History of Uncle Wayne’s Tomatoes
Carl Barney, our founder, grew up spending many summer days at his Uncle Wayne’s Oregon City farm, enjoying bountiful harvests of garden fresh tomatoes. After Uncle Wayne’s passing, Carl deeply missed the rich, unique flavors of the produce he had enjoyed only fresh from the garden of Uncle Wayne. Disappointed with what stores offered and discouraged by the premium price tag of local produce, he set out to grow his own perfect-for-tomato-sandwiches slicers. And with those first seeds sown, an unexpected journey began.
Carl soon realized others in his community shared in the desire to experience the flavors that connected them to memories and people past. What started as sharing plants with family and friends, quickly turned into weekends at the farmers market. In 1996, Carl and his wife Kay formally established the business we know today, giving a nod to his beloved Uncle Wayne who inspired it all. With the help of his wife and family, seed by seed, season by season, the business grew. Customer requests for specific varieties began trickling in and each year UWT’s offerings expanded to include more and more varieties. Eventually outgrowing hand-written popsicle stick tags and the family’s small suburban lot in Milwaukie, in 2005, they purchased land in Eagle Creek, OR. The first greenhouse was built that year. Today, UWT has grown to 3 greenhouses and a vast selection of tomato and pepper plants, offering the local community the opportunity to find cherished varieties of old and new alike.
HEIRLOOM
Heir•loom (noun): something of special value handed down from one generation to another
At 81 years old, Carl decided that 2025 would be his last growing season. As UWT customers, Miranda & Cody Schweitzer knew that losing Uncle Wayne’s Tomatoes would be a loss to the community that appreciates the work Carl and his family have done. We view Uncle Wayne’s as an heirloom – a cherished and valuable part of our community being handed down to the next generation. As new owners and first-generation farmers, we have the distinct honor of carrying forth this legacy: providing our customers with quality heirloom plants, cultivating community, and raising up the next generation dedicated to preserving heritage.
Our Mission
To fill your garden with all the cherished heirlooms of the past and unusual new favorites.
At Uncle Wayne’s it’s our privilege to share with our customers one of the greatest collections of tomato and pepper plant varieties you can find. Our goal is to maintain heritage varieties that previous generations have brought forth, while also welcoming in the next generation of heirlooms. We understand that every palate and growing condition is different. Just like our customers, each tomato has its own unique set of characteristics that set it apart from the rest. While we may not be able to offer every variety out there (there are, after all over 10,000 known varieties!), we work intently to curate a collection that suits the needs and desires of you, our valued customer.