He actually believes heirloom tomatoes chose him to help keep them remain relevant and available. Breeding new tomatoes In addition to his work to preserve heirloom tomato varieties, LeHoullier has also been working since about 2005 to breed new tomato varieties. “I’m happy to be an ambassador for tomatoes. The green beans are on pots below the porch. This Monday, July 17 th. Video by Andrea Weigl, aweigl@newsobserver.com To keep deer from devouring his garden, Craig uses two water scarecrows. He had even started a newsletter about tomato seeds. And, yes, Craig is the man who discovered the famed Cherokee Purple tomato that is sold in farmersâ markets nationwide. 2. And in the Midlands of South Carolina, he's known as the Tomato Man. The North Carolina Collection preserves and makes available the historical record of the city and county of Durham. “I like to go out and have a conversation with fellow gardeners,” he explains. LeHoullier grew tomatoes from the seeds and saw for himself the unusual purple tone that Green said the tomatoes had. â¦but he never even ate a tomato until he was a teenager. Craig LeHoullier shares his advice for four easy tomato preparations to enjoy now and later. Please join us at my new website www.craiglehoullier.com See you there! “I’m not like many heirloom people who look down on hybrids. Craig has written two gardening books (â Epic Tomatoes â and â Growing Vegetables in Straw Bales â), with a third forthcoming, on dwarf tomatoes. TomatoMan® Where science and old world horticulture come together. Now gardeners all across the country know Craig LeHoullier of Raleigh as the NC Tomato Man. As a child, Craig LeHoullier really disliked tomatoes. Buy Photo. No gardeners in history have ever had so many tomato varieties to choose from,” Craig says. NC Tomato Man, Craig LeHoullier Getting Dirty in Your Garden Extension Master Gardener Radio Show and Podcast Tune in for expert advise on selecting and growing tomatoes in North Carolina. âThis is the tomatoâs time. His work for pharmaceutical corporations took them first to Philadelphia, then to Charlotte. Much success in growing tomatoes can be attributed to use of a few proven techniques. Their motion sensors shoot out bursts of water to scare the animals away. He was still participating in the heirloom seed exchanges such as Seed Savers Exchange. Craig Lehoullier - Saturday, April 29 at 1pm. He admits he assumed tomatoes must be âhorrendousâ until he eventually tried one from his grandfatherâs garden. There’s a variety out there for everyone,” LeHoullier said. . Naming the Cherokee Purple By 1990, he was gardening in Pennsylvania, prior to his move to Raleigh, working for Smith Kline Beecham (which later merged with another company to become Glaxo Smith Kline). The NC Tomato Man, Craig LeHoullier, shares history, tips and interesting facts. Growing tomatoes in the coastal South is always a gamble. It just took several years for that love to grow and eventually bloom. Submit Photos . “Also, you can’t be a seed saver and share with hybrids.â. For many years, he sold the seedlings at the State Farmers Market, and he gave away many of them also. His seedlings and books will be available for sale. He now has about 50,000 to 60,000 seed packets, vials or envelopes, plus every letter sent to him along with the seeds. â¦What heirlooms give you is a tremendous variety of size, color, flavor, shape and nuances of flavor,” LeHoullier said. So McCormack offered the tomatoes as Cherokee Purple in his 1993 seed catalogue, making it available to the general public for the first time. « Todayâs Topic: New program aims to increase meat processing capacity in the state. The afternoon tomato tastings and how may adjectives can we come up with to describe tomato flavors. Problem solved. Heâs also become a sought-after speaker about gardening, and heâs written two books titled Epic Tomatoes and Growing Vegetables in Straw Bales (both from Storey Publishing). “I think it’s a great tribute to these people’s families that people can read the stories of these great varieties,” LeHoullier said. She also compiles a list of heirlooms that performed well in her garden the previous year. Craig met his wife, Sue, now a retired nurse, while he was earning his doctorate in chemistry at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. Over the past 30 years, LeHoullier has received many, many more heirloom varieties seeds, and he feels like heâs become a guardian of those seeds. Beyond basic gardening. new book from our plant sales, ” Craig says will grow porch! To help people, â LeHoullier said teas. ” a teenager they share, â LeHoullier said a child Craig... 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