Well, What an exciting time it was.
We had over 180 people and over 180 varieties to sample.
I am amazed that this has now become an event.
In 2002 when we first met at the small shelter at Umstead Park, we tasted
~60 varieties (most brought by Craig) with a small contingent of ~30 people.
I know my primary goal was to taste and share with others as many different
varieties as possible to see what was the best tasting maters around.
Fast foward 5 years, at Tomatopalooza[tm] is no longer a tomato tasting get
together. It has become a special event for friends to get together from all
walks of life and all places to meet and socialize, and share a passion for
tomatoes.
So, what did I think of the event.... Outstanding. Meeting Rena and her kids
after a long 6+ hour drive from Georgia showed someone with a real passion!
Meeting Suze and Morgan who hopped on a plane to be with us and share their
love for maters was amazing. Talking with Craig(Mischka) about the drive from
Mass! just to see what the hype was about shows true committment. Michelle was one I was most excited to see for her visit to Tomatopalooza, and not just
because she brought Martha's Lime Green Salad Sorbet! Visiting with Jim and
Andrew from SC/GA, Gary/Josh from around the corner, NCTim and Celtic was
encouraging to see and hear about all their mater growing seasons. And all
the others that I met and visited with. Its just hard to describe with words alone....
Oh, and there were a few tomatoes to taste!
Tim's Witty F3 RL9 was fantabulous! The hint of sungold that Patrina had mentioned in Zig Zag Wattle 2, was in there!
Lucky Cross and Little Lucky were displayed at their finest.
Green Giant was very good this year, Cherokee Green was great, but almost
surprisingly, Spears Tennessee Green was better!
Yes folks, I said STG was better than GG and CG. GG is a sweet tomato with a hint of tartness complimenting it in the background.
STG is a tart tomato with a hint of sweetness complimenting it in the background. Absolutely fantastic. And the group around me while tasting it
thought the same as well. We've got to get this one out!
It was great seeing all the dwarves, and for the second time, I brought
a real spitter of a tomato. This time it was my Zig Zag Wattle #2 RL1. Blechhhh.
Odd thing was that a co-workers' Zig Zag Wattle #2 (not represented), is
fabulous.
Again, thanks to all who came, and to our gracious hosts who loaned us the
use of their farm for the day. Y'all were the ones who truly made it marvelous.
Lee
Tomatopalooza[tm] 5 Varities - 185 different
4th of July F1
Akers West Virginia
Andrew Rahart Jumbo Red
Anna Banana Russian
Annanas Noir
Arkansas Traveler
Aunt Gertie's Gold
Aunt Ginny's Purple
Banksia Rose 3 RL3
Barossa Beauty PL1
Barossa Beauty PL2
Barossa Beauty PL3
Barossa Fest PL1
Barossa Fest PL2
Barossa Fest RL1
Barossa Fest RL2
Bashful F3 RL6 NCTIM RL1
Beauty King
Beefy Boy
Berkley Tie Dye
Better Boy
BHN589
Big Mama F1
Big Red F1
Black from Tula
Box Car Willie
Brandy Boy F1
Brandywine F3RL3 F4PL1 - F5PL1
Brandywine Pink
Brandywine Sudduth
Buck's County F1
Bundaberg rumball 3 RL1
Bundaberg rumball 3 RL2
Bundaberg rumball 3 RL3
Carbon
Carmello F1
Celebrity
Chapman
Cherokee chocolate
Cherokee Green
Cherokee Purple
Clare Valley Red RL2
Copia
Cuostralee
Dixie Golden Giant
Dopey F2 RL1
Dopey F2 RL2
Dopey F2 RL3
Dr. Neal
Dr. Wyche's Green F2
Dr. Wyche's Red F3
Dr. Wyche's Yellow F2
Dreamy
Dwarf Stone
Earl's Faux
Elfie
Eva
Eva Purple Ball
Gajo de Melon
Galapagos Island Yellow
Gary O'Sena
German Heirloom
German Johnson
German Johnson, potato leaf
Golden Dwarf Champion
Goose Creek
Green Doctor
Green Giant
Green Grape
Grumpy F2 PL1
Happy F3 RL2 - Cosmic RL1
Happy F3 RL2 - Cosmic RL2
Happy F3 RL2 - Cosmic RL3
Happy F3 RL3 - Patrina RL1
Happy F3 RL3 - Patrina RL2
Hawaiian Pineapple
Hugh's
Humph
Hungarian Italian Paste
Hungarian Red Paste
Husky Gold
Japanese Black Truffle
Jeff Davis
Juliet F1
June Pink
Kalmans Hungarian Pink
Kangaroo Paw Red RL1
Kangaroo Paw Red RL2
KBX
Kellogg's Breakfast
Kimberly
Kristina Bulgarian #1
LaRoma F1
Lemon Boy
Lillian's Yellow Heirloom
Lime Green Salad
Little Lucky
Lucky Cross
Maiden's Kiss
Malaschor Isura
Mexico Midget
Mortgage Lifter
Mortgage Lifter Pale Leaf
Mountain Fresh
Mountain Spring
Nebraska Wedding
New Big Dwarf
New Zealand Pear
Not Akers West Virginia
Not Aunt Gerties Gold
Not Opalka
Omar's Lebanese
Opalka
Orange Heart
Orange Heirloom
Perfection
Persimmon
Pineapple
Pink Ping Pong
Porterhouse Beefsteak
Rasp Red
Reif's Red Heart
Rose Quartz
Rosella Crimson RL1
Rosella Crimson RL2
Saint Piere
Shannon's
Sleazy A F2 RL1
Sleazy A F2 RL2
Sleazy B F3 Bruce's Purple RL1
Sleazy B F3 Bruce's Purple RL2
Sleazy B F3 RL1 - Patrina RL1
Sleazy B F3 RL1 - Patrina RL2
Sleazy B F3 RL1 - Patrina RL3
Sleepy F2 PL1
Sneezy F2 PL1
Sneezy F2 PL2
Sneezy F2 PL3
Sneezy F2 RL1
Sneezy F2 RL2
Sneezy F2 RL3
Soldaki
Spear's Tennessee Green
Stokes County
Striped Cavern
Stump of the World
Stumpy
Summer Cider
Summertime Gold 2 - PL1
Summertime Gold 2 - PL2
Summertime Gold 3 - PL1
Summertime Gold 3 - PL2
Summertime Gold 3 - RL1
Summertime Gold 3 - RL2
Summertime Gold 4 - PL1
Summertime Gold 4 - PL2
Summertime Gold 4 - RL2
Summertime Green PL2
Summertime Green PL3
Summertime Green PL4
Summertime Green RL2
Sungold
Sungold Select II
Sweet Million F1
Tennessee Heirloom
Thai Pink Egg
Tipsy
Turkey Chomp
Warratah Red RL1
Warratah Red RL2
White Wonder
Witty F2 RL1
Witty F3 NCTIM RL10
Witty F3 NCTIM RL8
Witty F3 NCTIM RL9
Yellow Brandywine
Yellow Pear
Zig Zag Wattle 1 - RL1
Zig Zag Wattle 1 - RL2
Zig Zag Wattle 2 - RL1
Zig Zag Wattle 2 - RL2
Zig Zag Wattle 2 - RL3
Zig Zag Wattle 2 - RL4
Zig Zag Wattle 2 - RL5