Gardeners near Decorah have three crowd-tested tomato varieties to consider for next year after visitors at a free Seed Savers Exchange tasting sampled and ranked 22 entries at Heritage Farm on Aug. 22, 2026. The event produced separate favorites for three kitchen uses rather than naming one overall champion.

Participants evaluated the tomatoes according to how they could be used at home. That approach gives local growers a practical starting point when choosing varieties for a planned harvest, while still leaving room for differences in garden conditions, personal taste and recipes.

Three categories, three favorites

  • Slicing: Bookie
  • Cooking: Rizzi Softball Plum
  • Snacking: Chocolate Cherry

Bookie received the highest ranking among tomatoes intended to be eaten in slices. Rizzi Softball Plum led the cooking category, and Chocolate Cherry received the strongest support as a snack.

For gardeners planning to eat tomatoes fresh in slices, Bookie may be worth investigating. Rizzi Softball Plum could interest growers expecting to use their harvest in cooked dishes, while Chocolate Cherry may appeal to people who prefer eating tomatoes directly from the garden.

What the tasting means for Decorah-area growers

The results are crowd favorites from this particular tasting, not universal advice for every garden or kitchen. Growing conditions, individual preferences and intended recipes can all influence which tomato works best for a particular grower.

In that sense, the Heritage Farm results are a shortlist rather than a declaration that one variety is right for everyone. The tasting also introduced participants to tomato varieties they may not have previously tried.

The gathering was connected to Seed Savers Exchange’s broader seed-preservation work. Gardeners interested in the winning varieties can investigate them through the organization’s Exchange. Seed Savers Exchange directed readers there for Bookie and Rizzi Softball Plum, while Chocolate Cherry seeds were listed for purchase through the organization.

The tasting was free and open to tomato lovers of all ages. Decorah Bank & Trust Co., Mountain Rose Herbs and Streamworks supported the event. Seed Savers Exchange also thanked the people who sampled the tomatoes, shared their opinions and voted.

For growers deciding what to plant next, the tasting offers three starting points: Bookie for slicing, Rizzi Softball Plum for cooking and Chocolate Cherry for snacking. The organization’s seed offerings and preservation work provide the next place to explore those choices.