Rich, fertile, and well drained is what is needed, and with a pH of 6. This does not bode well for crops that like it hot and dry like tomatoes. Some of our Master Gardeners have told me that they haven’t been able to get into their gardens yet because the ground is just too wet. Sounds great, but what does this summer look like for our gardens. ![]() We have had plenty of rain in April and again in May, so much so that our government officials are telling us that the drought is over. This summer seems to be just the opposite. We canned a record number of those juicy red orbs last year. ![]() Remember last summer’s drought? Our gardens looked so tired and worn, except for the peppers and tomatoes. “My garden didn’t do so well this year, but I had a caprese salad for dinner last night with local tomatoes.Contributed by Kerry Lake, Master Gardener “I’ve done a little extra business this year at my local farm stand because a marauding band of woodchucks wiped out my personal supply,” he said. “Granted, not every farmer has had the good fortune to have adequate water this year so some folks’ crops have suffered.”Ĭount Lebeaux, who said he loves tomatoes, among those whose crops have suffered this year, but not because of the drought. All this hot, sunny weather is exactly what tomatoes like as long as they’re adequately irrigated,” Lebeaux said. “It’s been a great year for growing tomatoes. Plus, the hot weather that has prevailed across the state for much of the summer is actually favorable for tomato growing, he said. “Folks really should be encouraged to come out and purchase from their local farmers because, honestly, this perception that perhaps they don’t have adequate product is another damaging blow to” farmers. “If you go to a farmer’s market now or a farm stand, you’re going to see a lot of great produce,” Lebeaux said. Lebeaux said it is especially important this year, as a widespread and ongoing drought has deprived much of the state of the rainfall that farmers depend on, to show consumers that the state’s farmers are growing quality produce despite the drought. The 685 acres of tomato plants harvested in the state annually yield $12.4 million, according to the U.S. More than 750 farms in Massachusetts produce roughly 9.2 million pounds of tomatoes each year - roughly equal to the weight of 31 adult blue whales, the largest animal known to live on Earth. “We have 7,700 farms doing about a half a billion dollars in business every year, protecting and preserving about half a million acres of land and though we’re not a giant commodity state, we’re one of the leading states in the country relative to direct farm to consumer sales.” “We want people to remember that we have a thriving agricultural economy in Massachusetts,” Department of Agricultural Resources Commissioner John Lebeaux said. ![]() It’s a good way to give back to the community, and it’s more fresh and nutritious.”įor farmers and state agriculture officials, the tomato contest was a chance to showcase one of the state’s most profitable crops and the Bay State’s agricultural businesses. “And students always want us to support our farmers and buy locally. ![]() They want it to taste like a real tomato, not have bland tomato flavor,” he said. The sungold cherry tomatoes from Langwater Farm in North Easton claimed the top spot in their category and the yellow brandywines from MacArthur Farm in Holliston were selected as the best in the heirloom division. In the slicing category, Ward’s Berry Farm in Sharon won the grand prize with its black velvet tomatoes. Joseph Boncore, Assistant Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Daniel Sieger, chef and cookbook author Beth Gurney, Chop Chop Magazine editor Sally Sampson and chef Yassamin Healey - compared notes and tallied their scores to select the top tomatoes. The judges were tasked with selecting the best tomatoes based on flavor, firmness and slicing quality, exterior color and shape in four categories: slicing, cherry, heirloom and weight. Judges sampled field tomatoes entered by commercial farmers into the 32nd annual Massachusetts Tomato Contest at the Boston Public Market on Wednesday. Wednesday’s contest featured 88 entries from 16 farms around the state. First in half, then one half was itself halved, and then one quarter was cut into bite-sized hunks.Īs the scent of fresh tomato filled the Boston Public Market on Wednesday, judges prepared to sample the various shapes, sizes and colors of tomato in an effort to pick the cream of the crop.Ĭommercial farmers from around the state entered the best of their crop into the 32nd annual Massachusetts Tomato Contest and the judges carefully sampled each one to select the best based on flavor, firmness and slicing quality, exterior color and shape in four categories: slicing, cherry, heirloom and weight. BOSTON - The tomatoes were sliced with great care.
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