is half American Indian. I remembered how I love helping her feed the chickens and the pigs and helping her with her Very Big Garden, with excitement.

It was the way we water the plants, that helped me Save my Plants last year from Drought, along with one of my Friends in Washington State I met on another forum here at Garden Web, how is teaching me about herbs. I visited her in Washington State last year, while my foot was healing from all that hard work. She was by my side all the way through, and helping me in many different problems with last year planting season. I loved Mt. Rainier, and my Husband and I travelled to the top, because I needed to heal, and I healed great "heart mind and soul, in the Mountains.

My greatest joy was the feed back of given to the Homeless Shelters, and Trading Tomatoes.

I event Traded Tomatoes for a beautiful angel, that I put in my New Chevrolet Avalanche, my Husband brought me to take my Tomatoes to market, because you can let the seat down and Air condition the back of the Truck to keep my Heirlooms fresh. I travelled to a town rear me called smithville, to meet with other farmers, but all of the Crops was destroyed by the Drought, and come back home because I did not want to be out here by myself.

So please continue Posting and Reading here, you will learn a lot, and we all will learn from you to, Amen, to help your mission of feed the Homeless.

P.S. All

The Little underdeveloped puppy died yesteday, the doctor gave it a less than 50/50 to make it. But all the other seven are healthy, and mommy dog too.

Mrs. Justice, I am very sorry to hear about your lost puppy. I am sure you did the best you could and will continue giving the best care to the others. My thoughts are with you.

I want to thank all for your wonderful advice. I've picked up some great tips from everyone including the consensus to use hybrids(for the food bank), pick some earlies (I already have some ultimate early so maybe I'll try that), and perhaps determinates (for some reason I favor indeterminates). mrsjustice and I are almost neighbors as I live near Independent Hill so I've asked for some Campbell seed. I'll follow up again with results from our projects.
mrsjustice, there are 7 little puppies that are very lucky to have you around.
Thanks.
Rick

Rick, Heinz 1370 might be a good one for your intended purpose. Send an e-mail to suanders AT gmail DOT com if you'd like some seeds.

Thanks Rick and Everyone, Amen!!

I feel better today, and ready to get back to working on my Tomato List.

Rick, good luck on you-all Mission, and may God Bless Your Tomatoes, because I will be praying for you. And Pray for me too.