Staff Writer
In the peak of tomato season, the Carrboro Farmers’ Market celebrates one of its most anticipated annual events – Tomato Day. This Saturday, farmers will fill their stands with juicy locally grown tomatoes to honor the festivities.
This year, local businesses are joining in on Tomato Day fun through a raffle, in which customers will receive raffle tickets for each market purchase in order to win prizes and gift certificates to local shops and restaurants.
“We’re extremely excited about the new raffle and know that customers will be too,†said market manager Sarah Blacklin. Prizes include dinner for two at Lantern, tomato appetizers at Elaine’s on Franklin, a facial at Moshi Moshi, tickets for events at The ArtsCenter, coffee from Jessee’s Coffee & Bar and more.
Shoppers can find their way around Tomato Day by looking for the big red tomato signs pointing to vendors selling tomatoes.
Local farmers will showcase more than 70 varieties of tomatoes in all manner of colors, shapes and sizes.
“It’s pretty creative what they do,†Blacklin said.
Each year, local farmers bring new varieties of tomatoes, and this year shoppers can look for new flavors such as the rich yellow Kellogg’s Breakfast, purple Black Krims and the multi-colored Green Zebra.
“Tomato Day is always fun because it shows what the market really has to offer,†said Alex Hitt of Peregrine Farm. He offers an exciting assortment of tomatoes including the Green Cherokee, which is brilliantly green on the inside. Hitt was one of the first farmers at the market to start producing new types of heirloom tomatoes.
“The heat has been difficult, but this crop season has been much better than last year,†he said.
This year, the market is celebrating the “practically perfect naked†tomato to emphasize the deliciousness of a tomato on its own, and really “allow customers to taste the difference,†Blacklin said.
“Market staff and volunteers will be serving sliced tomato samples in order to allow full appreciation of the complex tomato flavors. Volunteers run the show,†she said. Those interested can register tohelp out at the market’s website.
“Tomato season is one of the most exciting times to be at the market, and Tomato Day gives us a chance to show off and educate our community on the truly unique and high-quality tomatoes our local farmers produce every year,†said Erin Heiderman, the market’s new assistant manager.
The event will run from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday. For more information, visit carrborofarmersmarket.com
