Massachusetts Tomato Contest Celebrates Local Farmers

BOSTON (CBS) - It's harvest time for home gardeners and farmers alike, and on Wednesday, the center of the tomato universe was Boston, for the annual Massachusetts tomato contest.

And it was mouthwatering good. "Here we are at the 32nd annual Massachusetts Tomato Contest where we honor and celebrate our Massachusetts farmers," says John Lebeaux, the Massachusetts Agricultural Commissioner.

Sixteen local farms entered their biggest, best and juiciest tomatoes with 20 judges scoring them on firmness, color and shape, and of course flavor.

"We are tasting 30 different heirloom tomatoes just on this table. This is number 28. Almost done," says one of those judges.

The contest is divided into heirloom tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, a slicing category and some jumbos, vying for the heaviest title.

"Tomatoes like this year because it's hot weather and it's dry. Dry means no disease so it's been a great year for tomatoes," says Carl Hills from the Kimball Fruit Farm.

And here in the Bay State, they're a big cash crop. "We've got over 750 farmers in Massachusetts who commercially grow tomatoes, 8.5 million pounds grown a year, 17-million dollars worth grown," says Commr. Lebeaux.

Some of Wednesday's champs: Langwater Farm, Ward's Berry Farm, Kimball's Fruit Farm, East St. Farm and MacArthur Farm.