I always thought that festival would be great! I never made it over there, though. One summer we did go on a driving trip that took us through some awesome agricultural areas of CA, like the massive hops vines, artichokes fields, vineyards, etc. It makes me hungry, just thinking about it. A few years back, I happened on a really good book, very well written, called "A Garlic Testament: Seasons on a Small New Mexico Farm," by Stanley G. Crawford. It's a U. New Mexico Press book. I can recommend that for anybody who likes gardening, farming, ethnobotany or even just nature. There is more to garlic than one might think, LOL! Here is a link that might be useful: A Garlic Testament: Seasons on a Small New Mexico Farm (Amazon)

Thanks, he does not live near me so I just have to enjoy him via the internet. Which is wonderful. When his mother, my first grandchild was little, I just had print pics and a couple visits a year. They are so good about doing vidoes.

Deeby, I've had the same problem as you. First I was thinking I could go to the local high end stores and get some heirlooms ... they don't even know what they have and half of the time they probably aren't even heirloom tomatoes as you and me are thinking. I've been wanting to go to the farmers market too but not much in my region as far as tomato and it is a long very early drive. If you don't get there early and if there happen to be any heirlooms, the restaurant buyers come around 6am and they probably get sold. But the people that sell aren't usually the same that grow and I don't even know if they always want to tell what variety they grow. Really disappointing. No way I could have confidence always that what you get is identified properly and for that matter from a cross bred bubnch of intertwined tomatoes. The only way to be sure is to get the seed from a reliable place, or a source in this forum. It took a lot of the fun out of it. But I get how you want to do tomato-tasting to figure out what you want to spend time growing. Hope you really enjoy the Cherokee Purple!

Thank you everyone - especially you, lindac! I really had not considered having hot samples from a crock pot, but that might be the ticket to selling out! I do want to emphasize low fat and low sodium in at least one offering. Around here I think something homestyle and recognizable would be best. I can at least try it one or two market days before we close for the season. I'm thinking beef barley, vegetable burger, Italian Wedding Soup (w/ turkey meatballs), ham and bean, and maybe, butternut squash, mushroom barley, and potato - offering two selections each Saturday. Our markets here state that if you grow it or make it yourself, you can sell it at a farmers' market, labeled with your name and phone number. If the vendors I mentioned can sell chicken salad, quiches, and Brunswick Stew, then I think I can sell soup - offer free small samples and sell frozen or chilled out of a cooler. I'll report back if I try this! Thanks for your support! Teresa