Gary Ibsen is the world's second sharpest marketing guy. Among other things he introduced Marianna's Peace, with what is probably a made up story, and successfully sold seeds for six bucks a throw. He also introduced the so-called Julia Child, which was merely an unnamed pink tomato somebody had sent him that he decided would be a good testiment to the queen of cookery.
Anyone else would have bred a special tomato for that purpose!
If you're thinking Gary isn't one of my favorite people, you're not far wrong.
That aside, can you narrow things down a bit in terms of your taste preferences. There are something like 6,000 named open pollinated tomatoes, in 8 colors, at least a half dozen general shapes and sizes, and an incredible diversity of flavors.
New Jersey actually is a great tomato state which, if I remember correctly, one time lead the country in tomato production. Rutgers, a great heirloom, is just one of many varieties developed there.
For some direct inputs see if you can track down the Garden State Heirloom Seed Society. Becoming a member would be one of the best moves you can make.
I would also check out specialty heirloom seed companies, such as Marianne Jone's mariseed. Marianne specializes in tomatoes, and is a great resource for both seeds and plants.
SSE (Seed Savers Exchange) offers quite a few tomatoes in its public catalog. And if you join that organization you get the yearbook, which has several thousand heirloom tomatoes being offered by other members.  |