How to Find the Best Tomatoes in Massachusetts
Are you an amateur farmer who grows some pretty decent tomatoes each summer? Did you ever wonder how your love apples hold up against the professionals?
Folks in these parts seem to enjoy growing tomatoes and sharing their bounty with friends and relatives.
Do you want to learn more about growing better-tasting and potentially award-winning tomatoes? If so, check this out.
The 38th Annual Massachusetts Tomato Contest is coming soon. The contest is for commercial growers, but there will be plenty of opportunities to sample their wares and gather some growing tips.
Mass.gov says tomatoes are judged "by a panel of experts on flavor, firmness/slicing quality, exterior color, and shape."
The contest is sponsored by the New England Vegetable and Berry Growers Association in cooperation with the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture Resources (MDAR) and Mass Farmers' Markets and hosted by the Boston Public Market Association.
Mass.gov says the "friendly contest" is designed to "increase consumer's awareness of local agriculture."
The Neighborhood Farm in Westport won a trophy last year in the Heirloom Category for its Green Zebra tomatoes.
The Tomato Contest will be on Tuesday, August 22, 2023 at the Boston Public Market at Haymarket on Hanover Street.
Tomatoes win points for such things as flavor. Mass.gov says, "The perfect tomato should have a strong tomato taste, be slightly acidic, juicy and fresh tasting with a tender skin."
The site says, "The winning tomato has a uniform color, is free of green shoulders, and has no evidence of blotchy ripening or other defects."
First, second, and third-place tomato trophies will be awarded in all four categories. "Top 5" certificates will also be given in each category.
Visit the Mass.gov website for further information about the contest and how to register your tomatoes.