By Nina Andres

It is tomato time in Yolo County and the Capay Valley! If you look around our rural reaches you will see more than 40-50 different kinds of tomatoes being grown and harvested here, from large plantings of sauce tomatoes to a few acres of trellised cherry, red, and heirloom tomatoes. Also known as the tomatodo (‘eats everything’ in Spanish), tomatoes are an important crop for our local farms.

By January of each year, tomato seeds have been ordered and Capay Valley farms are sowing seeds in the greenhouse for what will be the first planting of possibly 4-5 tomato plantings for the year. Usually in March, the first tomato seedlings are transplanted into the field, and covered with a light row cover to protect them from cold (frost will kill them). For some farmers around here, if the temperatures get close to freezing, an alarm sounds in the house of the need to turn on the overhead sprinklers (this keeps the tomato plants from freezing, but also keeps the farmer from sleeping). As Spring advances and the threat of frost wanes, more tomato seedlings are put in every few weeks or so.

Soon, the climbing tomatoes need to be trellised, and stakes are put in by hand. The plants are then supported by twine as needed, an ongoing project since cherry tomatoes can grow to 6 feet tall. The plants are fertilized both through soil and foliar applications. In our area, we are grateful to see the first cherry tomatoes in late June, though it varies a great deal due to microclimates.

Tomatoes are available in many colors: white, yellow, orange, red, purple, green, brown, and some with a mix of colors. The heirloom tomatoes are open-pollinated, usually having been selected for their beauty and flavor – not shape, shelf life, or ability to travel well. They range in flavor from sweet to tangy, with the Great White, Marvel Stripe and other white, yellow, or orange tomatoes being the sweetest, and the Green Zebra and Aunt Ruby’s German Green and other dark or green colored tomatoes being the tangiest.

To Your Health
The health benefits of tomatoes are numerous. Not only are they high in Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and Vitamin K, they contain the carotenoid lycopene which has antioxidant and cancer preventing properties.

Storage Tips
The best way to store tomatoes is at room temperature and out of direct sunlight. Placing them in the refrigerator will make them last longer, but they will lose flavor! Tomatoes can last more than a week on the counter, but I recommend keeping an eye on them and eating them before they get too soft.

Photo: Linda Angela H

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