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Jun 09, 2024

Want to try 50 of N.J.’s best tomatoes? Check out Rutgers’ Great Tomato Tasting.

The Great Tomato Tasting is back on August 28.Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com The experts at Rutgers’ Snyder Research and Extension Farm in Pittstown will showcase their research into New

The Great Tomato Tasting is back on August 28.Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

The experts at Rutgers’ Snyder Research and Extension Farm in Pittstown will showcase their research into New Jersey’s most famous crop at the annual Great Tomato Tasting on Aug. 30.

Roughly 50 heirloom and hybrid varieties of beefsteak, plum, cherry and grape tomatoes will be ripe for sampling.

The tomato tasting introduces attendees to the work done at Snyder Research Farm, which researches the production of a variety of food and fiber products including grain crops, tree and small fruits, turf grass, and ornamentals, according to its website.

“We want to keep farmers productive and active in the state, such that they can produce fresh locally produced produce that tastes great for local consumers,” said Peter Nitzsche, director of Snyder farm and its resident tomato expert.

The farm’s expansive 390 acres provides fertile ground for research of soil and climate conditions and crops of New Jersey. In between sampling tomatoes, attendees are encouraged to learn about the research and projects being conducted at the farm by taking a wagon tour.

There are at least 80 tomato varieties that grow in New Jersey, according to Snyder Research Farm. All varieties fall under four main categories: beefsteak/extra large, cherry/grape, plum, and round/medium.

The Box Car Willie is an example of a beefsteak variety available late-season with 10 to 16-ounce red beefsteak fruit on 6-inch plants.

The types of tomatoes grown at Snyder Research Farm have changed over the years.

In an earlier era, Rutgers University worked closely with Campbell’s Soup Company, established in Camden in 1869. That drove breeding programs toward tomatoes more suitable for canning, said Nitzsche.

As the canning industry moved away from New Jersey, Snyder Research Farm began prioritizing fresh market varieties. Tomatoes grow in New Jersey between early July and September, and even until October depending on the weather. Optimizing production practices helps ensure farmers a maximum return per acre.

Nitzsche’s most recent work has focused on fresh market tomato production and tomato flavor. Consumers sometimes complain about the flavor of tomatoes being sold in supermarket, he said.

Nitzsche is comparing the horticultural characteristics of tomato varieties as well as cooperating on taste evaluations of the fruit. He anticipates that the results of this work will allow local farmers to choose tomato varieties that produce well and have the desired “New Jersey Tomato” flavor.

The tomato is not only the state vegetable, it’s also a symbol of summer and a staple of New Jersey agriculture. Each year, the state ranks among the top 10 tomato producers in the nation. In 2020, New Jersey had a production value of $48 million for tomatoes, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The tasting is set for 1 to 7 p.m. Aug. 30 at Rutgers’ Snyder Research and Extension Farm. The event is free, but attendees must register in advance.

MORE: The story of how a man made the tomato a Garden State staple is amazing. Too bad it isn’t true.

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Jackie Roman may be reached at [email protected].

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