Mortgage Lifter
| Mortgage Lifter | |
|---|---|
| Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) | |
| Type | Heirloom |
| Vine | Indeterminate |
| Plant height | 9 feet |
| Fruit Weight | 24-64 oz |
| Leaf | regular leaf |
| Color | Red (pink) |
| Shape | Beefsteak |
Mortgage Lifter is the name given to a cultivar of tomato developed by Willam Estler of Barboursville, West Virginia, in 1922. He registered the name in 1932, several years before "Radiator Charlie" and his "Radiator Charlie's Mortgage Lifter". Robert Howard Estler, last remaining son of William Estler, died in October 2012.
According to many sources on the Internet, the Mortgage Lifter was not developed by Willam Estler. Instead, it is said to have been developed by M.C. "Radiator Charlie" Byles in Logan, West Virginia.[1] Byles is said to have developed it in the early 1930s.
The Mortgage Lifter is known for its mild sweet flavour, and can weigh as much as 2 lbs.
Addition: William Estler was the developer. He crossed the Ponderosa with the Pritchard tomato. He and his wife traveled to various greenhouses in the area and asked the owners if they carried the Mortgage Lifter. They would answer yes, probably stating that they were out of stock. When they asked Hazel Stadler of Stadler Greenhouses in Nitro, WV, she answered them with no, that she could not get those. He asked her to sell his tomato plants exclusively because she was the only one who didn't lie to him! Stadler Greenhouses was known as "The Home of the Mortgage Lifter" until the 1980s when Estler's lawyer didn't remember or didn't bother to renew the copyright on the name. After that, they were then sold by many, and the original tomato has been compromised. The Lifter of today is not exactly like the magnificent original. This is the story passed to me, the grand-daughter of Hazel Stadler. I remember Robert Estler and his visits to our greenhouses. Stadler Greenhouses is still family-owned but no longer carries the logo or slogan of 'the home of the mortgage lifter'.
See also
References
- ↑ "Living on Earth - Mortgage Lifter Tomatoes". Living On Earth. 23 September 2005.