If you can get local tomatoes now, eat them, enjoy them, and savor the memory – because that very well could be it for Connecticut tomatoes this summer – especially organic ones.
Late blight is what we’re talking about here. I’m sure you’ve been hearing about it for the last few weeks. It’s the disease that caused the Irish potato famine in the 19th century. It’s a water mold type fungus that also affects tomatoes and is running roughshod through northeastern tomato crops right now. Here in Connecticut the prognosis is shaky at best.
Dr. Jude Boucher is the extension educator for agricultural and commercial vegetable crops for the University of
Connecticut Cooperative Extension office in Tolland. As of Wednesday, he said he’s found late blight in all but New London and Middlesex counties (to be honest – he hasn’t tested Middlesex yet). He’s found it on “upwards of 20 to 25 farms.” That’s a lot. And no names – he’s not allowed to say where, other than that some farms have lost everything.
And if you ask him whether the organic tomato crop is in danger of being wiped out this year – he said: “There’s a very good possibility unfortunately. I don’t think were at that point yet. But each farm that gets it, it puts a lot more spores in the area, so the proximity of late blight sources increase.”
Translated – that means the more farms that get it, the greater the potential to spread. Late blight spreads through the air. It needs 65 -70 degree temperatures, rain and high humidity to survive and infect a plant and that’s basically what we had all of this summer.
Enjoy ‘em while you’ve got ‘em is our philiosophy. In this vein, we have a wonderful
Four Course Tomato Dinner tomorrow night for $50....
Heirloom tomato & watermelon gazpacho
Morroccan spiced striped bass, eggplant and tomato stew, preserved lemons, chick peas
Duck breast with spiced honey glaze, marinated heirloom green tomato & duck confit salad
Local Goat Cheese Cake, tomato marmalade
With wine $65...call for reservation 203-353-3319
