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market-farming - RE: [Market-farming] cherry tomatoes

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  • From: "Wiediger, Alison" <awiediger AT HART.k12.ky.us>
  • To: "'market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org'" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: RE: [Market-farming] cherry tomatoes
  • Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 13:53:03 -0600

It might have been us - we have been marketing them that way for years.
Here's how we do it. We pick into 2.5 gallon buckets and create "layers" of
the different types. So, each bucket has a layer of each different type of
cherry tomato. When we get to the packing area, we pour the 2.5 gallon
bucket into a 5 gallon bucket with water in it. The tomatoes mix as you
pour, and the water keeps them from crushing. Also, cools and cleans them.
Then, to pack, I just scoop my hand through the tomatoes, let the water slip
through my fingers and put then into the pint container. We use pulp which
we allow to drain on the tailgate of the truck before we pack into a
carrier. The plastic mesh style would drain a little easier, but there
isn't really a lot of water. The only proviso is that if the tomatoes are
really hot, don't put them into cold water - make it a little tepid. Cold
will split them - especially sun gold and yellow pear.

Alison Wiediger
Au Naturel Farm

> ----------
> From: John Hendrickson[SMTP:jhendric AT facstaff.wisc.edu]
> Reply To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
> Sent: Friday, December 13, 2002 1:38 PM
> To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
> Subject: [Market-farming] cherry tomatoes
>
> I can't recall exactly who, but someone posted last winter about selling
> mixed cherry tomatoes (different colors, sizes, and flavors). I borrowed
> this idea and cherry tomatoes turned into the largest grossing item in my
> small market garden. I sold through a grower cooperative to
> restaurants. While the tomatoes sold easily and the (wholesale) price was
>
> decent (I received $2.25/pint; the restaurants paid approximately
> $3.40/pint), it was quite labor intensive to make the mixed pints (never
> mind the time to pick them!). So, I am wondering if anyone has any
> efficiency tips for creating mixed pints of cherry tomatoes.
>
> Thanks.
>
> -John
>
> John Hendrickson
> Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems
> University of Wisconsin-Madison
> 1450 Linden Drive; Madison, WI 53706
> 608-265-3704
> www.wisc.edu/cias
>
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