SAN ANTONIO – The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, in collaboration with Fanick’s Garden Center and Espoma Company, will present the Top Tomato Contest from 9 a.m. to noon June 15 at Fanick’s Garden Center, 1025 Holmgreen Road in San Antonio.
“There is no cost to enter, and the contest is open to hobbyists and gardeners of all ages,” said contest coordinator David Rodriguez, AgriLife Extension horticulturist, Bexar County. “Tomato entries must be homegrown on vines planted and maintained by the contestant, so we are asking that no commercial growers participate.”
The first 100 contest participants will receive a free 4-pound bag of Espoma’s Organic Tomato Tone.
Contest entry will be from 9-11 a.m. and judging will be from 11 a.m.-noon, with winners to be announced immediately after judging.
First, second and third place prizes will be awarded in Cherry/Small Tomato and Large/Medium Tomato divisions. A single prize will be given for heaviest tomato and the Basket of Plenty division, which entails participants displaying their best tomato along with other vegetables, in an attractive basket arrangement.
The Best in Show tomato will be determined from the first-place winners of the Cherry/Small tomato and the Large/Medium tomato divisions.
“No more than one entry per division per person will be allowed,” Rodriguez said. “Entries not collected by the contestants by 1 p.m. will become the property of Bexar County Master Gardeners.”
The event will also include a salsa making and tasting demonstration provided by AgriLife Extension staff and volunteers.
For more information on the Top Tomato Contest, go to https://www.bexarmg.org/events-programs/tomato-contest/.
For a contest application, go to https://tinyurl.com/MGTomatoContest.
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Writer: Paul Schattenberg, 210-859-5752, paschattenberg@ag.tamu.edu
Contact: David Rodriguez, 210-631-0400, dhrodriguez@ag.tamu.edu