Been there, done that. :) Linked one of the several discussions below.

Here is a list I put together from several of the previous discussions of high yielding/most prolific heirlooms/OPs.

Note that this list does NOT include them all by any means and obviously some will disagree with most any name on the list. Also note it comes from many different gardens and gardening zones so what is prolific in a garden in Chicago may not be in Texas. In other words, the growing conditions provided by the grower, not the variety, is the key.

Aunt Ruby's German Green
Black Krim
Paul Robeson
Boxcar Willie
Cherokee Purple
Indian Stripe
Rutgers
Kosovo
Burgundy Traveler
Dr. Wyche Yellow
KBX
Rosa de Berne
Mortgage Lifter
NAR
Eva Purple Ball
Red Penna, Chapman
Aker's West Virginia
Zogola
Kukla's Portuguese Beefsteak
Andrew RahartâÂÂs Jumbo Red
Basinga
Chris Ukrainian
German Giant
Crnkovic Yugoslavian
Cuostralee
Dr. Lyle
Germaid Red
German Head
OmarâÂÂs Lebanese
Sandul Moldovan
Soldacki
etc.
etc.

Hope this helps.

Dave

PS: and yes, I intentionally left out all the cherry varieties since most all of them are considered "prolific".

Here is a link that might be useful: Most prolific heirlooms

Many folks seem to like Rutgers for both yield and flavor which, like many prior F1 hybrids, is now available as OP seed. I'm not so sold on any of these since the cost of F1 seed is insignificant if you get outstanding yields. When you ponder the yield advantage of a variety that may be $1 per seed a single days harvest may offset that seed cost. You may ask for hard supporting evidence and I can't give you any. I just know that some F1 varieties are well worth the seed cost for me.

Similarly, for your second q, I believe flavor is somewhat improved by prolific production, at least within any single variety. The faster the time that a tomato takes to produce ripe fruit the better the flavor. High concentrations of sunlight reaching the plant speed photosynthesis, resulting in higher sugar levels throughout the plant and fruit. Higher heat speeds the ripening process. The plant as viewed like as factory is most efficient when every facet is working at peak levels and then is when the final product is at its best.

I use greenhouse for season extension and I can tell from tasting experience that fall ripened tomatoes, from the same plants as summer picked, just don't have the same flavor. Those fruits take longer to ripen than the fruits of peak summer production. By that time some plants have been producing for 5 months and some are barely producing at all. When those "slackers" finally crank out a ripe tomato it has the same comparative loss for flavor as any other variety.

Much of the yield increase of hybrid varieties is due to the incorporation of specific disease resistances into their makeup. Many OP's will match similar hybrids if you do not have the disease that the hybrids tolerate. The first hybrids came into commercial demand because fields became infested with Fusarium. Since many new diseases as as strains of the older diseases have been introduced. Example if you not have fusarium in your soil, you do not need fusarium resistance. Tomato Spotted Wilt virus has become a major problem in the southeast, But if you have have it, the resistant varieties are not as tasty as the older varieties.

Pale Perfect Purple and Wes are productive here.

Thank you for the well thought out answers.
Anyone else have any thoughts about the relationships (if any) between productivity or disease resistance and taste?

Sorry, double post.
Does anyone know a way to delete a post when this happens?

This post was edited by ABlindHog on Wed, Mar 5, 14 at 8:56

YIELD ? It depends on a lot of variables. A variety might be productive in your area but not in another. EXAMPLE: I see Dave has Black Krem in his list. I had one last year I did get less than 10 tomatoes from it, mostly smallish, cracked shoulders.

The most important factor, (IMO) is your growing conditions (soil fertility, pH, sun, watering, rain , drought..) If you know how to push them in a right way, you might get high yield.

I think Black and Brown Boar might do well where you live not sure. It is a small dark striped tomato that was productive here.

Here is a link that might be useful: Black and Brown Boar

helenh

Black and Brown Boar looks very interesting, how does it taste? I have spent many happy days in south west Missouri on the Elk river near Noel. If Black and Brown Boar does well there it might be good here too. The topography of that area is very reminiscent of the Texas hill country.

I plant lots of different tomatoes. I would not want more than a couple of Black and Brown Boar plants. It is a small, black striped tomato. If you like to try a variety of shapes and sizes, it is a good one. Not all my tomatoes are successful. Some have tomatoes early and quit others come on later. This little tomato I had from some of the first tomatoes until the end of the season. It tastes good enough. I don't do taste tests or ratings. If something tastes like a store tomato, I don't eat it. Celebrity is one I don't grow any more - tough skin and taste not great. I like to slice this one and put it on a cracker with some green onion, salt and pepper. I would not cut up a big beautiful Wes for me for a snack, so I pick a Pale Perfect Purple or Black and Brown Boar. Sometimes I have tomatoes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Wes was my best heart last year. The other hearts quit setting fruit after it got hot.

We went on vacation to the Hill Country once. I went to the wild flower place and had German food at a restaurant near there - didn't know what to order. You may get hotter there and have better soil. I have rocks with thin soil. Any tomato I plant in my garden has to have an improved spot. I am an old lady and I enjoy Susan Wittig Albert mysteries - no sex or violence except somebody dies in every book. Her themes are all herbs like rue etc.

For me most productive:

Jaune Coeur de Pigeon - yellow pear tomato. From one plant I more toms than from 3 other hybrids.

Large Yellow Amish - orange beefsteak tomato. It was loaded with huge 2 lb tomatoes.