Valena Pink Tomato

85 days, indeterminate — This is a family heirloom that helped to start the Victory Seed Company. The potato leaf plants produce huge (up to two pounds), dark pink colored fruit that are meaty, yet juicy, and with a great flavor. An excellent slicing variety.

'Valena Pink' is a personal family heirloom given to us by Denise Dunton's maternal grandparents, Emil and Ann Valena of Bodega Bay, California. While visiting family in Cino, Italy in the late 1960s, the seeds were shared, a very Italian tradition, and they brought them home. Grandpa and Grandma continued growing them for as long as they were able.

When they handed seed down to us, Mike Dunton asked Grandpa how long the family back in the old-country had been growing it. He just smiled and simply said, "Forever." Regardless of how far back this variety dates, it is a darn good tomato. One of the awesome things about growing family heirlooms is to bite into them and actually connect with the past by tasting history.

We have trialed it in Tennessee, Oregon, California and of course, Cino, Italy, and it has performed well in both good and bad years. Each packet contains approximately 20 seeds.