Three tomato varieties won over attendees at Seed Savers Exchange’s 2026 Tomato Tasting at Heritage Farm near Decorah, giving area gardeners three crowd-selected options to consider for future gardens.
The free community event brought together tomato enthusiasts of all ages. Participants sampled 22 varieties, compared their preferences, discussed the tomatoes and voted for their favorites in three categories.
Which tomatoes won
Seed Savers Exchange announced Bookie as the winner in the Slicer category, Rizzi Softball Plum as the Cooking winner and Chocolate Cherry as the Snacking winner.
- Slicer: Bookie
- Cooking: Rizzi Softball Plum
- Snacking: Chocolate Cherry
The tasting emphasized trying unfamiliar varieties and sharing opinions about the results. It was open to tomato lovers of all ages, making the event both a community gathering and an opportunity to learn about different tomatoes.
Where gardeners can find the winners
For gardeners planning future plantings in the Decorah area, Seed Savers Exchange directed readers to its Exchange for Bookie and Rizzi Softball Plum. Chocolate Cherry seeds were listed for purchase through the organization.
The three winning varieties offer a starting point for local gardeners interested in exploring Seed Savers Exchange’s seed offerings and learning more about seed preservation. The tasting was supported by Decorah Bank & Trust Co., Mountain Rose Herbs and Streamworks.
Seed Savers Exchange thanked the people who sampled the tomatoes, discussed their choices and voted. The results give gardeners three varieties to look for as they plan future gardens.