Gardeners near Decorah now have three locally tested tomato varieties to add to their research lists after visitors at Seed Savers Exchange’s Heritage Farm sampled and voted during a free tasting Aug. 22, 2026. The event did not name one overall winner. Instead, participants selected a favorite for fresh slices, another for cooking and a third for eating straight from the garden.
The category-based results offer a practical starting point for people planning future gardens, particularly those who want to match a tomato variety with a specific kitchen use. Visitors compared 22 varieties at the gathering, which brought together tomato lovers of all ages.
Which tomatoes were chosen?
Bookie received the most support from visitors seeking a slicing tomato. Its selection was tied to fresh eating, making it the event’s choice for people looking to put tomatoes on sandwiches, salads or other dishes where slices are the focus.
Rizzi Softball Plum led the cooking category. Participants selected it for sauces and other cooked dishes, giving gardeners interested in preserving or preparing tomatoes a variety to investigate.
Chocolate Cherry was the favorite for snacking. Visitors who preferred eating tomatoes directly from the garden chose the variety in that category, and its seeds were listed for purchase through Seed Savers Exchange.
What the tasting results mean for Decorah-area gardeners
The results are a focused local reference rather than a promise that these three varieties will outperform every other tomato in every Decorah-area garden. Growing conditions, recipes and personal taste can affect both plant performance and flavor. A tomato that performs well when sliced may not be the best option for sauce or for eating on its own.
By narrowing the choices from 22 entries to three varieties associated with familiar kitchen uses, the tasting created a more targeted list for further research than a single overall ranking would have provided. It also introduced participants to varieties they might not otherwise have considered.
Seed Savers Exchange provided follow-up information for gardeners interested in the favorites. Participants were directed to research Bookie and Rizzi Softball Plum, while Chocolate Cherry seeds were available for purchase through the organization. Gardeners planning a future crop can compare those options with their own growing conditions, recipes and preferences before deciding what to plant.
About the Heritage Farm gathering
The free event was part of Seed Savers Exchange’s broader seed-preservation work at Heritage Farm near Decorah. Visitors sampled, compared and voted while learning more about the organization’s work with seeds and plant varieties.
Decorah Bank & Trust Co., Mountain Rose Herbs and Streamworks supported the tasting. Seed Savers Exchange also thanked the people who sampled the tomatoes, offered their opinions and voted.