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Tomatoes rule the day at Lewes farmers market

Local tomatoes are in abundance in August, which is the time for the Historic Lewes Farmers Market’s Tomato Festival. The market paid homage to the fruit with special events Aug. 6. RON MACARTHUR PHOTOS
Ron MacArthur
August 10, 2022

Each year, the Historic Lewes Farmers Market’s Tomato Festival celebrates the red fruit – yes, it’s considered a fruit and not a vegetable – grown in abundance throughout the area, and not only by local farmers, but in backyards as well.

This year’s event Aug. 6 at George H.P. Smith Park featured the traditional largest tomato contest, guessing the number of tomatoes in a jar and a tomato recipe prepared under the demonstration tent by staff of Heirloom restaurant in Lewes. And of course, every produce farmer had tomatoes of many varieties for sale.

Dating back to 2006, the Historic Lewes Farmers Market operates from 8 a.m. to noon every Saturday through Sept. 24 at the park on Johnson and Dupont avenues. A weekday market takes place from 8 to 11 a.m. every Wednesday through Sept. 28 at Crooked Hammock restaurant on Kings Highway. A fall market runs from 9 a.m. to noon, Oct. 1 through Nov. 19 at the Lewes Elementary School parking lot off Savannah Road.

The market features more than 30 vendors. Go to historiclewesfarmersmarket.org for more information.

 

Market volunteer Rosalind Johnson displays one of the tomatoes vying for the largest one of the day.
Members of the Hiester family of Cherry Hill, N.J., and the Coburn family of Lewes try to figure out how many tomatoes are in the jar.
Kay Carney, of Weathered Eye Farm in Lewes, gets into the spirt of the Tomato Festival with her unique shirt.
Lenore Brady of Stag Run Farm between Georgetown and Seaford is busy filling orders for tomatoes and other produce.
Hattie Allen, owner of Hattie’s Garden on Kendale Road near Lewes, picks out a special tomato for a customer.
Along with owner Meghan Lee, far right, Heirloom restaurant staff form an assembly line to prepare a signature dish. They are (l-r) Rachel Diener, Beau Fazio and Ben Soyka.
Meghan Lee, owner of Heirloom restaurant at 212 Savannah Road, Lewes, explains how much emphasis her restaurant places on using products from local farmers.
Heirloom chef Rachel Diener is all smiles as she answers a question from the crowd. Her sourdough toast topped with feta, hot sauce, arugula and honey included local produce from Hopkins Farm, Hattie’s Garden, Baywater Farms and 302 Hydroponics.
Market volunteer Kathi Young serves the Heirloom toast to waiting demonstration attendees.
Tomatoes competing for the largest one of the day are displayed at the volunteer tent.
It’s also prime time for local peaches, which are among the most popular of all Lewes farmers market produce. The lines for freshly picked Bennett Orchards peaches are always long.
The Historic Lewes Farmers Market, held every Saturday at George H.P. Smith Park, has grown into one of the largest markets in the area with more than 30 vendors.
Gabe Burns of Chinky Salt Oyster Co. in Chincoteague, Va., shucks oysters throughout the day at the Lewes farmers market.

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