Midwest Tomato Fest
 

Our 3rd Annual Midwest Tomato Fest is tentatively scheduled for August 27 from 1:30 to 3:30-4:00 pm. The log cabin shelter AREA of Antelope Park, Lincoln, NE. Please let us know how your plants are doing - depending on ripeness we can alter the date. So far in this immediate area we have had less than 1/2 inch of rain since right before Memorial Day. However, my vines are looking good, loads of flowers and a fair set of toms, with highest hopes this year. Let me hear from you - last year we sampled 65 varieties and shared great food and RAIN, we had buckets of RAIN! Mr. Tudball - are you out there???? Piegirl

Denise:

As of today, July 19, several varieties have started to turn. If the weather helps out and cools off a bit and we get some rain, etc, etc..... most of my varieties should be OK.

Glad to hear your toms have survived. Mine look ok - probably a lot bud drop in the week. Picked a black krim - hope it is ripe - went on feel. Piegirl

Piegirl, if you have it -- could you post the link to the Yahoo photo album that Mr. Tudball posted at GW last year?

Where/how is Mr. Tudball, btw?

Thanks KC - are you going to drive up???? We are a smaller group but tons of spirit! Maggie, our vegetarian/organic grower will be there with her dad - they produce great toms. Mark from Grand Island is coming with his family and Paul and Kay, several others from Lincoln/Omaha. And this is the best - a friend is bringing a family heirloom tom - 90 yr old grandfather plus great grandfather grew these and they have kept them in family - supposed to be medium pink color, rl, some ridges, not overly juicy, they think it is probably german in origin. She shared a plant w/ me and all I know is it one hardy little (not so little anymore) plant - never wilted once with horrible heat/humidity we have had, and only light mulch, sofar disease free. It is tough. Join us. Piegirl

I'll be there in spirit... I wish there was a tomato festival like this closer to home, like maybe in Branson, MO, but such is life...

Any tentative dates for this years gathering? I won't have tomatoes to bring but I would sure like to attend and meet y'all and see what new things you've tried.

Will you finally be in the area? Usually Denise (piegirl) sets us up for the third or fourth Sunday in August in Lincoln. Ne. Although we lost one of our original group this year, we will have several newcomers. A better group of people you will never meet and there are always lots of tomatoes and other really good things to sample (remind Piegirl to make scones this year). Bring the family, we are "G" rated and we meet in a large park that is kid friendly. I vote for Aug. 26.

Yes, FINALLY! I hope to be in KS by the last week of June. I tentatively marked the 26th so I can tell my new employer that I just have to have that day off, LOL.

Hi Lori - Paul told me there were messages - glad you are
in the area and happy to have you attend. Aug 26 sounds good
to me - I'll spread the word locally. The lemon scones will
be there along with tomato preserves - while they are probably
an acquired taste, I grew up eating t-preserves which probablt
helped develop the love of tomatoes,etc. Look forward to meeting you
and your family - as Paul said, great park with fantastic play-
ground. Nice breezy area and by now, I think the Lutheran's
save us a table or two - Denise

Hi Everyone - Plans are underway for the 4th annual Midwest
Tomato Fest - Sunday, August 26th - Lincoln, Nebraska. We
will meet NEAR the Log Cabin Shelter in Antelope Park - 29th
and A Streets. 1:30 to 3:30 pm. Bring any varieties you wish
to share, a palate cleanser, drink (no alcohol) - salsa, chips,
etc. Ice water will be provided. Last year we sampled 65
varieties - the outstanding, the good, and the spitters! I
will bring the lemon scones and probably fresh tomato preserves.
Antelope is a very family friendly park with great new playground
for those with children. Piegirl

MidWest Tomato Fest 2007
 

I just got through reading through the "Insipid tomato" thread in the general discussion area, and noticed I failed back in May to see PieGirl's invitation (in that thread) to the Midwest Fest. How rude of me not to have noticed. :)

So I wandered over to this thread to see if you guys and gals already had your get together, and see that you had it on the 26th of August. I'm sure you all had lots of fun. I actually moved on August 1st back to my home state of Ohio so I could not have come anyways. Plus, I wasn't able to grow anything out this summer.
Congrats on what I'm sure was a successful Tomato Fest. And thanks for the invite even though I did not see it until this evening PieGirl. Nebraska is truly a fine state! I lived there for 3 1/2 years so I can attest to that.

Regards, Jeff

Hi Jeff - sorry you missed the Fest but now you can attend
CHOPTAG in Cincinnati area! We had a grand time and certainly
invite you to join us should you be in the area around fest
time. Piegirl

Paul

Which date are you picking for this year? I need to mark our calendar as soon as possible.

Thanks,

Kent & Kathy

Hi Kent and Kathy - we haven't picked a date as yet - but we discussed a week or two earlier than last year - but you know how unpredictable our growing season is. So mark the 10th, 17th and 24th. The 10th may be too early. I can't speak for Paul but the 17th sounds pretty good? I'll be sure and bring that jar of 'imported' peeled cherry tomato. The shelf life is until October of 09! I forgot to mention they did have a rather nasty aftertaste about 10 minutes later. Denise

Denise,

Okay, will mark those three dates, and see what our predictably unpredictable weather does!

I am not surprised about the nasty aftertaste - think of what they had to do to get them put up!

Just noticed the thread today; I vote for 10 or 17. My tomatoes seem to pause about mid-August and wait for the heat to subside. My grow list this year will be heavy into blacks and hearts and I don't know fruiting patterns yet so whenever we have it is OK with me. The tomatoes are secondary to meeting up with friends. (Is that blasphemy?)

I will [B]definitely[/B] be there this year. I had a little too much on my plate in 2007 to attend as I had hoped, with the move, new job and house/family issues. I have been out of the loop for a while as far as new and exciting varieties but hopefully I'll have some of my favorites. Will bring DH and possibly my youngest DS although he is 17 and may or may not find having bamboo shoots driven under his nails equal to coming with us, LOL. He's generally a good sort so it will depend on his mood. What other types of foods do y'all bring? Pot luck?

It will be nice to finally have you join the fun. Yes, pot luck is the general rule. Mostly light fare with snacks the most popular. Piegirl makes a scone that is outstanding, we usually have chips and salsa, veggies and we usually bring BBQ beef for sandwiches. Anything will do, or nothing. We are quite informal and fairly small in numbers, but still have a pretty good time.

Any tomatoes are welcome as well as any kids you can drag along. More details as we get things together.

The date is set for the Midwest Tomato Fest - August 17 - from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. or we get tired of talking tomatoes which would probably be never! We have a new location: a picnic shelter at the north end of the Lincoln Children's Zoo parking lot - roughly 27th & B Streets - entrance is on the east side of 27th Street. Go to the NORTH end of the parking lot and you will see a double picnic shelter. We hope to see you on the 17th. Bring your tomatoes, a palate cleanser, a lawn chair, and join the fun. In the Lincoln/Southeast Nebraska area tomatoes are looking pretty good. The city has just renovated a large public garden and is putting the finishing touches on a new rose garden. Just across the street is our shining jewel - Sunken Gardens - a wonderful public flower display. And of course there is the Children's Zoo. Hope to see a lot from Nebraska, Iowa, and Kansas! Piegirl