First box of tomatoes delivered to Bradley County Extension Office
Tomatoes have a long history in Bradley County, with farmers there raising them to sell since the 1920s. The variety of choice was a tomato that was picked when the tops just began to blush pink.
By Mary Hightower
U of A System Division of Agriculture
May 31, 2024
Fast facts:
- Brad Harrod delivers first box of tomatoes
- Box was delivered Memorial Day
(302 words)
(Newsrooms: With art)
WARREN, Ark. — A box of Roadsters has gotten Arkansas’ tomato season off to a fast start.
“The first box of tomatoes for 2024 was brought in on Memorial Day by Brad Harrod, owner of Brad Harrod Farms & Hermit Corner Produce,” said John Gavin, Bradley County extension staff chair for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. Gavin is known statewide for his expertise in tomato cultivation.
Cooperative growing conditions meant “the tomatoes were delivered five to seven days earlier than usual,” Gavin said.
The box was comprised of the Roadster variety of tomatoes, which is known for its flavor, scarlet color and resistance to disease.
The tradition of delivering the first box to the county extension office began “probably sometime in the mid-1970s,” Gavin said. “At first, they could bring them to the extension office or the newspaper office, but eventually everyone just started bringing them to the extension office.”
Tomatoes have a long history in Bradley County, with farmers there raising them to sell since the 1920s. The variety of choice was a tomato that was picked when the tops just began to blush pink. In 1956, the Bradley County Pink Tomato Festival was born to promote the crop and has been a summertime staple ever since. This year’s festival will be held June 14-15. The county grows about 350 acres of various tomato varieties.
The fruit is so engrained in Arkansas culture that in 1987 the legislature declared the South Arkansas Vine Ripe Pink Tomato as the state fruit and vegetable.
The Harrods have about 25 acres of large round, grape, Roma and heirloom tomato varieties. They have an additional 70 acres of various fruits and vegetables, such as watermelon, cantaloupe, squash, cucumbers, over 35 varieties of peppers, onions, potatoes, corn, and more, Gavin said.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
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Media contact: Mary Hightower
mhightower@uada.edu