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 results came from a free community event at Heritage Farm near Decorah. Attendees sampled, compared and ranked 22 tomato varieties, creating a tasting focused not on one overall champion but on how gardeners might use different tomatoes in the kitchen.
Which tomatoes won?
Organizers did not name a single variety as the 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 exposed local gardeners to a broad range of tomato types they may not have previously tried and connected the community gathering to Seed Savers Exchange’s broader work preserving seeds.
What the results mean for Decorah-area gardeners
For people planning next year’s garden beds, the tasting results offer a starting point organized around expected harvest use. Gardeners seeking tomatoes for fresh slices may want to investigate Bookie. Rizzi Softball Plum may appeal to those planning to cook with their harvest, while Chocolate Cherry offers an option for eating straight 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, giving growers several possibilities rather than identifying one variety that suits everyone.
Gardeners interested in the winning varieties 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.
About the Heritage Farm tasting
The event was open to tomato lovers of all ages and was held as a free community gathering at Heritage Farm near Decorah. Seed Savers Exchange said the tasting was supported by Decorah Bank & Trust Co., Mountain Rose Herbs and Streamworks.
The organization also thanked the people who sampled the tomatoes, shared their opinions and cast votes. For growers deciding what to plant next, the event offers three varieties to explore alongside Seed Savers Exchange’s seed offerings and preservation work.