UMPQUA BEAUTY
80-85 days. This beautiful tomato hails from the Umpqua River Valley in southern Oregon. One of the most versatile open-pollinated, determinate varieties we have run across in a long time. The fire-engine red fruit can grow upwards of two pounds each, are very thick and meaty, and can be enjoyed much like eating an apple. The Umpqua River Valley is in the heart of the best timber country in the world. You can just imagine this deep-flavored, smooth, and heavy heirloom tomato earning a coveted spot in hard working turn-of-the-century loggers’ and mill workers’ lunch boxes. Not only for its substantial size and meatiness, but for its ability to be eaten by hand without juice running all over the chin. Its girth and thickness make meaty-thick slices for sandwiches, as it can span from crust to crust. Even night-before-made workday sandwiches will not be soggy by lunchtime. You can even enjoy it with salt, just as you would your watermelon. Umpqua Beauty’s dense flesh also makes it one of the best paste and sauce tomatoes you can grow. This dependable crop is a truly great choice for all-around use. If you ever find yourself only able to grow one tomato variety, you should definitely consider growing Umpqua Beauty.
Tom Johns throws out a special thanks to his childhood pal Jimmy Gilmore for donating his Umpqua Beauty discovery to Territorial Seed Company. Jim found this tomato from a local seed saver who was living in the Bandon area of the Southern Oregon coast. She proclaimed this was an old favorite of early arrivals to the Umpqua River Valley, near Roseburg OR.
