California Tomatoes

California grows a variety of tomatoes. They include Heirloom tomatoes, which have two hundred different varieties and shapes, Beef Steak, Ace, Pearson, and the Roma sun-dried tomatoes. Ninety percent of the nation’s tomatoes are processed for the canning industry in California. They use a special commercial variety because of their ability to withstand traveling and being piled high in trucks without becoming mush. Fifty percent of the nation’s tomatoes that are found in our stores come from California.

California’s tomato crop value exceeds $547 million dollars a year. California canners produce more products in a few days than Ohio, the second largest producing state in an entire season. Tomatoes can grow in any kind of soil from moist, dry, salty or sandy and in California they grow in Butte County to the Mexican border. California tomato crops are grown on more than 311,000 acres. The growing season for California tomatoes peaks from July and through September. The harvesters run their crews 24 hours a day throughout the season. The full season is actually from early June and lasts till the end of November.

The University of California has a genetic tomato seed smorgasbord of more than 2,750 genetic varieties of tomatoes. California tomatoes are used mostly in products such as spaghetti sauce, salsa and ketchup. Ace tomatoes are great for hamburger toppers to salad fixings. Beef Steak tomatoes have their own unique taste and texture. They are great sliced in half sprinkled with mozzarella cheese and baked in the oven. The tomato is very popular in America, with every man, woman, and child eating 80 pounds every year.