Tenth Tomato Fest to be held
Tomato Fest held at the ISU Extension Office in Oskaloosa. (file photo) (photo by Ginger Allsup/Oskaloosa News)
Mahaska County Master Gardeners announce a Tomato Fest will be held Tuesday, August 31, 2021 at 6 PM. Their first Tomato Fest was celebrated in 2005 when Stan & Susan Gilland, then Master Gardener Interns from Monroe County introduced many to heirloom varieties of tomatoes and we discussed tomato growing topics. The popular event is returning for its tenth time in 2021.
Tomatoes are America’s favorite vegetable to grow in home gardens. In addition to all the tasty things you can do with tomatoes — eating them fresh, adding to sandwiches, including in salads, juicing, preserving, sauces, condiments (catsup and salsa are just a start)— they are packed with Vitamins A, C, K, and B6, folate, and potassium.
This year the topics we will discuss are heirloom tomato seed saving, growing tomatoes and salsa (not the dance). We will taste heirloom tomatoes & fresh salsa. Attendees are encouraged to bring their favorite heirloom tomato variety. Attendees with an heirloom variety they wish to share are encouraged to being a few tomatoes. A minimum of one tomato should be washed and cut into sample size pieces.
Programs presented by Mahaska County Master Gardeners are for any interested garden enthusiast and last approximately one hour. There is no fee to attend the event. It will be held at Lacey gardens along the bike trail (south of Bobzilla’s Bike Shop). If there is inclement weather it will be held at the Mahaska County Extension Office Auditorium, 212 North I Street Oskaloosa. Participants are encourage to bring their own lawn chairs.
Mahaska County Master Gardeners are celebrating their eighteenth year. The local program organized after the county held their first training. The educational volunteer program, sponsored by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, provides current, research based, home horticulture information and education to the citizens of Iowa through programs and projects. Master Gardeners receive horticulture training, and volunteer to promote a mission of education and service. The program is open to anyone 18 or older with an interest in gardening and a willingness to use their knowledge, experience and enthusiasm to make a positive impact on their local community.
More information about this and other horticulture events can be found at the Mahaska County Extension Office; 212 North I Street; Oskaloosa Phone 641-673-5841; and www.extension.iastate.edu/mahaska/yardgarden.htm.
