Greenhouse competition returns after one-year absence

REGIONAL — The annual Greenhouse Competition that crowns the Hottest Tomato, Perfect Pepper, Coolest Cucumber and Sweetest Strawberry has returned to the region after missing the 2020 competition.

Usually held at the Leamington Fairgrounds during the Leamington Fair, the pandemic put a damper on last year’s event, but organizers pivoted in 2021 to put on a virtual competition.

R.E.A.C.H. International is the charity behind the competition and Event Chair Art Barron is happy that the awards are back.

“After cancelling the competitions in 2020 due the global pandemic, the local greenhouse industry and R.E.A.C.H. charity volunteers were thrilled the competitions were brought back, redesigned to be contactless to protect the contestants, volunteers and judges.”

R.E.A.C.H. International is a Canadian registered child-sponsorship charity, run completely by local volunteers, and has been hosting the annual event that both celebrates the local greenhouse fame while sponsoring some of the poorest children and families in the world.

Barron says that all donations go directly to fund those families.

“With no staff taking salaries, the charity is one of the very few that can guarantee that 100% of donated funds will be used for the intended purposes,” he said.

Tomato awards won by Nature Fresh Farms at this year’s Greenhouse Competition.

The Greenhouse Competition was presented in part by Nature Fresh Farms through a live feed on Friday, June 11.

Produce was delivered last Wednesday morning, to the Kingsville Community Centre, where it was sorted and numbered by volunteers and then delivered to 30 judges across Essex County.

This year’s event will sponsor another 50 children in Uganda, helping with school, medical, clothing and housing needs.

Here are the results:

Coolest Cucumber

Cocktail Cukes — Sunset Mastronardi Produce, One Sweet cucumber

English Cucumber — Mucci Farms English Cuke

Mini Seedless Cucumbers — Sunset Mastronardi Produce Mini Seedless

Best Overall Cucumber – Sunset Mastronardi Produce Mini Seedless

Hottest Tomato

Beefsteak Tomato — Pure Flavor, Pure Hothouse Foods Beefsteak

Bite-Size Tomato — Nature Fresh Farms Umami

Cocktail Tomato — Sunset Mastronardi Produce Campari

Roma Tomato — Mucci Farms Roma

Specialty Tomato — Nature Fresh Farms Orange Cherry

Cluster/Tomato On Vine — Nature Fresh Farms TOV

Best Overall Tomato — Nature Fresh Farms Umami

Perfect Pepper

Hot Peppers — Sunset Mastronardi Produce Yowzers

Orange Bell Pepper — Sunset Mastronardi Produce Orange Bell

Red Bell Pepper — DelFresco Pure Red Bell Sweet

Specialty Bell Pepper — Sunset Mastronardi Produce Aloha

Specialty Long Pepper — Mucci Farms Rustico

Specialty Mini Pepper — Mucci Farms Sweet to the Point

Yellow Bell Pepper — Pure Flavor Pure Hothouse Foods Yellow Bell

Best Overall Pepper — Mucci Farms Rustico

Sweetest Strawberry — Sunset Mastronardi Produce Dreamberry

Best Overall Strawberry – Sunset Mastronardi Produce Dreamberry.