Tomatoes rule the day at Historic Lewes Farmers Market

A crowd gathers to take a guess at the number of cherry tomatoes in a large jar during the annual Historic Lewes Farmers Market’s Tomato Festival Aug. 5 at Lewes Elementary School. The prize for the closest guess won a $100 Heirloom restaurant gift card. RON MACARTHUR PHOTOS

Ron MacArthur

August 12, 2023

The Historic Lewes Farmers Market’s annual Tomato Festival is one of its most popular events each summer. Add in perfect weather, and the peak of the local fruit and vegetable season, and it’s bound to attract a very large crowd, which it did Aug. 5. The market was moved from George H.P. Smith Park to the Lewes Elementary School parking lot due to construction.

The event featured a cooking demonstration by members of Heirloom’s staff, a contest to guess the number of tomatoes in a tall jar for a $100 Heirloom gift card and the largest tomato contest, which was won by Josh Nash of Nash Farms.

The next special event is Kids’ Day beginning at 9 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 19. The event will feature games, prizes, a scavenger hunt and environmental footprints sponsored by the City of Lewes.

The Saturday market is open 8 a.m. to noon through Sept. 30. The fall market is open Oct. 7 through Nov. 18. The Wednesday market at Crooked Hammock Brewery is open from 8 to 11:30 a.m. through Wednesday, Sept. 6.

Believe it or not, there are more than 10,000 varieties of tomatoes in the United States. Among the most popular are cherry, beefsteak and heirloom. Top chefs say the best-tasting tomato is the Brandywine heirloom beefsteak.

The Historic Lewes Farmers Market is busy with plenty of customers for the vendors. The market had to move from its home at George H.P. Smith park to the Lewes Elementary School parking lot due to construction.

Josh Nash of Nash Farms wins the blue ribbon for the largest tomato. His Amana Orange tomato weighed 1.8 pounds.

Winners in the largest tomato contest are on display at the market’s information booth. They are (l-r) first place, Josh Nash, Amana Orange, 1.8 pounds; second place, Lenore Brady, Stag’s Run Farm, Virginia Sweet, 1.66 pounds; third place, Hattie Allen of Hattie’s Garden, Pineapple Bi-Color, 1.47 pounds; and fourth place, Tom Greenwood, Heirloom, 1.41 pounds.

Market volunteer Harry Keyser walks the grounds to drum up business for the tomato-guessing contest.

Rachel Diener grates tomatoes while Tommy Heffernan cuts up chives and basil, which are ingredients in the Heirloom summer salad.

Beau Fazio cuts up and scoops out a cantaloupe during Heirloom’s cooking demonstration.

Meghan Lee, owner of Heirloom restaurant, keeps a watchful eye on her staff during the farmers market cooking demonstration.

Heirloom’s summer salad includes tomatoes, peaches, onions, corn, croutons, basil and rosemary.

Long lines were the order of the day as people take a chance at guessing the number of tomatoes in the jar.

Megan Hines of Berlin, Md., sells her Jun and Juice, which is popular at the farmers market on a hot Saturday morning.

Tomatoes rule the day at Historic Lewes Farmers Market

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