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Old August 18, 2010   #5
carolyn137
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stepheninky View Post
Hope you don't mind me posting the history of this tomato here it is pretty fascinating

Gary Millwood from Louisville, Kentucky is a grower and collector of heirloom tomatoes. Here is another fascinating story of the origin of one of his varieties.

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My most recent heirloom tomato discovery.
Gary Millwood 2010

Aunt Lou’s Underground Railroad ~ Historical heirloom carried through the Underground Railroad to Ripley, Ohio, from Kentucky – tangy red fruits about 4 – 8 ounces, IND, 70+ DTM

Tomato seeds of this variety, first called Aunt Lou’s , were carried by a black man as he traveled the Underground Railroad from Kentucky. We have provenance tracing this variety directly to this man; the tomato itself is characteristic of those grown in this era.
The black man (unfortunately we don’t know his name) came from Kentucky to Ripley, Ohio, where many slaves crossed the river to freedom.

Ripley is home to Rankin House, now a museum, a well known stop in the Underground Railroad.
This black man grew these tomatoes there, sharing seeds with a woman named Lou, who later shared seeds with her great nephew, Francis Parker.

Francis Parker was consulted, on the need to add “Underground Railroad” to the “Aunt Lou’s” to signify its history; he was pleased that others would be able to continue growing his Aunt Lou’s Underground Railroad tomato.

Francis Parker died December 2009 after an extended illness.

Sixty years later Francis, who lived in Sardinia, Ohio, shared seeds with Wilfred Ellis, owner of Ellis’ Feed Mill.

Wilfred is still alive, though quite elderly.

Wilfred shared them with Susan Barber, who gave them to me (Gary Millwood).

I always share my seed with my friend, Maria Stenger, in Sonora, Kentucky.

I am getting older, my health is not the best; she can carry on the work I have done with these wonderful tomatoes.
Note that the two posts above yours were from 2009 and in the meantime Gary did get the seeds for Aunt Lou and has posted the history at several message sites, especially at two other sites. He has been wonderful about spreading the info about varieties he comes across.

And note that he also refers to Maria in KY and I just referred you in the seed source Forum to her Blue Ribbon Seeds where she features many KY heirlooms and many from Gary as well as ones she's IDed online as well as ones she's found herself.

I'm growing Aunt Lou this year, seeds from Gary in return for some seeds I sent him.
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