Tag Archives: Tomato Festival

Tomato Festival Sees Record Crowd

Many many thanks to everyone who helped make this the most successful TomatoFest we have had yet at market!!  Despite the heat and humidity we had record crowds (Jim Perley who monitors our trash and replenishes the bags said it was an “18 trash bag day”- which is a BOAT LOAD of customers!!)  DSC00260
 
Thank you to all the farms who entered the contests and provided the heirloom and hybrid varieties for the customers to taste!  Everyone enjoyed the competition and the tomato sampling at the judges table.  
Winners of the tomato Contests:
Best Tasting Heirloom
  #1 Sturbridge Farm – Alex Jackson  —    Cherokee Chocolate
  #2 Flying S Farm   – Ben And Catherine Simmons  — Chocolate Heirloom
  #3 Beaverdam Creek Farm –  Philip And Trish Lingo — Black Krim
Best Tasting Hybrid
  #1 Delvin Farms –  Hank And Cindy Delvin — Cherry Hybrid
  #2 Colbert Farm — Tim Colbert –Cherry Hybrid
  #3 Beaverdam Creek Farm – Philip And Trish Lingo — Genuine Hybrid
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Ugliest Tomato
  #1 Kirkview Farm – Carl And Teresa Thoni
  #2 Beaverdam Creek Farm – Philip And Teresa Thoni

  #3 Blooming Baskets –  Rebecca Fly

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Theresa Thoni with the award winning Ugliest Tomato.

A big thank you to our sponsor of tomatofest – Amerigo’se Paul Schramkowski and to Chef Steven Robilio for appearing on Talk of the Town this week to showcase his wonderful Panzanela Salad!  The customers raved over his fabulous creation Saturday!
 
Thank you to our judges for the event who donated their time on a hot, summer Saturday to help judge the tight competition among our farmer vendors.  Judged included:

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Paul Schramkowski helps as judge and event sponsor. Yes, even Paul could not resist sneaking away and getting some of Danny’s famous Ellie’s Doughnuts.

 
Paul Schramkowski
Owner of Amerigo’s and Etch Restaurant.  Amerigo’s is a sponsor of the Franklin Farmer’s Market
Ellie Westman Chin
President and CEO of the Williamson County Convention & Visitors Bureau
 
Senator Jack Johnson
Tennessee Senator for the 23rd district, which is composed of Williamson County.
 
Tracy Kornet
Tracy Kornet is a five-time Emmy Award winning news anchor, host and writer for WSMV-TV Channel 4.
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What a great event and we want to thank all of our customers who help support us each week by shopping with our farmers at the market.  Looking for a great tomato festival next year!

Franklin Farmers Market on Talk of the Town

The Franklin Farmers Market was featured on WTVF Channel 5 Talk of the Town today with Lelan Statom and Meryll Rose honoring this years Franklin Farmers Market TomatoFest.

www.newschannel5.com
Franklin Farmers Market Recipe Book "Eating in Seasons"

Franklin Farmers Market Recipe Book “Eating in Seasons”

Gayle Franks represented the Franklin Farmers Market with a tomato pasta recipe from the farmers market new “Eating in Season” recipe cookbook!  Gayle chose to prepare and cook the recipe “Fusilli with Raw Tomato” with host Lelan Statom of WTVF News Channel 5 of Nashville, Tennessee.  The tomatoes used in today’s recipe were heirloom tomatoes, bradley tomatoes along with other tomato varieties from our farmers market.

Gayle did a wonderful job representing the Franklin Farmers Market on News Channel 5’s Talk of the Town with Lelan Statom.  Lelan asked about this years TomatoFest and Gail shared that visitors will be able to taste many of the different varieties of farm fresh tomatoes Tennessee Farmers grow and bring to our farmers market each Saturday morning.

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Gayle Franks and Sharon Burbage selecting Heirloom Tomatoes for Talk of the Town Show

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Dottie, Sharon and Gayle selling the Eating in Season market recipe cookbook on market Saturday

We expect a big day celebrating the Tomato used in so many fresh healthy food recipes at this Saturday’s Tomato Festival in Franklin, TN.  The Eating in Season recipe cookbook is designed to be used with farm fresh ingredients for family fresh cooking.  The new Franklin Farmers Market recipe book Eating in Season will be available for purchase every Saturday during market hours 8am till 1pm.

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The Eating in Season Recipe Cookbook can be found at the Franklin Farmers Market each Saturday morning from 8am until 1pm

Hope to see you Saturdays at our Tennessee Farmers Market!

Farmers Market Tomato Festival 2013 is this Saturday!

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The Totally Terrific Tomat-OH! Contest

Forget about having four seasons. There are really only two – tomato season and not tomato season. No other vegetable exemplifies summer like a ripe, juicy tomato fresh from the garden. From salads to sauces, tomatoes can be found in almost every meal. The lyrics of the “Homegrown Tomato” song by Guy Clark says it all: “You can eat ‘em with eggs, you can ‘em with gravy, you eat ‘em with beans, pinto or navy.” So it’s only appropriate that we salute summer’s most popular veggie with TomatoFest at the Franklin Farmers Market.  On Saturday, July 27th, we pay homage to the tomato and celebrate its delicious flavor and versatility.

Heirloom Tomatoes

Heirloom Tomatoes

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Salad Tomatoes

Tomato Seeds

Seed Saving Demonstration

Amerigo-Logo-newsletterPresented by Amerigo, TomatoFest features cooking demonstrations with tomatoes from the market’s farmers, samples of both heirloom and a variety of popular tomatoes, a tomato seed–saving class and the ultimate title for tomato greatness with the Totally Terrific Tomat-Oh! contest. With all of their incredible pasta and Italian dishes, the chefs of Amerigo are experts at creating dishes featuring fresh tomatoes.

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Delvin Farm Organic Cherry Tomatoes

You’ll have the chance to watch and sample as Chef Stephen from the Cool Springs location of Amerigo prepares Panzanella Salad with heirloom tomatoes and fresh mozzarella; fresh tomato Pomodoro Sauce over pasta and Tomato Jam served on crostini with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese.

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Multi-colored Heirloom Tomatoes

You can taste the goodness of both heirloom and wide variety of tomato favorites during our taste-test demos too. Or learn more about sustainable agriculture through the seed saving demonstration from Zadock, the Natural Farmer.

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Rocky Glade Farm Tomatoes

Pick up delicious tomato-based baked goods at the Franklin Farmers Market during TomatoFest, such as the Tomato Pie from Norton Family Farm. It’s the ultimate in yummy comfort food.

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Sweet Cherry Tomatoes from Norton Family Farm

Don’t miss out on the special TomatoFest salsa and chips either, prepared by Amerigo from  the fresh ingredients of Allenbrooke Farms. And of course, the farmers at the market have the fresh, truly ripe tomatoes you crave. It’s a tomato-lover’s heaven… TomatoFest at the Franklin Farmers Market!

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Jones Mill Farm specializes in Heirloom Tomatoes

Hatcher Dairy Farm on NBC Today Show with Al Roker!

Did you get to see the Hatcher Family on the NBC Today Show yesterday morning? If you missed Al Roker of the Today Show broadcasting from the Hatcher Family Dairy Farm in College Grove, Tennessee, here are a few links to coverage of the show broadcast from the Hatcher Family Dairy.  What great weather for a special NBC Today Show segment with Al Roker direct from the Hatcher Family Farm!

Charlie Hatcher told me last week how excited they were that Sharon had entered a contest called “Wake Up With Al” 2 weeks ago.  After entering Hatcher Family Dairy online into the “Wake Up With Al” contest Sharon Hatcher received a phone call within a few hours asking them to be available for an interview.  From there, Charlie says it all happened so fast.  Congrats to the Hatcher Family on representing Middle Tennessee and Tennessee Farmers so well!  We are all so proud to have Hatcher Family Dairy as part of the Franklin Farmers Market!

Real Farmers!   Real Food!   Real Good!

Video of The Today Show broadcast


Watch it at Today.com

Charlie Hatcher Shares the Experience

Related Links

If you find any more footage from the Today Show segment “Wake Up With Al”, please email us and we will add it here.