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49 Comments
First. Love your posts. Thanks.
Do an episode on each tomato variety PLEASE! Ordering Fetterly asap
lol our biggest local farmers market might have 20 vendors. The average local farmers markets have about 10 vendors. Hearing you talk about the size of your local markets made me giggle. But I live in a town of 352 people surrounded by other small towns and the “big” town nearest isn’t very big. That’s the town with the big farmers market of maybe 20 vendors.
Do you sell straight from your farm Fruit? If yes where are you located here in Michigan?
I love growing Federle tomatoes. 90% of my tomatoes (5-6 varieties) are roma/paste tomatoes.
While I do appreciate heirlooms, I can only grow a very few because hybrids have better disease resistance. I can no longer grow heirlooms I used to grow because they are not resistant to virus (TYLCV) or fungal diseases which make them very difficult to grow. I have saved seeds from tomatoes before. For me, it is worth it as well because, sometimes it can be hard to find some varieties and saving seeds one year will give me enough seeds for 3-5 years and I don't have to pay $5 for 10-20 seeds plus shipping. BTW your seed prices and selections are awesome I can only buy a few things you offer because I live in the tropics and not all your varieties will tolerate heat or the diseases in a warm climate. I look at saving seed this way. I grow tomatoes to eat them, but I can't always eat all of them. Some will over ripen before I get to them, but they will get a second use if saved for seeds for the future.
Federle are my favorite tomato. Went to your store are you going to be haveing Federle tomato seeds in 2026?
7:49 i love that you keep reminding the viewers the amount of work that goes into what you do. ❤️❤️
Thanks for all the work you and your crew do to make our gardens beautiful!
22:13 id also say compost, regenerating the soil. and you’re right, it’s not food. it’s only food if there’s an intention to eat it, otherwise it’s a plant— same as it’s always been— doing what it does in nature. “waste” doesn’t exist in nature, there’s only ever abundance.
Forgive me if u have answered this b4. How can u grow different varieties of tomatoes in such close proximity for seed, an insure pure to parent lineage? Even with intentional polination how do u avoid the random insect polination? I would like to know, so i could implement your technique, thanks
You should really start using knee pads. You'll regret not protecting your knees in 10 years.
You’re not wasting the tomatoes you’re feeding chickens, other animals plus getting the seeds.
They feed their animals and you get the seeds. Win Win
How u keep varieties from cross breeding at the end of the season how u know those tomatos didnt form after removalof bags?😮
So glad you are showing this cost comparison. Thanks for your work.
I have never heard of a fetterly. Do thry make a good sauce for canning?
@Luke
Guess my thought on that 'wasting food for seed' is Does God have a problem with what you're doing by SAVING seed to produce EVEN MORE food that is consumed??? The answer is NO. How else are we going to get the seed for anyone to regrow IF the seed isn't PROPERLY produced to be as viable as possible??
Wasted food is food that is thrown out at stores and stuff people buy but throw out. That is truly wasted food.
Seriously dude, you mentioning that about ones complaining about that lik eit is truly wasted food seriously annoyed me. And I'm stopping here before I say something that is not right.
Peace to you and to all
Luke, would you be interested in sharing how you process tomatoes for seed? I have read you have to ferment the seed pulp before drying and storing. I have not had much success on this process but with a desire to keep heirloom varieties available, it would be helpful if we all understood this process.
I think you’re over estimating the average city dweller’s tomato knowledge, even ones that are at farmers markets.
Nature doesn't "ferment seeds" before growing them. I've saved seeds by just drying them and then planting them and they grow perfectly well without being "fermented". Man always seems to make growing food more complicated than necessary.
I personally have a great interest in tomatoes because I can them. I can stewed tomatoes and make my own hot sauce, and yes I love tomato slices on my sandwich. So the flavor and meatness of the tomato is very important to me. My heart is in my tomato growing, so the price is not going to deter me. I just purchased 2pks. of the new bountilicious. I cant wait to see how they turn out. And thanks you just answered my question about cross pollination. And yes I am an old school gardener and just recently I decided to change that. This past spring I tried 3 new varities and fell in love with two of them. They will be in my garden this spring. If your heart is in what your growing the cost isnt going to be a problem. Growing is like a hobby for me. The joy and peace it gives me is worth the price. Lukes heart is in what he does. ❤❤❤
Don't you need to taste the tomatoes to decide whether or not the seeds are worth selling and a customer buying the seed would like its flavor before you grow certain tomatoes for seed?
I sell my extra seed starts in the spring and I’ve definitely noticed that people want the basics. The people that buy them will actually get the heirloom varieties of tomatoes, but they don’t care about which variety they are other than “beefsteak”, “medium”, or “cherry”. A lot of people do look for heirlooms specifically though. However when I’ve tried to grow interesting pepper varieties or uncommon crops, no one wants those, so I don’t plant extras anymore. I’m more in the Metro Detroit area so that could make a difference. Also the fact that these are gardeners buying plants and not the general public buying produce. My next door neighbor is definitely one of those Roma only people though! I was drowning in giant tomato starts this year (I give them to people I know for free) but she didn’t want anything but her Romas 🤣🤣
I was at the Royal Oak farmers market and some guy was selling tomatoes for $5/per. I was kind of shocked. Must be a desirable tomato but he didn't indicate what kind it was.
Fwiw, the RO farmers market is more like a junk sale than farmers market. maybe 3 counters had produce, the rest had video tapes, black velvet paintings, I was hoping to get some quality produce at a good price. It used to be thriving with produce. Not so much any more.
Thanks for this video. I have always wonder what went into collecting seeds.
I have switched to just purchasing 3 plants for about $10
It is only wife & me at home now.
I have learned to go to quality over quantity in the garden.
When I forget to pick my last tomatoes, I tell myself I saved seeds! 😀Saved a bunch this year
Looks like Federly is a compact plant I need to try.
How do you keep your seed tomatoes from cross-pollinating so that your seed doesn't hybridize with other varieties growing nearby?
The pulp becomes animal food, so that's not waste. It's just not human grade anymore.
Hey Luke!, I live in Wakeman, Ohio, probably 30 minutes from Cleveland and I just want you to know I love your videos and I appreciate you taking the time to make them. I've been doing gardening for a couple years and they're really helpful to me. Once again, thanks!
Silvery fir tree -is so different growing. Unusual leaves and heavy fruit. Try again next year. It broke off staked up. ??
I understand wanting the tried -and-true. It's what we're used to. Having said that, I have tried some new (to me) varieties that you have offered. It is fun to do that, but in the end, I also grow the tried-and-true to be certain I have the amount I need for canning.
We don't have any markets in my area of Michigan.. unlike Ohio just drive around and someone selling fresh produce.
Got my last tomatoes on my windowsill.. seed saving. Se Michigan
I was at a garden show after getting my seed order from you, my sister and some of her friends saw a tomato variety they thought I should try. So I payed the ten dollars for a pack, started them in my greenhouse got two plants,transplanted them to my garden and got four tomatoes. Taste was not something anyone liked. Experiment not worth it in my book. Will I try something like this in the future? Yes the fun is in the trying, but I also have my ones that I grow every year!
People will get on you for throwing out a compostable product yet not think twice about getting a new smart phone or car every couple of years or throw away a perfectly good item at home. 🤯😵💫
Maybe itxs just me but I think your seeds are to cheap.
What is the first tomato you were picking? The roma. Looks great really for the time of year!
Answered later: Federle
I think Luke left it out? but the fruit ripens for consumption before the seed ripens for best germination. Thats why the tomato has to go bad and spoil to let the seeds ripen to its fullest.
I don't mind paying more for quality rare seeds. Thank you. I appreciate your hard work in saving these heirloom tomatoes. A lot of species of plants and animals are being endangered/extincted because of humans. They just do not care, unless it affects them, or think it affect them. So sad. Thanks for being so transparent. I have so much respect for you and your company.
Completely unrelated to the video but I wish people would STOP reviewing seeds they've not germinated or tasted the final product of!!! The reviews are absolutely USELESS! Stop doing that! & Shame on Migardener for encouraging such nonsense!!
Overripe produce is the only way to save seeds. But its great that you use the byproduct of seed producing to feed animals. What people should really be mad with is all the restaurants and places like Walmart that waste massive amounts of food. They donate a lot to feeding America, but a lot is also wasted, like from the hot bar. They won't even give it to their employees to eat, would rather throw it in the garbage, than for it to be eaten while still hot. They cut hours of employees big time, everyone is struggling, cost of living has went up exponentially, the 10% discount is a help, but the stores still cut hours, saving walmart money for bigger management bonuses. We got a bonus in 2025, but it all got taken back, and then some because of hours being cut. It is getting harder and harder for the average Joe to survive, and yet, we're the ones that get hurt the most. These corporations are the Devil.
I gotta tell you Luke just about my whole entire garden is grown from your seeds. I love it so much. You're such a good teacher and the best of the best. Thank you for all you do to teach us and for selling the most amazing seeds I've ever grown!!! I will always be a customer!!
Looking forward to trying some of your new varieties. Hopefully this weekend you’ll still have some that’s when I have time to shop
I agree that people want the basic products. It's part of being familiar with something, I think. I try to grow something different every year, but my Dad used to ask why I didn't just grow what I knew would grow. And where's the fun in that?
Definitely eye opening. Makes me appreciate the seeds more. Thank you! 😊
Luke think about the fable where a man, his grandson and donkey are walking down the road. Everyone they meet has an opinion. End result, no more donkey. Yeah. You cannot be all things to all people. I’ve always assumed you just compost the leftover bits when harvesting seed. I really enjoy your videos and learn a lot. I also love your products. Are you getting mugs and soup mugs again?
Totally agree with you on this episode.