On Tuesday, November 5th, we visited Julia, a member of the Agroecological Minka seed production cooperative, at her farm located in Florencio Varela. There, Julia is evaluating tomato varieties linked to the “Al rescate del tomate criollo” project.
Touring the farm, Julia told us that, with the idea of diversifying production, she had recently planted a fruit orchard near the greenhouses. In total, there are 10 lemon trees, 10 mandarin trees, 5 juice orange trees, and 5 navel orange trees.
We continued our journey to the greenhouse where she has transplanted the first batch of heirloom tomatoes, sown in early August (6/8); plus some of her own tomatoes that she has been cultivating for years, sown at the end of July (29/7).
In mid-October (12/10), she transplanted her own tomatoes. In total, 5 Black Cherry plants; 15 Green Tomato plants; 5 Black Leg plants; 14 Red Egg Cherry plants; 10 White Cherry plants; 4 Feo de Tudea plants; 10 Peach Tomato plants; 11 Black Cherry plants; and 12 Large White plants. More than 80 diverse tomato plants!
A few days later (14/10), she transplanted the creole tomatoes, 2023 harvest, which belong to the same collection of tomatoes evaluated in the “R Al rescate del tomate criollo ” project. In total, 5 Pear Tomato No. 18 plants; 6 Pear Tomato No. 20 plants; 4 Pear Tomato No. 67 plants; and 16 Don’t Forget Me No. 56 plants.
After touring the greenhouse, we went to the seedling area where she has, in individual containers, the second batch of creole tomatoes ready to be transplanted. These tomatoes, belonging to the collaborative evaluation project “Al rescate del tomate criollo” were sown at the beginning of September (2/9) and, as in several of the other experiences in this campaign, had difficulties germinating.
In total, she has to transplant in the coming days 4 Don’t Forget Me No. 56 seedlings; 5 Aimé Tomato No. 7 seedlings; 2 La Piqui Tomato No. 172 seedlings; and 3 Pear Tomato “Ronita” seedlings, also evaluated at the COPA site in Guernica.
We thank Julia for her passion and willingness to cultivate tomatoes. May it be a great year!
If, like the Minka colleagues, you are interested in participatory improvement, do not hesitate to contact us through our social media accounts or by email.