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'Amish Paste' Tomatoes
 
Sub-Category: Paste
Main-Season
Heirloom
 
Sub-Category 2:
Description: Open pollinated. Main season paste type reported to come from an Amish farming community in Wisconsin. Indeterminate plants produce bright red, 8 ounce, ox heart shaped fruit with few seeds. About 75 to 85 days to maturity.
Days To Maturity: 74-85
Seed Sources: Seed Savers Exchange - updated in 2014
Fedco Seeds - updated in 2014
Totally Tomato - updated in 2014
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds - updated in 2014
Johnny's Selected Seeds - updated in 2014

 
Rating Summary
 
Overall: (4.4 Stars)Overall
Taste: (4.4 Stars)Taste
Yield: (4.5 Stars)Yield
Ease/Reliability: (4.6 Stars)Ease/Reliability
 
Reviews
 
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Number of Reviews: 24

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Reviewed on 08/03/2020 by bst - An experienced gardener

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Taste Taste
Yield Yield
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Strafford, New Hampshire, United States
Frost Free Season: 143 - 163 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20')
Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day

Planted this variety for the first time this year. It is producing well - nice size fruit - but I don\'t see that\'s it\'s particularly "meaty" for a paste tomato. It has decent flavor for eating fresh.
 

Reviewed on 01/17/2015 by cydadams - An intermediate gardener

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Union, New Jersey, United States
Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days
Soil Texture: Clay
Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20')
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

Flavorful and productive but prone to cracking after heavy rainfall
 

Reviewed on 12/27/2014 by UpstateJohn - An experienced gardener

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Monroe, New York, United States
Frost Free Season: 143 - 163 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40')
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

2014 was our first trial of the Amish Paste variety and we would deem it a reasonable success. Slow to ripen on the South shore of LAke Ontario this year, but so were our other 10 varieties, just one of those years... Size was very fine, impressive quality of the fruits, very solid and minimal liquid. Fresh eating was enjoyable with a moderate flavor. Sauce processing and canning with solely Amish PAste was good texture but a bit bland when processed, and required additional varieties of tomato be added to bring up the "Brightness" of the sauce. We used some Stupice and Celebrity added to the blend at about 10% each brought the amish paste sauce right up there ! While the plants looked sparse on the foliage, the crop output was very acceptable. Would recommend this addition for anyones tomato collection.
 

Reviewed on 07/12/2013 by Grandad - An experienced gardener

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East Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States
Frost Free Season: More than 203 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40')
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

First trial planting in 2013 of 3 plants. Plants produced from early June to early July before they succumbed to either the heat or wilt (I'm not sure which) Fruit quality was excellent for slicing and for sauce. However, production was just OK, i.e. fair to average. Intend to re-evaluate next year with a larger sample.
 

Reviewed on 02/17/2011 by Ferdzy - An intermediate gardener

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Ontario, Canada
Frost Free Season: 143 - 163 days
Soil Texture: Sand
Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40')
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

This has been a staple for us as long as we have been growing tomatoes. So far there just hasn't been any other paste tomato that beats this one for flavour, yields or reliability. The large tomatoes are easy to work with, and they make good salsa and tomato sauce. They are fine to eat fresh, although there are other tomatoes I prefer for that. Still, if you could only grow one or two tomato plants this is definitely one to consider.
 

Reviewed on 11/14/2010 by Oregon - An experienced gardener

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Lane, Oregon, United States
Frost Free Season: 143 - 163 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40')
Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day

This paste tomato did poorly in our area. It produced a good sized crop but very few made it to maturity before the frost killed them. They also had a tendency to split and mold when they got rained on. I wouldn't recommend them.
 

Reviewed on 01/05/2010 by mamakinnon - An intermediate gardener

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Stevens, Washington, United States
Frost Free Season: 103 - 123 days
Soil Texture: Not Sure
Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40')
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

Best paste tomato I've grown. My only complaint was that they seemed to get off to a late start and I ended up with a lot of green tomatoes. I'll put a couple more plants in this year, just in case!
 

Reviewed on 10/18/2009 by h plott - An experienced gardener

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Somerset, Pennsylvania, United States
Frost Free Season: 103 - 123 days
Soil Texture: Not Sure
Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

great flavor,good canning tomatoe
 

Reviewed on 04/28/2009 by sherdygerdy - An experienced gardener

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Cleburne, Arkansas, United States
Frost Free Season: 183 - 203 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40')
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

Monster paste tomato, I like my paste tomatoes to be determinate and raise a big crop for canning
 

Reviewed on 01/04/2009 by brokenbar - An experienced gardener

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Big Horn, Wyoming, United States
Frost Free Season: 103 - 123 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40')
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

I have a sun-dried tomato business and these have been a permanent member of my "herd" for 10+ years. Produce any weather and produce a lot. They are incredibly large for a paste tomato and have excellent flavor, uncommon in paste types. They also make a good sauce but need another more " flavorful when cooked" variety to spice the sauce up a little. I also find these make EXCELLENT salsa as they contain very little water that will make your salsa runny (fresh or canned) and the pieces dice nicely and look attractive. Amish Paste should be a staple in any tomato garden.
 

Reviewed on 09/10/2008 by FarmerDoug -

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Culpeper, Virginia, United States
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My ratings are based on use as a paste tomato. The fruits we achieved were huge, some over a pound which is quite large for a paste tomato. The flavor is excellent and I would rate this a 4 for eating flavor. They make a great sauce and their size makes them easier to process, so this is one of the two sauce tomatoes I grow for restaurants, the other being Andes which is smaller, less reliable, but has the best paste flavor I've ever tasted and makes an excellent eating tomato.
 

Reviewed on 01/18/2008 by Henbogle - An experienced gardener

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Sagadahoc, Maine, United States
Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days
Soil Texture: Clay
Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

I grew these for the first time in '07. They were late to set fruit, but all my tomatoes were so our cool summer may be been the cause. Once these plants started they were prolific, with large, meaty and delicious fruits. I picked regularly until the first frost. My only complaint is these plants are huge, they completely overran my trellis system and brought it to its knees. It was very difficult to keep up with pruning they grew so vigorously. I will grow again as they made excellent sauce, but will have to design a new trellis system.
 

Reviewed on 01/07/2008 by Uncle John -

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Sullivan, New Hampshire, United States
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Very reliable, large yields. More resistant to leaf spot septoria than many of the others I grow.
 

Reviewed on 10/26/2007 by mrmcgregor - An experienced gardener

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Cortland, New York, United States
Frost Free Season: 123 - 143 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

They're paste tomatoes, but they taste good enough to slice into a sandwich. I've grown them now for 6 years, and they have been the least troublesome of the OP/heirloom varieties that I've grown. They need very sturdy cages. I usually prune to three leaders. These plants are so vigorous that they will sometimes send a new leader out of a fruit cluster. Fruit size is quite variable. They are thick skinned, so they are fairly sturdy and not too prone to damage.
 

Reviewed on 10/19/2007 by Jim Oliver - An experienced gardener

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Wayne, New York, United States
Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days
Soil Texture: Clay
Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

Tomatoes came in late but with high production.
 

Reviewed on 01/28/2007 by Mr. C - An experienced gardener

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Winneshiek, Iowa, United States
Frost Free Season: 123 - 143 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40')
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

Amish paste performs the best here for me in NE Iowa. It beats all the other hybrids and heirlooms I raise. I have been savging the seed each year for over 5 years. I save seeds from the first tomatoes that ripen each year and feel that I have been been selectively getting earlier bearing fruit each year.
 

Reviewed on 09/05/2006 by zoebisch01 - An intermediate gardener

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Centre, Pennsylvania, United States
Frost Free Season: 143 - 163 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40')
Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day

This is a premium paste type tomato. The plants were extremely vigorous, and high yielding. I trained them to one stem (cage grown) until I realized the potential for them in terms of vertical growth, so I let them branch. The fruit is varied from traditional sized torpedo shaped fruit (which bears the characteristics of less juice and fewer seeds) to giant softball sized fruit that are stellar for slicing. From the five that I have I have been hard pressed to keep up with the yields from this variety. Delicious fruit, balanced acid with a good earthy tomato flavor. Excellent dried. They get sticky from the sugars concentrating. The biggest trouble is you need good anchored cages to grow these as they become top heavy after the bottom fruit has been harvested. They are phenomenal growers, mine reached almost 10' in length. I have saved seed, these will become my paste tomato. I would be hard pressed to find a replacement in terms of flavor, yield and reliability.
 

Reviewed on 02/25/2006 by pooklette - An intermediate gardener

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Wisconsin, United States
Frost Free Season: 143 - 163 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40')
Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day

Amish Paste was extremely prolific in my garden. The plants were massive and produced tons of medium-large, meaty tomatoes right up until frost. These tomatoes made great sauce.
 

Reviewed on 12/02/2005 by Joachim - An experienced gardener

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Fairfield, Connecticut, United States
Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40')
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

Plenty of small fruit which tend to be hollow. Taste is mediocre. If you want to taste an excellent paste tomato try Opalka. Very meaty, virtually seedless and loaded with exquisite, refreshing, sweet flavors, marvelous for sauce.
 

Reviewed on 09/01/2005 by Catskills - An experienced gardener

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Ulster, New York, United States
Frost Free Season: Fewer than 103 days
Soil Texture: Not Sure
Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40')
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

Always good and plenty. Big, red heart-shaped. Slice as well as they cook.
 

Reviewed on 02/18/2005 by suzy_qu3 - An intermediate gardener

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Columbia, New York, United States
Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days
Soil Texture: Clay
Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40')
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

Great hardy plants. Terrific fruit. I have 10 foot vines every year. They put up with anything and still bear a great crop. Good cooking tomato. Makes tasty salsa.
 

Reviewed on 12/07/2004 by Big_Red - An experienced gardener

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Kentucky, United States
Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days
Soil Texture: Clay
Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40')
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

My main-crop tomato, 8 to 10 ounce, red blocky fruit. Very prolific. Just a great all-around tomato.
 

Reviewed on 09/13/2004 by Catskills - An experienced gardener

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Ulster, New York, United States
Frost Free Season: Fewer than 103 days
Soil Texture: Not Sure
Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40')
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

Huge delicious fruits, redder inside than out. very few seeds. Eat as a slicer as well as for sauce. Other tomatoes have been as good/better for fresh eating in other years...but NOT this year. Delicious fruits hanging on pretty dead-looking vines. What a trooper!
 

Reviewed on 09/03/2004 by Marcia - An experienced gardener

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Tompkins, New York, United States
Frost Free Season: 123 - 143 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet
Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day

In a year when other plants have been riddled with blight, Amish Paste has kept on going. Nice, solid, blocky fruits make excellent sauce and salsa.
 




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