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Over the weekend I gave away hundreds of 'Limbaugh Legacy Potato Top' at the 11th Annual PG/Backyard Gardener Plant Swap held in North Park.

Soergel Orchards and Greenhouse grew them out for me and have a few flats left at their place. They are selling the plants and it's the only place I know of to get the tomato.

If you didn't get to the swap and still wanted to grow this amazing Pittsburgh Heirloom, stop by Soergel's. The plant produces a large, pink, meaty and ugly beafsteak tomato. It tastes like a tomato is supposed to taste.

Here's the story of Fred Limbaugh and the tomato he introduced to the world.

The late Fred Limbaugh with his prized ‘Potato Top’ tomatoes.

We meet lots of people over the years. Some come and go, but others always hold a place in our hearts. Fred Limbaugh was one of those special people.

I first met Fred on a warm day in the spring of 2000. After reading about my love of heirloom tomatoes, he was compelled to call and tell me about the tomato his family had grown for generations, ‘Potato Top.’ He invited me over to pick up a couple of plants to try.

“They’re the best-tasting tomato you’ll ever eat,” he bragged.

I listened with interest as he talked about the plant he loved and had given away to friends and family for years. Once they grew ‘Potato Top,’ they were hooked, said Fred, who didn’t even like to eat tomatoes but grew them for everyone else.

Over the years, Fred and I became good friends. We would visit at his home in Robinson, and on hot days he would offer me a cold beer but never drank one himself. We talked about gardening, his love of the outdoors, his beloved German shepherds and how he was getting along in his 80s.

Together, the two of us would walk down a steep embankment in his back yard to his cold frames filled with deep green tomato plants; they had thick stems and sometimes were covered in bright yellow blossoms. As he got older, he couldn’t get down there anymore. It was even hard for me to navigate, and I was 40 years younger.

Years ago, I started giving away the seeds of ‘Potato Top’ with the condition that gardeners send me some seeds at the end of the season so I would have more the next year to keep the program going. I wanted everyone to taste it and hoped that by sharing the seed, we could guarantee the survival of this tomato with potato-like foliage for a long time. Every year the project grew, expanding from Western Pennsylvania to other states and eventually to many other countries. One summer, I got 140,000 seeds back from readers all over the world.

Fred was never one for the limelight. As ‘Potato Top’ became more and more popular, he would call me and say with a laugh, “I never thought one phone call would turn into this.”

One time his daughters brought him to North Park, where I was giving away the plants. Wanting to recognize Fred for starting the whole project, I tried to make an announcement. But Fred wouldn’t hear of it, and in an instant he was gone, slipping away so he wouldn’t be noticed.

His health took a turn for the worse a few years ago. When I went to visit him at a nursing home, he was figuring out a way to grow tomatoes on a windowsill so he could still provide plants for everyone who asked.

That was the year I started growing plants for him, as many as I could in my little home greenhouse. They never looked as good as Fred’s; he just had a knack for getting nice stocky, healthy transplants. Eventually, I turned the job over to friends at Soergel’s, who were able to produce quality plants for him.
Several years ago, Fred passed away at 86. He was out for dinner the night before with his family and then was gone early the next morning.

I always felt we were kindred spirits whose love of gardening transcended the boundaries of age. I’ll never forget that first day we met when he gave me two large plants, their roots surrounded with newspaper.

In memory of Fred and with the blessing of his family, I’ve renamed the tomato ‘Limbaugh’s Legacy Potato Top.’ For decades to come, I hope gardeners will search the name of the tomato and rediscover its origins. They’ll learn about a wonderful man who wanted nothing but to share a big, meaty pink tomato with some friends. Little did he know that he would be sharing it with thousands of strangers, too. That always made him feel good, to know so many people were enjoying the tomato.

I miss that old guy and always will think of him as I sit at home filling seed envelopes to be sent to gardeners here and abroad. And it feels good knowing that his name will always be linked to a family heirloom that will live on in gardens around the world.

Recently this Pittsburgh heirloom was mentioned in Redbook Magazine. I’m sure that would make Fred smile.

For a free packet of ‘Limbaugh’s Legacy Potato Top’ tomato, send a business-sized (about 91/2-by-41/2-inch), self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Doug Oster, The Backyard Gardener, Post-Gazette, 34 Blvd. of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA 15222.

As the state House continues consideration of transportation funding legislation, the Allegheny Conference on Community Development and the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce are distributing these fliers in support of increased funding.

Just to review, the Senate overwhelmingly approved legislation raising up to $2.5 billion in new revenue for roads, bridges, transit and other modes. Some House members are balking at the fee increases in the bill, including vehicle registrations, licenses and traffic fines. All hands agree that action must come before the Legislature recesses at the end of the month (or whenever it finishes work on the budget) or nothing will be done.

According to the chamber, conference and a host of others who have weighed in, we’ll all pay more if nothing is done. The Senate bill would eventually cost us about $3 per week.

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State Sen. Matt Smith, D-Mt. Lebanon, has introduced a bill to legalize pedal-assist electric bicycles. From his news release:

The electric bicycles are operated by pedals, primarily, but allow for an electric motor to assist the rider while going up hills, for example.

“This is really about making sure Pennsylvania laws are reflective of today’s world,” Smith said. “Electric bikes weren’t a consideration until recently and this legislation brings state law into the 21st century by supporting innovative technology and catalyzing economic development in our region.”

Senate Bill 997 clarifies state law by defining and regulating pedal-assist electric bicycles.

Catherine Tolliver, owner of Pedego Pittsburgh, points to her own experience as an example of how electric-assist bikes provide opportunities for riders and small businesses alike.  

“I didn’t want to give up biking as I got older and thought there must be something to help people like me who are facing mobility issues as we age,” said Tolliver. “I found what I was looking for in electric-assist bikes, which is why I purchased a Pedego and ultimately decided to open my shop.”

Smith’s legislation defines “pedacycles with electric assist” and specifically limits them to bicycles equipped with operable pedals, an electric motor 750 watts (1 horsepower) or less, weighing 100 pounds or less, and capable of a maximum speed of not more than 20 mph. The legislation also requires the rider to be at least 16 years old.

The boards governing the Montour Trail and Great Allegheny Passage enacted policy changes two years ago to accommodate electric bikes.

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Milling, resurfacing and other improvements will cause restrictions on Penn Circle in East Liberty starting tonight. Beginning at 8 p.m., traffic will be restricted to one lane from Manetta Way to Penn Avenue. Work will occur Mondays through Fridays, 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., through late July.

Overnight restrictions continue through Sunday in the Route 28 work zone. Outbound stoppages of up to 15 minutes are possible starting at 8 p.m. daily and ending by 5 a.m. Inbound traffic will be restricted to a single lane approaching the 40th Street Bridge during the same hours. PennDOT strongly recommends that you consider an alternate route outbound while the work is underway.

Short-term lane closures are possible on Route 28 in East Deer, Fawn, Tarentum and Harrison as crews take core samples for a future project between Creighton (Exit 13) and the Butler County line. Northbound restrictions are possible from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., southbound from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays through July 12.
 
Right-lane closures are likely on the Elizabeth Bridge until 3 p.m. today in both directions while steel is repaired. Also known as the Regis R. Malady Bridge, it carries Route 51 over the Mon in Elizabeth Township.

Poplar Street in Green Tree is closed to northbound traffic from Mansfield Avenue to Noblestown Road through July 3 for concrete patching. Traffic approaching from side streets will be required to turn south.

Crews have milled the pavement on a long stretch of Connor Road in Castle Shannon and Mt. Lebanon from Route 88 to Terrace Drive. Expect a bumpy ride there until the new pavement is down. Work there may cause restrictions from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and overnight after 6 p.m. weekdays.

Lane closures are possible on McKean Street beneath the Liberty Bridge on the South Side from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily through Friday as crews remove loose and deteriorated concrete from the piers under the bridge. The structurally deficient bridge is at risk for a weight restriction if PennDOT doesn't get the estimated $40 million to $60 million it needs to do a major rehabilitation. It's one of 33 bridges identified by PennDOT as being at risk for weight limits that could keep trucks, buses and other big vehicles off them. If you missed it, you can read the story that appeared in Saturday's Post-Gazette right here.

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Breathless and high-spirited, last year's "Celebration Rock" lived up to every word, every letter of its title.

When you see the billing for Japandroids live, you wonder, 'Could they possibly take it up another level?" -- which is, after all, the point of a concert.

Sunday night at Mr. Smalls, Japandroids was as bad as the album is great. You could tell from the first minute of "Adrenaline Nightshift" that something was off.

It's not for lack of energy. Singer-guitarist Brian King looked sweaty before he even played a note, and he and drummer David Prowse hit the ground running. Somehow, it just didn't click. It's easy to blame the room, but the sound has been great inside the old church for other shows, including last week's Alt-J (which, by contrast, was woefully short on energy).

There was too much bottom in Japandroid's mix, effectively dragging down the songs. Maybe the Vancouver duo needs a third or fourth member to pull this off. Maybe Prowse was mixed too high. Maybe he was just too chaotic. Kristy K may have nailed it when she tweeted to me "The guys don't seem to be in sync with each other."

Where songs like "Fire's Highway" and "The Nights of Wine and Roses" should have shot off like the fireworks on the record, they just kind of went off sideways and fell to the ground.

I sensed the same thing watching the Coachella stream in April, from the sound and the crowd reaction. People didn't seem to moving the way they should, and the same thing happened Sunday night. The looks on people's faces was a mix of excitement, confusion and disappointment.

The White Stripes, Black Keys, No Age and others have made the duo thing rock. Based on this show, we can't add Japandroids to that list.