On Tuesday, August 19, Acton’s own Cucurbit Farm won first place in the Slicing Tomato category at the 40th Annual Massachusetts Tomato Contest held at the Boston Public Market.
Sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) and the New England Vegetable and Berry Growers Association (NEVBGA), the Tomato Contest, which is hosted at the Boston Public Market, has been, according to Boston Public Market CEO Cheryl Cronin, “…one of the sweetest — and juiciest — traditions at the Boston Public Market.”
The annual tomato contest is a fun way for MDAR to highlight the excellence of Massachusetts grown produce. The state’s commercial growers produce about 5 million pounds of tomatoes each year (but only Cucurbit’s are 1st place slicers this year!). Winners in each category receive a tomato-topped trophy and a certificate.
Heidi Porten, one of Cucurbit Farm owners, was surprised by the win, but very enthusiastic about showing off her prize-winning produce. She already has a place of honor ready for the tomato trophy and has plans to highlight the win.
She said that the slicing tomatoes were planted in February, and were kept warm in her living room until they moved to the greenhouse in March. After that, she said, “it was all [her brother and co-owner] Eric [Nelson]. He did all the work.”
Cucurbit Farm is a 5th generation farm on Parker Street in South Acton. The farm is known for its excellent corn and tomatoes and for its commitment to social causes. Every October, Cucurbit holds a scarecrow contest, which benefits the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Last year’s scarecrows were described in Scarecrow Contest in Acton.
The author felt that it was important to test the quality of these prize-winning tomatoes with an almost-classic tomato sandwich. The verdict? Delicious!
For a complete list of winners, and more information, see the MDAR Press Release. You can find Cucurbit Farm on Facebook, Instagram, the web, and at 32 Parker Street in Acton.
Miriam Lezak is an associate editor and occasional writer at the Acton Exchange.