[camochef]

Nothing brings me out of the woodwork faster than a post about Brandywines. When I first started growing them in my gardens, they were simply Brandywines. After a few years they became Pink Brandywines. As years went by we began seeing Yellow Brandywines, Red Brandywines, Black Brandywines, True Black Brandywines, Brandywine-OTV, Purple Brandywine, Brandywine-Sudduth's, and more and more.
I added to this confusion by introducing Cowlick's Brandywine. A large pink Brandywine that grew great tasting, large oblate fruits. What made it stand out was its productivity. Although planted, transplanted, grown the same as all the other Brandywines in my gardens, it began producing ripe fruits about 2 weeks earlier than Brandywine- Glick's which in turn was about 2 weeks earlier than Brandywine-Sudduth's. Or any other Brandywines I nwas growing, and believe me, I( was growing them all, as well as other varieties of heirloom tomatoes.)
It outproduced every type of Brandywine I was growing. The tomatoes were similar in taste, and texture, but there was no comparison in yield. That year, it produced up till November 1, when we finally had a killing frost. The other Brandywines were done back in September, except for a red Brandywine or two that lasted till the first week of October.
I was so impressed with this one Pink Brandywine, that I named it Cowlick's Brandywine after the nursury where I had found it. I had friends throughout the country,with whom I exchanged tomato seed. I shared some seed of this exceptional Pink Brandywine with them, after they had complained about poor yields from their pink Brandywines. Soon they were singing its praises and sharing seeds with other tomato growers around the world.
It didn't take long for Cowlick Brandywine to be grown through-out Europe, Canada, Most of the U.S.A. and in Africa. After awhile it was being grown in Asia and even in the Philippines. After years of growing it side by side with Brandywine-Sudduth's, I've finally decided this coming season to eliminate Brandywine-Sudduth's from my gardens. Most of the other Brandywines have been eliminated over the years as I reduced the size of my gardens from a few hundred tomatoes to 43 last year. This year, I'm only planting 23 varieties, but I can assure you Cowlick's Brandywine will be one of them. As will a Red Brandywine P.L. that was exceptional last year.

The past few years, have seen my favorite Brandywines fall out of the top 5 favorites on my tomato growing list. The past year that went to:
German Johnson-Benton Strain-R.L.
German Johnson-Benton Strain- P.L. Grafted on Maxifort rootstock
Cherokee Purple- from Homegrown Harvest
Bear Creek, ( a Pink Brandywine/ Cherokee Purple Cross)
and the best tasting tomato of the year for me:
German Johnson-Benton Strain X unknown black which I suspect was Bear Creek and I'm calling it Barlow's Best Black. Although I have a Gettysburg address, I actually live in Barlow.
There have been thousands of varieties of tomatoes that I've grown the past 55 years or so, but Brandywines have always been welcomed in my gardens as one of the best and Cowlick's Brandywine as one of the Best of the Best. I wouldn't hesitate recommending it to tomato growers throughout the world.
Enjoy!
Camo