Dr Paul Challinor, grower at Humber VHB's Runcton Nursery, answered tomato-related questions from hundreds of visitors to the first day of the Totally Tomato Show, at West Dean Gardens in West Sussex.
The "Doctor's Tomato Surgery" was open to amateur gardeners and potential consumers alike. Many visitors came armed with tomatoes in various states of disrepair, demanding to know what had gone wrong with their prized crop. Challinor had all the answers. "Not one visitor has gone away disappointed, "said Chef Noel, who was running a stand for Sainsbury's UK salad suppliers. "People have pulled tomatoes out of their bags and showed Paul their symptoms. He has assessed the patient, made a qualified diagnosis and then prescribed the necessary treatment."
Sadly, some of the ailing toms were fit only for the great compost heap in the sky, but their "parents" will now be in a better position to produce healthy plants in the years to come.
More than three thousand people visited the festival over the weekend and those that did not have specific technical questions were still able to view cookery demonstrations, view the vast array of tomato varieties in the West Dean nursery, and buy several varieties of tomato from the Tomato Growers Association stand, the proceeds of which will be donated to charity.
"It doesn't matter whether they are growing themselves or buying their tomatoes in the supermarkets," said Chef Noel. "Visitors are going away with a better knowledge of tomatoes and enthused about eating more fresh produce in general. We were also at the Chilli and Pepper Festival earlier this year and that attracted an entirely different audience; people who loved the product but had never considered the option of growing it themselves. There is a different buzz here and a real passion for tomatoes.
Jim Buckland, head of the gardens at West Dean and inspiration behind the produce-related weekend festivals, said the enthusiasm of the general public for fresh produce shines through every time. The next annual event is Apple Affair, on October 16-17, which is held every year to coincide with National Apple Day. There are more than 100 varieties of apple in the West Dean orchards, and various activities will be organised to bring the crowds in. "We would like to have more involvement from the fresh produce industry," said Buckland, who conducts trials for Sainsbury's.
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