Three tomato varieties emerged as crowd favorites at Seed Savers Exchange’s 2026 Tomato Tasting near Decorah, giving area gardeners a practical shortlist for future planting. Bookie won the Slicer category, Rizzi Softball Plum led the Cooking category and Chocolate Cherry was favored for Snacking.
The free community event was held at Heritage Farm near Decorah. Attendees sampled, compared and ranked 22 tomato varieties, with the tasting organized around how different tomatoes might be used in the kitchen rather than selecting one overall champion.
Which tomatoes won?
Organizers did not name a single best tomato overall. Instead, participants evaluated the entries in three categories based on intended use:
- Slicer: Bookie
- Cooking: Rizzi Softball Plum
- Snacking: Chocolate Cherry
Bookie received the top ranking among tomatoes intended to be eaten in slices. Rizzi Softball Plum was the crowd favorite for cooking, while Chocolate Cherry earned the strongest support as a snack.
Participants cast their votes after tasting the entries. The event also introduced local gardeners to a broad range of tomato types they may not have tried before and connected the gathering to Seed Savers Exchange’s broader work preserving seeds.
What the results mean for Decorah-area gardeners
For gardeners planning next year’s beds, the results offer a starting point organized around expected harvest use. People looking for tomatoes to eat fresh in slices may want to investigate Bookie. Rizzi Softball Plum may appeal to gardeners planning to cook with their harvest, while Chocolate Cherry offers an option for eating directly from the garden.
The rankings are not a universal recommendation for every garden or kitchen. They reflect crowd favorites for the three uses included at the tasting, offering several possibilities rather than identifying one variety suited to everyone.
Where to find the winning varieties
Gardeners interested in the winners can investigate them through Seed Savers Exchange. The organization directed readers to its Exchange for Bookie and Rizzi Softball Plum, while Chocolate Cherry seeds were listed for purchase through Seed Savers Exchange.
The tasting was open to tomato lovers of all ages and was supported by Decorah Bank & Trust Co., Mountain Rose Herbs and Streamworks. Seed Savers Exchange also thanked the people who sampled the tomatoes, shared their opinions and cast votes.
For growers deciding what to plant next, the Heritage Farm event provides three varieties to explore alongside Seed Savers Exchange’s seed offerings and preservation work.