Everyone will be seeing red, and tasting it too, at the 6th Annual Heirloom Tomato and Music Festival on the W. Rogowski Farm on Glenwood Road in Pine Island on Sunday, August 22nd. “We’re planning a bumper crop of family fun from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.,” says Cheryl Rogowski, 2nd generation farmer at the Rogowski’s Pine Island farm in the Black Dirt region.
Since the farm grows over 250 varieties of produce each season, crop-tasting will be high on the menu with the heirloom tomato in the spotlight as the special of the day. Tomatoes will be a main ingredient, but not the only one, in the culinary demonstrations taking place throughout the festival.
No matter how you slice it, this celebration will include far more than just pleasures of the palette alone. Cheryl says there will also be arts and handcrafts exhibits, agricultural workshops, raffles for baskets and prizes along with other entertainment like pony rides and face painting.
Musical accompaniments for the festivities will include performances by local musicians, such as Marty Koppel, Mike Sinatra, Project Mercury and Uncle Shoehorn. The Black Dirt Dance Company is planning a special performance.
Tickets are $3 for adults (two adults for $5). There is no admission charge for children under 15 years. Each ticket entitles the bearer to a free raffle ticket and a tomato tasting.
“We live in a rural community, but many people aren’t familiar with their local farms or with farming practices in general,” says Cheryl. “This is a chance to understand what goes into growing our food and why it makes a difference to buy locally,” she adds.
For more information, contact Deborah Garry at 845.695.1880, or the W. Rogowski Farm at 845.258.4574.
