The Harrisonburg Farmers Market is preparing for an annual celebration of seasonal produce. The market will host its fourth annual Tomato Fest on Saturday. The event will occur during regular market hours, starting at 8 a.
m. and ending at 1 p.m.
» What: Harrisonburg Farmers Market Tomato Fest » When: 8 a.m.Saturday » Where: Harrisonburg Farmers Market, Turner Pavilion, 212 S Main St, Harrisonburg » More info: https://www.
harrisonburgfarmersmarket.com/ The festival is a celebration of the peak of tomato season, highlighting the work local farmers put into growing heirloom tomatoes and the fruits of their labor, according to Sarah Gorman, marketing strategist for the Harrisonburg Farmers Market. “It really is a celebration of tomatoes,” Gorman explained.
“So, when you think about other countries, other nations, like Italy, for instance, there is a festival for every vegetable because vegetables are seasonal. Now, with the way that we grow vegetables in this country and all over the world, you can get tomatoes any time of year. But the thing is, a farm-fresh, sun-ripened tomato, especially an heirloom, is so different from your grocery store tomato.
” The festival will include several unique offerings to help community members enjoy tomatoes in new ways, such as tomato mocktails prepared by SJ Starr, bartender at the Joshua Wilton House, tomato tastings, tomato-themed products available for sale, and a tomato-themed kids’ activity hosted by Shenandoah Valley master gardeners. Community members will also be able to participate in a “beautiful tomato” contest, where they will compete alongside vendors to see whose tomato can stand above all others. Several market vendors will also be offering heirloom tomato varieties that community members won’t be able to find in stores.
These include tomatoes like the Blosser, described in a press release as a rare heirloom variety known for its large, juicy fruits and robust flavor, and Lydia’s Orange, which produces beautiful, bright orange tomatoes with a sweet and fruity taste. Gorman said the market hosts the festival to help community members understand the difference between local, fresh tomatoes and the tomatoes one might find at the supermarket. “We have this idea that tomatoes are available any time of the year, but really, the best ones are available right now, and they’re grown by people in our community,” Gorman said.
“So this festival really is a celebration of seasonality, it’s a celebration of our local growers, and of the fantastic flavors you get when you are, you know, growing things from seeds, when you’re selecting specific varieties and raising something locally.” The festival also honors farmers’ hard work to raise and grow this year’s tomato crops after a hot, dry summer, which routinely featured temperatures over 90 degrees Fahrenheit through June, July, and early August. Coupled with little rain, several farmers market vendors said the growing season was difficult.
Farmers who sell their wares at the market cited a shorter growing season due to the heat and diseases in the plants like blossom end rot. However, other farms, such as Wood’s Edge, that use drip irrigation systems were able to avoid difficulties caused by drought. For more information about Tomato Fest and other upcoming events, visit the farmers market’s website .
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