Nothing captures the essence of summer quite like the juice of a sun-ripened tomato exploding in your mouth. This time of year the Market is abundant with tomatoes of every imaginable shape, size, and color. With names like Purple Cherokee and Arkansas Traveler, one often ponders the origin of tomatoes while wandering the aisles of the Farmers Market towing a wagon load of delicacies.

The tomato plant is native to South America, not reaching Europe and the rest of the world until explorers "discovered" the lands of South America and with that wild forms of tomato plants in the Peru-Ecuador-Bolivia area of the Andes. When first introduced to the European marketplace, foodies were wary of this red, round fruit. Afterall, common sense dictated that red is often the color of poisonous fruits. The tomato plant actually belongs to the Nightshade family, which contains varieties of poisonous plants. However, the hesitation quickly dissolved in Italy, and the tomato became an important part of the country's culinary culture. After this period, the popularity of tomatoes continued to grow worldwide.

Nowadays in the United States, hundreds of thousands of acres yield millions of tons of tomatoes. Characteristically, tomatoes are thin-skinned and fragile. This makes them difficult to store and ship. To solve this, hybrid tomatoes were developed to raise tomatoes that are disease-resistant, plants that have increased productivity, skins that are tougher, and other desirable characteristics. The sacrifices with this process are flavor and variety.

However, if you shop at a local Farmers Market, you will find a bounty of heirloom tomatoes, each unique in character and flavor. The definition of a true heirloom may vary slightly, but the basic message is that an heirloom is a variety that has been passed down through several generations by preserving seeds of plants with valued characteristics. Heirloom varieties are praised for creating all-important genetic diversity. Diversity in food production is vital because plants are allowed to evolve naturally to succeed in specific growing conditions and climates while developing resistance to pests. The alternative to this diversity model is large crops that have the potential to be completely destroyed if faced with a plant epidemic or powerful pest.

Heirloom varieties are usually grown by small farmers and gardeners. This is yet another reason to support our vendors in the Downtown Farmers Market. Only as a community can we move down a path towards sustainability in our food system. Support local growers. This time of year, shoppers will find tomatoes for sale in large quantities and multiple varities. This year, you will find heirloom seeds for purchase at the Late Bloomin' Heirlooms booth for next year's garden. Another thought is to bring tradition back into your household by gathering friends for an afternoon of canning and comraderie. When the short, blustery days of February have you down, crack open a jar of tomatoes and relive the dog days of summer. :)