{"product_id":"tomato-maggie-valley-hog-tomato","title":"Tomato (Maggie Valley Hog Tomato)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaggie Valley Hog Tomato (\u003cem\u003eSolanum lycopersicum\u003c\/em\u003e)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn old heirloom variety from Maggie Valley, NC. Fruits average 12-20 oz. with red \/ copper skin and dark flesh. A great old-time tomato flavor that is sweet and savory. (Regular leaf, Indeterminate)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJames Ledbetter boarded a sailing vessel in Southampton, England in the mid 1700's and survived the harrowing journey to the colonies. He was just 16 years old when he stepped foot in New York and had only a small bag of his worldly possessions. As many poor English looking for a better life at the time, he made his way by wagon down the Great Wagon Road and eventually settled in Maggie Valley, NC. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaggie Valley is a small mountain town in Haywood County, NC at an elevation of about 3,000ft above sea level. Generations of Ledbetter's were born, raised, farmed and buried in the mountain cove where James first settled. They lived a modest life and the family farm had a creek, some bottom-land, cleared meadows and a small cabin.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Great Depression started in 1929 and rural Appalachian families were hit hard, though families who were accustomed to the challenging agricultural subsistence life fared better than many city-folk. The Ledbetter's honed the craft of adding value to their produce and much of their corn harvest turned into moonshine, a far more lucrative product to sell!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFamily legend has it that on a bootlegging run to the Cherokee Reservation, one Ledbetter returned with a bushel of the best tomatoes anyone in the area had tasted. The fruits were big, sweet, juicy and had a beautiful copper skin and dark, juicy flesh. The variety became a family favorite which they grew every year after.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSometime around 1950 on a late summer night, the family was roused by a terrible sound coming from the hog pen near their cabin. By the time they made it outside, it was clear a bear had broken into the pen and most of the pigs were missing. When morning came, the family was able to round up most of the pigs that the bear couldn't catch and the breeding hog was found feasting in the tomato garden. The happy hog enjoyed the tomatoes so much that he had eaten every last plant of the Ledbetter's favorite variety!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs luck would have it, some tomato seeds survived the hog's digestive tract and the tomatoes sprouted the following spring where manure had been spread for fertilizer. The Ledbetter's started calling the tomato variety \"Maggie Valley Hog\" and made sure to keep a surplus of seeds stashed to avoid nearly losing the variety again.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin: \u003c\/strong\u003eWe are friends with decedents of the Ledbetter family. Some of the family still live near Maggie Valley. We are grateful that they shared the seed and story with us and they hope you like their tomato variety too! While many Ledbetter's have become doctors, lawyers and professionals who live all over the US, they all still grow beautiful gardens and are proud of their special Maggie Valley Hog tomato variety.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e(Approximately 15 seeds per packet)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination Rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eAll of our seed varieties exceed 80% germination and are re-tested every 6 months.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlanting Instructions:\u003c\/strong\u003e We recommend starting tomato seeds indoors in a bright and warm location 4 to 6 weeks before last frost date in spring. Transplant after danger of frost in full sun and trellis.  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kids Seed Co.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47454182146137,"sku":null,"price":3.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2372\/3075\/files\/12290D43-EA0B-4DC0-8CA5-5717A3D21680.jpg?v=1791909886","url":"https:\/\/kidseedco.com\/products\/tomato-maggie-valley-hog-tomato","provider":"Kids Seed Co.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}