Heirloom tomatoes year-round?

[nycfooddude1]

Hi,

Could someone explain to me why good heirloom tomatoes are not available year-round in NYC?

During our winter, aren't heirloom tomatoes being grown somewhere in the Southern hemisphere? Can they not be shipped here?

Thanks for any answers! I need an education!

[beachmouse]

The FTC changed its rules in 2007 in a way that's supposed to allow UglyRipes to be sold outside the state of Florida in winter months. And while that's only one variety of heirlooms, it's better than nothing.

[mpjmph]

Ditto on the other comments, and I'll add that the culture/philosophy that lead to the current popularity of heirloom tomatoes is a bit at odds with long distance shipping.

[meadandale]

Slightly off topic..

Last time I saw heirloom tomatoes in Vons they were something like $5.99/lb. And this was in the spring/early summer. I just had to laugh.

There's no possible way I'd spend this much for tomatoes at a supermarket and only a slightly higher possibility that I'd pay this much for them at a farmer's market, fresh off the vine.

If I want heirloom tomatoes I'll either have to grow them (which I'm doing) or do without at those prices.

[jakew8]

plus the heirloom tomatoes that you find at the greenmarket are ripe or nearly ripe when you buy them, and they get that way on the vine. supermarket tomatoes are picked when they're bright green so that they're red (but not really ripe, huh) by the time you buy them. picking them green also makes them more resilient for shipping.

on a side note, you're not being at all conscious of "food miles" you eco-terrorist!

[small h]

Off the top of my head, I'd say that heirloom tomatoes don't ship very well because they tend to have thinner skins and a short-ish shelf life.