Tomato Day 2016 to be the last

An annual summer garden party, Tomato Day, will take place for the last time this July at the Extension Education Center.

The Extension will replace it next year with an event in August that will involve not only horticulture but all of the county’s Extension services, including 4-H, food and nutrition, extension agent Rebecca McMahon said this week.

“We’ve been doing this for a long time. We wanted to change it up a bit and explore more options and have an event that is going to showcase our entire Extension program rather than one program,” McMahon said.

The new event, which doesn’t have a name yet, will be held in August after school has started but before football season starts, McMahon said. That will allow students in 4-H, who either are on vacation or involved in the county fair in July, to take part.

Tomato Day is sponsored by the Extension Master Gardeners, who still will be heavily involved in the new event, McMahon said. Herb Day, a similar event for spring, is expected to continue, she said.

The celebration of the tomato will be held for its 28th year on July 23. Hours will be 7 a.m. to noon at the Extension Center at 7001 W. 21st St.

Tomato Day contests were not held last year, as involvement in those had been dwindling. This year, one tomato contest will be brought back – that of largest tomato. And there will be a photography contest for Plant a Row for the Hungry. The photo that best celebrates the giving nature of sharing produce will be featured in next year’s promotional materials for Plant a Row. Having a person in the photo probably will help, McMahon said.

Rules can be found on the Extension’s website at www.sedgwick.ksu.edu.

Over the years, Tomato Day has featured speakers such as the late Tanya Tandoc, who demonstrated ways of cooking with tomatoes and shared her recipes. The Farmers Market in the parking lot generally overflows with tomatoes for sale that weekend, and people can sample different tomato varieties and at least one salsa in 4-H Hall.

This year, Ron Marcum of Dutch’s Greenhouse will put down his pruners in exchange for a spoon for a cooking demonstration at 10 a.m. There will be tours of the demonstration garden, including what problems tomatoes are having this year.

Recipe cards featuring mainly salsas from past Tomato Days will be for sale for $1 as a memento, McMahon said.

This story was originally published June 22, 2016 at 2:22 PM with the headline "Tomato Day 2016 to be the last."