A market ripe with tomatoes at Carrboro Farmer's Market Tomato Day

From green zebra to butcher red, there’s a tomato variety for everyone at the annual Tomato Day at Carrboro Farmers’ Market.

The market, located at Carrboro Town Commons at 301 W. Main St., will feature more than 70 tomato varieties on Saturday.

Tomato Day will begin at 8:30 a.m. and will continue until the tomatoes are gone.

Sarah Blacklin, the market’s manager, said Tomato Day usually draw crowds of about 5,000 to 6,000 each year.

She said the event brings nearly 1,000 more customers than a normal market day.

“It’s fun for customers to connect with farmers and celebrate the peak tomato season,” Blacklin said.

Blacklin said some tomato varieties that will be sold were created by local farmers by cross-breeding plants together.

“You won’t find them anywhere else in the world,” she said.

Other tomatoes, Blacklin said, were imported as seeds from various parts of the globe.

“For folks that are really into tomatoes, they need to taste the difference,” she said.

Samantha Wagstaff, manager at Fifth Season Gardening Co., said the mild winter this year has allowed the tomatoes’s growth to take off.

Even with the recent record-breaking heat, Wagstaff said the crop has not been hurt.

“Tomatoes are pretty tough plants,” she said. “What doesn’t kill them makes them stronger.”

She said Fifth Season will offer a 25 percent discount on organic fertilizers to help promote the event.

For the first time, Carrboro Farmers’ Market is partnering this year with businesses nearby.

Tomato Day goers can pick up a map to show to various businesses offering different specials.

Blacklin said they wanted their customers to shop at other businesses in the area beyond the farmers’ market on Tomato Day.

ACME Food and Beverage Co. and Neal’s Deli will serve dishes that use tomatoes bought from the farmers’ market.

Kevin Callaghan, chef and owner of ACME, said they will sell a signature tomato dish at half-price to customers participating in Tomato Day.

Matt Neal, co-owner of Neal’s Deli, said he has several dishes that use tomatoes from the market. He said they will serve free iced tea on Tomato Day.

Orange County Social Club, Glasshalfull and Bowbarr will have special tomato-themed drinks, including gazpacho shots at Glasshalfull and vegetable cocktails at Bowbarr.

At the Carrboro Craft Market, customers can pick up free tomato-themed hand fans made from recycled materials.

She said the market supported Tomato Day because both venues promote small business values.

“The Carrboro Craft Market, similarly to the farmers’ market, is a blanket for so many small businesses,” Griffin said.

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