The Berkeley Jefferson Extension Master Gardeners are continuing their Tomato Fest “Tomato Tasting Contest” tradition at Morgan’s Grove Park outside of Shepherdstown on Saturday, Aug. 20, beginning at 9 a.m.

This is their fourth Tomato Fest, and the second year it is being held at Morgan’s Grove Park. The last two years we have had more than 45 varieties of tomatoes available for tasting, so it is wonderful chance to compete for best in category.

Tomato contest categories this year are being expanded to include hybrid tomato varieties. Heirloom tomatoes are wonderful, but hybrids are bred to be less susceptible to diseases, so many of us plant hybrids as insurance. And they also taste great! Here are this year’s Tomato Tasting Contest categories: Reds, Cherries. Sauce tomatoes (Romas, Opalka, etc.), Other (yellow, orange, striped, RWG (ripe-when-green) and Hybrids.

Last year’s winners were:

Best of Fest: Sun Sugar OP, grown and bred by Randy Sine

Reds: Brandywine Pink, grown by Louise Finch

Other (Yellow/Green): Orange Crush, grown and bred by Randy Sine

Cherries: Tomoccio, grown by Mary Palmer

Sauce tomatoes (Romas, etc.): Opalka, grown by Allison Adams

It is easy to enter, but be sure to have enough tomatoes so everyone can get a taste! Last year there were more than 300 tasters, so 8-10 large tomatoes and a good-sized bowl of cherries will be need to enter.

Entries must be registered in advance of the TomatoFest.

Please register by calling the BJEMGA president, Cathy Sigalas, at 304-876-1896, or by email at bjmga@yahoo.com with the following information:

Name and phone number; contest category; and specific tomato variety. Register soon!

Only one entry per variety, please.