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Tomatoes Are Tops

Tribune photo by LOIS KINDLE

Wes Rushing of St. Petersburg looks over his selection of tomatoes before handing them to a Morgan Farms cashier.

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By LOIS KINDLE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 10, 2008

RUSKIN - There was something for just about everyone at last weekend's Ruskin Tomato & Heritage Festival at E.G. Simmons Park.

Hundreds of people sat under the pavilion sampling free tomato slices and tapping their toes to country and bluegrass entertainers. Others carried free tomato plants as they walked around the food court or checked out rows of exhibits and vendor booths. Children rode ponies or scaled the nearby rock-climbing wall.

"This is my third time here," said Stacy Coronado of Ruskin, who brought along her daughter Sydney, 9.

The Cypress Creek Elementary School student performed a Mexican hat dance at the festival.

"It's such a nice event, and the food is really good," Coronado said.

"I love these little country festivals," said Arlene Beam of Madeira Beach, as her 3-year-old grandson, Bryson, polished off strawberry shortcake. "They're very friendly, very quaint. And the food is delicious."

Organizers had reason to celebrate.

Festival chairman Don Glover was happy with the attendance, which he estimated at 8,000, about 2,000 more than last year.

"Saturday's turnout was huge," he said. "I also had people comment on the food, the plant vendors, the Heritage Village and, of course, the free tomato plants."

The festival did experience one glitch: the use of Tomato Bucks, which were new this year. Festivalgoers had to use the Tomato Bucks to buy food.

"We estimated how many we needed but ran out of ones and fives Saturday afternoon," Glover said. "We'll get it right next year , though."

"I was really pleased with event, how smoothly it all went," said Fred Jacobsen, president of the Ruskin Community Development Foundation, the festival's sponsor. "Our increased focus on heritage and all things Ruskin seemed to be very well-received this year, so we will continue focusing on the community's history, agriculture and tomato-related things."

New this year was the Saturday appearance of Joe Sumner of Balm and his Cracker horses and cattle in Heritage Village. The exhibit included a honey-making and spinning demonstration, an old-fashioned outhouse, a grist mill, blacksmithing demonstration, living history display of an Old Florida cow camp, and static engine and antique tractor displays.

Also new was the addition of Old Florida foods, such as swamp cabbage, fried catfish, hush puppies, fried green tomatoes, grits and beans.

The festival also featured lots of children's activities, including pony rides, face painting, a bouncy house, dunk tank, carnival games and a rock-climbing wall - organized and staffed by about 45 Ruskin Elementary volunteers as a fundraiser for the school.

Members of Ye Royal Krewe of Charlotte DeBerry, another nonprofit, handed out free tomato slices and sold bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches to raise money for the group's charitable activities.

"Pacific Tomatoes, which has a processing plant in Apollo Beach, donated 60 boxes," Glover said.

A thousand tomato plants were given away each day. J.R. Johnson Supply of Sun City provided the pots and soil. Speedling's of Ruskin donated the starter plants. Plants of Ruskin grew and distributed them.

"We ran out before 11 a.m." Saturday, Glover said. "The plants are so popular. I wish we could have given one to everyone. The nice thing this year is that every plant had tomatoes on it."

Other popular elements of the festival were a butterfly tent, plant sale and show, gardening seminars and workshops, and Camp Bayou's Welcome to Your Watershed conservation tent, with its interactive exhibits and displays.

Newly crowned 2008 Ruskin Tomato Queen Lauren Butts also made an appearance Saturday.

The Tampa Tribune and the South Shore News & Tribune were among the sponsors of the event.

Reporter Lois Kindle can be reached at (813) 865-1553 or lkindle@tampatrib.com.

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