Tomato Taste Results: Red, Sweet Cherry Types Triumph

We had almost 200 people come to last Saturday's Washington Gardener Magazine 11th Annual Tomato Taste at the FreshFarm Silver Spring Market today. Here are the results of the ballots submitted.

1. Super Sweet 100 from The Farm at Our House 
2. Red Grape from Spiral Path Farm 
3. Sun Sugar from Mock's Greenhouse
4. Evergreen from Chicano Sol
5. Damsel from Crooked Fence Farm
6. Red Boar from Crooked Fence Farm
7. Midnight Snack from Mock's Greenhouse
8. Kakao from Crooked Fence Farm
9. Jaune Flamme from Three Springs Fruit Farm
10. Rutger from The Farm at Our House

Only a few votes separated our top two winners. Last year  'Black Cherry',  'Cherokee Purple', and 'Red Grape' were the crowd favorites

Do take a minute to click on the photo link here to view the Facebook album of photos from the event. I think you will agree that the market tomatoes are absolutely gorgeous and very photogenic.

In addition to the tasting, many people stopped by to create colorful tomato art and to pick up the free tomato seeds, growing tips, and recipes that we gave out.

Kendall Wienecke of Washington, DC, (pictured here) won the prize drawing of a gift bag full of gardening tools, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, natural insect repellent, and market money! 

Most of the taste attendees were local, though we also had many who came quite a distance. About half live in Silver Spring. Another third live close by in Washington, DC or the neighboring towns of Takoma Park, Chevy Chase, and Wheaton. From farther away in Maryland, folks came from Rockville, Reisterstown, College Park, Columbia, Davidsonville, and Greenbelt.  From out of the area, we even had a few votes from Pennsylvania and Massachusetts!

Thank you to all who came and participated. Thanks to the farmers for growing great tomatoes and to FreshFarm Markets staff for hosting us. Special thanks also to our incoming Fall 2018 semester intern Ashley O'Connor for helping with all the tomato sample cutting and helping greet all the tasters in the short two-hour event!

Love tomatoes? This event is for YOU!

It’s ‘Big Boy’ vs. ‘Mortgage Lifter,’ hybrid vs. heirloom, the tomato wars have just begun. Everyone is sure that their tomato pick is the tastiest. Join Washington Gardener Magazine at the FreshFarm Market in downtown Silver Spring, MD, on Saturday, August 25 from 10am-12noon for a Tomato Tasting. Best of all, this event is FREE!

Farmers at the market will contribute their locally grown selections — from super-sweet ‘Sungold’ to not-so-pretty ‘Cherokee Purple’ — and we’ll explore which tomatoes make the short list of favorites. We’ll have tomato gardening tips, tomato recipes, tomato activities for kids, and much more. All to celebrate one of summer’s greatest indulgences — the juicy fresh tomato.

Tip: Your tomato taste voting ballot is also your entry into our prize drawing for a basket full of gardening goodies. The drawing is at 12noon, so be sure to fully fill out your ballot by 11:45am and then stick around for the prize announcement as you must be present to win.

Facebook event link: https://www.facebook.com/events/236494013858785/

HERB TALKS & TASTINGS at the 14TH & KENNEDY FARMERS MARKET on Saturday, June 23

HERB TALKS and TASTINGS

at the 14TH & KENNEDY FARMERS MARKET

5500 block of Colorado Ave NW WDC

on Saturday, June 23, 2018

from 10:00am – 12:00pm

Come check out the “Herb Petting Zoo.” Touch/taste/smell a wide assortment of culinary herbs. Learn about which herbs grow best in our area and tips to make them thrive.

You’ll have the opportunity to try recipe samples and get ideas as to how these herbs can be used in your home kitchen.

Hosted by Kathy Jentz (Editor – Washington Gardener Magazine) & Mary-Denise Smith (Food Blogger & Recipe Tester for the Washington Post)

FREE and open to all.

Rain or shine!

Event page:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1802272913190032