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Southeastern Region Honors Outstanding 4-H Teens
BETHLEHEM (Lehigh Co.)
On July 10 at Moravian College in
Bethlehem, the Southeast Region
hosted the 4-H Fashion Revue
with winners being selected in two
age group categories. Senior win
ners will advance to a state level
competition in State College on
August 7.
Being judged on their gar
ment’s design, fit, and construc
tion, and their personal presenta
tion skills, the following seniors
were selected as gold winners:
Kristin Mattem, Lehigh County;
Becky Hague, Cayce Bean, Tori
Myers, and Karina Price all of
Montgomery County; Rachel
Welsh, Bucks County: Laura Peif
fer, Schuylkill County; and Dana
Schrantz, Northampton County.
Runners-up in the senior cate
gory were: Amy Lenhart and Kari
Baker of Lehigh County; Oralyn
Southeast Region 4-H Fashion Revue senior runners-up,
from left, Amy Lenhart, Karl Baker, Oralyn Folk, and Sarah
Geiger.
Pennsylvania
Tomatoes Ripen
HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.)
Pennsylvania’s fresh picked,
field ripened tomato crop is late
like the rest of the state’s vege
table crops. Growers across the
state are expecting to start harvest
ing in earnest towards the end of
July, about a week later than nor
mal. Pennsylvania tomatoes will
be available in farmers’ markets,
roadside stands, and supermarkets
into October.
“Tomatoes are an important
Pennsylvania vegetable crop,” ac
cording to Fred Funk, a Lancaster
County grower and chairman of
the Pennsylvania Vegetable Mar
keting and Research Program.
Pennsylvania’s fresh market to
mato crop is grown on more than
4,000 acres. Another 1,500 acres
are used to grow tomatoes for food
processors for use in several
brands of tomato products. In ad
dition, about 40 acres of Pennsyl
vania greenhouses produce toma
toes during the spring and fall
months when they cannot be
grown in the field.
Those acreages rank Pennsyl
vania fifth nationally in the pro
duction of processing tomatoes
and seventh in the production of
fresh market tomatoes. In number
of acres, tomatoes trail potatoes,
sweet com and snap beans as a
leading Pennsylvania vegetable
crop. However, they are third in
terms of value.
Pennsylvania growers use vari
ous cultural techniques to produce
iturday, August 3, 1996
Folk, Berks County ; and Sarah
Geiger, Northampton County.
Senior participants need to be at
least 13 years of age.
Junior 4-H’ers participated in
the 12 and under category. The
top-scoring participants in this
category were Ellen Nave, Mont
gomery County; Michelle Brown
and Kara Brown, Chester County:
Jenny Lenhart, Lehigh County;
Shelly Knecbone, Jessica Knitter,
and Sarah Blackadar all from
Northampton County: and Aman
da Gauker, Berks County.
Earlier in the day, participants
were greeted by state senator, Joe
Uliana of the 18th state senatorial
district. As a part of the day’s acti
vities, 4-H’ers constructed a pup
pet stage and created a variety of
puppets to donate to an intergen
erational agency in Easton
Third Street Alliance.
tomatoes early in the season when
consumers are anxiously awaiting
the flavor of home-grown toma
toes. Some growers put small indi
vidual caps over each plant to
guard it from late spring frosts and
capture extra warmth from the
early season sun. Recently plastic
caps that are filled with water have
been developed. The water ab
sorbs heat from the sun during the
day and holds it during the night to
promote early growth of the toma
to plant and provide extra frost
protection.
Other growers utilize plastic
mulch and plastic tunnels to pus
their tomator crops for early pro
duction. The tunnels may be just 2
to 3 feet high covering one row or
high enough to walk in covering
several rows. The latter are refer
red to as high tunnels and are es
sentially temporary greenhouses
erected in the field until warmer
weather comes. They all work to
bring on that first batch of red ripe
tomatoes just a little bit sooner
when the market is better.
Tomatoes have a history of pro
voking controversy. Introduced to
Europe from the Americas by
Spanish explorers, they were com
monly considered poisonous by
both Europeans and Americans.
Indeed they are members of the
same family as nightshade, a weed
that produces poisonous berries.
But they share that deadly relative
with several other well-known ve
getable cousins, namely potatoes.
Southeast Region 4-H Fashion Revue senior winners, from left, Kristin Mattem,
Becky Hague, Laura Pelffer, Karina Price, Cayce Bean, Dana Schrantz, Tori Myers,
Rachel Welsh.
Southeast Region 4-H Fashion Revue Junior winners Included Kara Brown, Mi
chelle Brown, Sarah Blackadar, Shelly Kneebone, Jessica Knitter, Jenny Lenhart,
Amanda Gauker, and Ellen Nave.
peppers and eggplant.
According to the Wellness En
cyclopedia of Food and Nutrition
(University of California at Berk
ley-Health Letter Associates ), it
was not until the 19th century that
tomatoes were commonly eaten,
but then only after being thor
oughly cooked. Europeans and
Americans did not eat them raw
until the end of that century. To
day tomatoes (if both fresh and
processed forms are considered)
are second only to potatoes as the
most popular vegetable in the
average American’s diet
Not only did it take centuries
for tomatoes to earn their place on
the dinner plate, they have been
the subject of numerous debates
over their status as a vegetable or
as a fruit. Supposedly the question
was setded by the United States
Supreme Court back in 1893 when
they determined that tomatoes are
vegetables in a tariff dispute case.
To a botanist, however, they are
without question a fruit a berry
to be specific because they are
the developed ovary of the flower
containing matured seeds. But in
the produce trade and on die table
they are considered a vegetable,
probably because they lack the
sweetness usually associated with
fruits.
Despite its popularity with
Americans year round, tomatoes
also often bear the brunt of con
sumer wrath over their lack of
taste. Tomatoes available during
the winter months have gained a
reputation for their lack of flavor
compared to their summer-time
cousins. Without question, a to
mato ripened to a red color on the
vine will have a superior taste.
Pennsylvanians are fortunate to
have a ready supply of these
home-grown treats available at
farmers’ markets and roadside
markets across the Common
wealth.
Tomatoes that must be shipped,
however, must be harvested be
fore they are fully ripe. These to
matoes can develop an appetizing
flavor and texture if two basic
conditions are met First, the to
matoes must not be refrigerated.
They should be stored at room
temperature or at least above 55
degrees F. Unripe tomatoes that
have been subjected to tempera
tures below this level will never
ripen satisfactorily.
The second condition is pa
tience. Tomatoes that are on the
pink side need to wait a day or
more to develop a deep red color
(and the desired tomato flavor).
They should also soften slightly.
Only when they have fully ripened
like this should they be refriger
ated and only if necessary. Refrig
erated tomatoes will have a better
eating flavor if they are allowed to
warm to room temperature before
serving.
Fettuccine with
Fresh Tomato and Basil
6 ounces fetuccine noodles or 2
cups dried medium egg noodles
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garble, finely chopped
4 tomatoes, diced
'A teaspoon dried basil or 2
tablespoons chopped fresh
Pinch granulated sugar
V* cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
cheese
In large pot of boiling water,
cook noodles until al dente (tender
but firm). Meanwhile, in heavy
skillet, heat oil over medium heat;
stir in garlic, tomatoes, basil, and
sugar and cook for S minutes, stir
ring occasionally. Add parsley,
and salt and pepper to taste.
Drain noodles. Toss with toma
to mixture and Parmesan. (If sauce
is too thick, add a few spoonfuls
of pasta cooking liquid.) Pass ex
tra Parmesan. Makes 2 main
course servings, 4 appetizer or
side-dish servings.
Quick Baying Tips for
Fresh Grown Tomatoes
- Tomatoes must ripen to a
deep, rich red color to achieve
their best flavor.
- Ripen pink tomatoes at 60 de
grees - 70 degrees Fahrenheit in an
open area with good air circula
tion.
• Never refrigerate tomatoes un
til they are red and fully ripened.