Mountain Fresh

Water’s Mountain Fresh has a story sticking closer to home here in Tennessee. Randy Gardner’s local creation, meeting the late local farmer, Randy Dodson. Randy Dodson of Water’s farm grew these tomatoes for several decades, mastering this determinate bush tomato, bringing early red tomatoes to market, faster in the field than a greenhouse. I acquired his last remaining seed stock of this variety soon after his death. Dr. Randy Gardner’s Mountain Fresh Tomato series came out between the 1971 through 1990’s from North Carolina. Water’s Mountain Fresh is a crimson red, flattened globe-shaped fruit, with smooth, and shiny symmetry. Determinate plant type, sticking to supports 3-5 feet tall. Flavor is sweet, tangy, and savory. I rank 'Jetstar' and 'Beefsteak' above all reds, but Mountain Fresh is worth its weight for an honorable mention. Offering early, very large slicer fruit during the grill out season. Bred, grown, cultivated and eaten, Water’s Mountain Fresh is a mountain country tomato, selected under the heat and humidity, and cool shoulder season weather of our Southern Appalachia environment. Bred for smooth blossom scar, noticeable resistance to early blight, verticillium wilt, with tolerance to wet and cool conditions. The earliest possible red tomato for the south eastern region while retaining a harmonic flavor profile. These short and squat plants produce ample crops in spring on into autumn.