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 did not name one overall champion. Instead, participants selected a favorite for each of three kitchen uses: slicing, cooking and snacking.
The category-based results offer local growers a practical starting point when choosing what to plant for a planned harvest. They also come with an important qualification: the winning varieties were crowd favorites at this particular tasting, not universal recommendations for every garden or kitchen.
Which tomatoes won?
- 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, while Chocolate Cherry received the strongest support as a snack.
For Decorah-area gardeners who like fresh tomato slices, Bookie may be a variety worth investigating. Growers planning to use their harvest in cooked dishes could look into Rizzi Softball Plum, while Chocolate Cherry may appeal to people who prefer eating tomatoes directly from the garden.
What the results mean for local growers
The tasting’s three winners should be viewed as a shortlist rather than a declaration that one tomato is right for everyone. Growing conditions, individual preferences and intended recipes can all affect which variety performs best or suits a household’s needs.
The event also gave participants an opportunity to try tomato varieties they may not have encountered before. By separating the voting into practical uses, the gathering connected the tasting results to common decisions gardeners make when planning a harvest: whether tomatoes will be eaten fresh, used in recipes or enjoyed as a snack.
The gathering was part of Seed Savers Exchange’s broader seed-preservation work. Gardeners interested in the winning varieties can continue their research 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, and Seed Savers Exchange thanked the people who sampled the tomatoes, shared their opinions and voted.
For growers deciding what to plant next, the tasting provides three locally tested 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.