Photos and text by Andrew J. Whitaker
There was a veritable sea of tomatoes, with waves of color, at the 16th annual Red Fire Farm Tomato Festival last Saturday, at 7 Carver St. in Granby. The selection seemed endless, with heirloom, cherry, slicing and saucing tomatoes in more than 75 varieties.
The festival is the celebration of the peak of the harvest and season, said Sarah Voiland, co-owner at Red Fire Farm, where some 150 kinds of tomatoes are grown.
Kate Brigham of Somerville got a close look at the tomato vines as she wandered through a field with her husband, Jordan, and their 2-year-old daughter, Riley.
“It’s nice to get out of the city for the day and away from the concrete,” Kate Brigham said.
At the festival, workshops were offered, with such topics as how to make smoothies and shakshuka, as well as tomato tastings, lessons in vegetable sculpting and painting for kids. There was also live music provided by a variety of local performers, as well as artisan wares and food for purchase, offered by local vendors.
Nyari Hokonya of Zimbabwe, a student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, stood by as her son, AJ Hokonya, 5, tossed tomatoes at a plywood target. A paintball style design left by previous tomato tossers remained on the wood.
“I’m kind of excited to see the different types of tomatoes here, and the stuff for kids,” Hokonya said.