Gardeners near Decorah looking for tomatoes to grow, cook or eat fresh have three varieties to add to their research list after a tasting at Seed Savers Exchange’s Heritage Farm. Visitors selected Bookie, Rizzi Softball Plum and Chocolate Cherry as category favorites during the free Aug. 22, 2026, event.

The tasting did not produce one overall winner. Instead, participants compared 22 entries and chose a leading tomato for three different kitchen uses. The results offer a more targeted way for local gardeners to consider varieties, depending on whether they want tomatoes for sandwiches and salads, sauces and other cooked dishes, or fresh snacking straight from the garden.

Which tomatoes led each category?

  • Bookie: Visitors gave the most support to Bookie as a slicing tomato. It was selected for fresh eating, including slices for sandwiches, salads and similar meals.
  • Rizzi Softball Plum: This variety led the cooking category. Participants chose it for sauces and other cooked dishes, including preparations that may interest gardeners who plan to prepare or preserve tomatoes.
  • Chocolate Cherry: Chocolate Cherry was the favorite among visitors who preferred eating tomatoes directly from the garden.

The category-based results are a starting point rather than a guarantee that any of the three varieties will outperform every other tomato in every garden around Decorah. Growing conditions, recipes and personal taste can affect both plant performance and flavor.

What the tasting means for Decorah-area gardeners

Gardeners focused on sandwiches or salads may want to investigate Bookie. Those planning sauces or other cooked dishes could compare Rizzi Softball Plum with additional cooking varieties. Chocolate Cherry may appeal to people who enjoy eating tomatoes immediately after picking them.

Because visitors compared 22 varieties, the event introduced participants to tomatoes they might not otherwise have considered. Reducing the results to three varieties linked to common kitchen uses also created a practical list for further research rather than suggesting that one tomato is best for every purpose.

Seeds and preservation at Heritage Farm

Seed Savers Exchange provided follow-up information for people interested in the selected varieties. Participants were directed to research Bookie and Rizzi Softball Plum, while seeds for Chocolate Cherry were available for purchase through the organization.

The tasting 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, shared their opinions and voted.