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, a Cleveland County native, 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....
To access content, please login or purchase a subscription.