"The Nature's Goal" & our goal is not the same. Nature's goal is to reproduce. One tomato, with 100 seeds will meet that goal. Our goal is to get a lot of tomates, then let the plant die. I have grown tomatoes since 68, & never heard of leaf stripping until I seen a book advertized in the Mother Earth News on-line site. It's wierd, but it makes since that leaf stripping puts more energy into the fruits. A grow with the exact same strain & soil will tell the tale. The dirt doctor's library site has good info.