Since when does a tiny Miss Pink Tomato out-eat a, ahem, not-tiny State Sen. Ben Gilmore for the title of champion tomato-eater?
It happened Saturday at the Bradley County Pink Tomato Festival, but it was not for a lack of nom nom nomming on Gilmore’s part as he gave it his best to down the most.
“Hey, I was trying hard, but she beat me. I don’t know how, but she did,” Gilmore said during his remarks at the Bradley County All Tomato Luncheon as he pointed to the newly minted champ, a dressed-up and sashed Neely Taylor.
An hour before, Taylor had worn a T-shirt — and tiara — as she inhaled as many tomatoes as she could in 2 minutes – 2.2 pounds to be exact – with juice and seeds flying all over.
Asked how she juggled the messy event with the high-heel luncheon, she said it was all about planning.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
“I brought a change of clothes,” she said with a big beauty pageant smile.
The luncheon and in large part, the festival, are a mix of fun and celebration as well as a reunion of Warren High School grads and former residents.
Told that an old friend was on the way to the luncheon, a ticket-taker was overheard saying: “I haven’t seen Kitty in years; I don’t know if I’ll recognize her.”
Recognized or not, the two hugged shortly after.
One of the better-known celebrities was Egie Wilson, who turned 86 a day before the luncheon.
She was the first Miss Pink Tomato at the first festival 69 years ago and spent the time before everyone sat down visiting with friends in the fellowship hall at the First United Methodist Church in Warren.
Eventually, she worked her way over to congratulate the 19-year-old Taylor, who is from Monticello and won the Miss Pink Tomato contest a week before.
The number of wannabe politicians was down, given that it’s an off-cycle year, but some seat-holding politicians did take to the podium to speak — State Rep. Jeff Wardlaw, who was the emcee, as well as Warren Mayor Gregg Reep, who introduced visitors, and Bradley County Judge Klay McKinney, who opened the program — along with members of the state Cooperative Extension Service, who work with local farmers to grow the finest fruit and then help to market them.
Shane Gadberry, assistant vice president for agriculture and natural resources with the Extension Service, rattled off the different varieties of tomatoes that are grown successfully in the area.
“You’re talking about something that has stood the test of time,” Gadberry said.
Gadberry gave a shout-out to the farmers and farm workers, adding that without their hard work and dedication, nothing else would matter.
“These are the boots on the ground,” he said. “Without our farmers, the land grant system would have a mission without a purpose. We need y’all to continue production, and we thank you for supporting us.”
Toward the end of the hour-long event, as happens every year, a lug of tomatoes and a cake were auctioned off, with the box of Bradley County’s best going for $3,100 and the cake getting $1,500.
Money from the tomatoes goes to the festival to help pay expenses, while the cake proceeds go to the Bradley County Economic Homemakers Council, which served the meal and planned the events.
Outside, there was a lot of eating of bad-for-you-but-delicious fair food, as well as farmers selling tomatoes and other vegetables on street corners.
There was also the area known as the shed, with numerous vendors set up in and around the covered area selling boots, clothing, jams and jellies, jewelry and cutting boards, to name but a few of the items, as well as a vegetable peeler, that, according to the vendor’s sign, “You’ll love” that was “Swiss” made.
Well, not really Swiss made any longer, said seller Steve Crain, who allowed as how he gets them from China now but had never bothered to change his sign.
Asked if the tariffs were causing him grief, he said not really.
“They were really high at first and that was a problem,” he said, “but now they back down some so they’re manageable.”
Live music and fireworks were scheduled to follow as the event continued well into the night.
