We found this gem tucked away in the Seed Savers Exchange (SSE). Northern Light was donated to the SSE by the Belgrade, Montana seed company, Fisher Seed and Nursery Company, better known as Fisher’s Seeds, established in 1923 and in business until the 2010s. Ken Fisher ran his family’s company for decades and specialized in hardy, short-season, Zone 4 plants. He also developed a few of his own varieties and stewarded and selected others to deal with his weather challenges. If you know Ken Fisher was involved with a variety, it’s likely one you want to try.
Plant Characteristics: In Fisher’s 1981 catalogue, Northern Light is described as an early (55 days), smooth bright red 2-inch tomato, 14-18 inches tall, perfect for pots and smaller spaces. Forty plus years later that is exactly how we would describe Northern Light tomatoes. Plus this lovely compact tomato is so productive, and keeps producing right up until the first frost. Fruits range in size from 45g to 95g (1.5oz to 3.5oz). Furthermore, at the seedling stage, it is one of the hardiest tomatoes we have ever seen, which gives you a sense that this is going to be a good tomato.
Northern Light also intrigued us because we had come across a reference to a tomato called Northern Light in the 1894 J.M. Thorburn & Co. seed catalogue. Northern Light was part of the new tomatoes Thorburn was introducing that year (the same year he introduced the famous Thorburn’s Terra-Cotta tomato, recently rediscovered by William Woy Weavers). Here is how Northern Light is described in Thorburn’s 1894 catalogue:
The plant is very dwarf, with upright stem. The fruits are apple-shaped, of a brilliant carmine color, and contain very few seeds. The flesh is solid and fine-flavored. The habit of growth commends this variety no less than its excellent fruit.
Could Fisher’s Northern Light be Thorburn’s Northern Light? The descriptions do seem to match up. It is conceivable that the Fisher family, whose seed business goes back to 1923, could have saved seed from Thorburn’s Northern Light and then offered it in their seed catalogue, although, of course, we are merely speculating. It would be fun, thought, if this turned out to be the same tomato.
How to Plant: Start seeds indoors 6 weeks before the last frost. Plant seed 5mm (¼ inch) deep. Transplant after the danger of frost has passed/later spring.
