The Franklin Farmers Market held its annual Tomato Festival on Saturday. Farmers Market attendees sampled a caprese salad provided by the market sponsor, Amerigo Chef Steven Robilio.
Ballots were cast from market shoppers from a selection of fourteen different local farms. The contest was divided into two categories: Heirloom Tomatoes and Standard Tomatoes. The term heirloom is given to the variety of tomato seed that is fifty or more years old.
“Every year our Tomato Festival grows bigger and we are blown away by the number of tomato entries grown by our local farmers. We are honored to have the largest selection of farmers in middle TN in one location, and proud to be a producers only market. You won’t find a better tasting homegrown tomato than right here in Franklin, grown by the farmers who are here,” says Franklin Farmers Market Event Coordinator, Ryan Palmer.
Best Tasting Heirloom Tomato:
1st Place- Colbert Farm (#27 in the blind taste test)
2nd Place- Beaverdam Creek Farm (#25 in the blind taste test)
3rd Place-Jones Mill Farm (#30 in the blind taste test)
Best Tasting Standard Tomato:
1st Place- Norton Family Farm (#79 in the blind taste test)
2nd Place- Delvin Farms (#76 in the blind taste test)
3rd Place- Bloomsbury Farm (#75 in the blind taste test)
The Franklin Farmers Market is held each Saturday all year long from 8 a – 1 p at The Factory in Franklin located at 230 Franklin Road, Franklin. Be sure to follow them on Facebook for the latest updates and information.
