Meet Bill Yoder of National

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bill Yoder.

Hi Bill, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My journey began in 2001 when I took a one-year sabbatical from my Computer I.T. profession to intern on an organic farm. Upon completion of the internship, I had made a firm decision to start my own small organic farm. I knew that I could not quit my profession altogether as it was not economically feasible. After attending several farming conferences and interning on a farm I had learned that the best, most appropriate path forward was to start small and continually gain experience. Throughout my first several years of farming, I developed a passion for heirloom tomatoes. Through my research, I discovered there were thousands of tomato varieties in existence. I spent several years growing a few hundred different varieties every year. In the late 2000s I became a trial grower in the dwarf tomato breeding project. It was around that time that I had developed physical issues with my spine that would be chronic obstacles to becoming a full-time farmer. As a trial grower in this breeding project, I had learned a lot about tomato genetics, and that led me to start breeding my own varieties. Music has always been a passion. I have spent most of my life listening to all genres of 80’s music. When working with and observing my new tomato creations certain songs or lyrics would inevitably pop into my head. I decided to combine my two favorite interests and began naming my tomato creations after songs from many of my favorite music bands from the 80s. It seemed to strike a similar chord with many gardeners around the world. I now sell seeds of my created varieties all around the world.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has been a difficult journey. The farming and breeding efforts have always been a part-time hobby as I have maintained a full-time professional job through the years. There have been many long nights and long days along the way. Growing a tomato plant from seeding through harvesting is a 5-to-6-month process. So, it’s a significant time commitment. It takes an average of 7 generations of growing a new tomato cross to get it to a stable state. Thus, it ends up being a multi-year time commitment to stabilize every unique variety. Of course, physical labor is a big part of the effort. I have had significant spine issues for many years which have limited my abilities. I have had to adapt every step in the process to account for my limitations.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I have become known around the world as a popular independent tomato breeder and farmer. Though I now concentrate mostly on my breeding efforts. People from countries all around the world now purchase my seeds.
I have created dozens and dozens of tomato varieties over the past decade. I select tomatoes with different shapes, sizes and colors and cross pollinate them to create new varieties. What sets my breeding apart from others is that I combine my tomato breeding creativity with my passion for 80s music. I name my varieties based on songs from favorite music groups from the 80s. I now have collections of tomato varieties for many musicians and groups, including Prince, Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, The Cure, R.E.M and many others.

If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I was always athletic and very active in sports. I also spent my teen years in the late 70s and 80s listening to as much music as possible. Alternative and new wave music were my passion. I paid for my college tuition by working in a produce (fruit and vegetable) department in a grocery store. I think it was that exposure to the lack of diversity in the food supply that seeded my eventual path into farming (no pun intended). After college, I spent 12 years working in a professional cubicle environment. After 12 years, I knew that I could not exist solely in that environment. I had to find a counterbalance. I quit my job and took a leap of faith which eventually led me to a path of part time farmer.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.billyodertomatoes.com/ https://www.RockStarTomatoes.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bill.yoder.5203