By Sarah Brown
Lebanon Local
Master Gardener Sheryl Casteen hosted the event and invited the community to taste the array of red fruits on display at the Lebanon Senior Center. The Lebanon Garden Club assisted with the task of slicing the “love apples,” and vendors hosted booths with their art, plants, handmade goods and food.
“The event was a raging success,” she said. “Community coming together! An edible, educational endeavor.”
Fresh produce and seeds were handed out, and Master Gardeners were on-hand to answer gardening questions and present classes on canning and preservation. Casteen said she wanted to introduce the public to different varieties of organic tomatoes.
“I have been working for years to educate the public through free organic gardening classes,” she said.
Her next set of six, two-hour weekly classes starts March 30, 2024. Casteen will go through all aspects of starting or continuing to garden, with topics including soil, irrigation, seed starting, diseases, pests, when to harvest, raised beds and container gardening.
“The overall mission is to bring more people to the realization that fresh, organic, homegrown food is tastier, budget-friendly and more nutritious if grown organically and eaten straight from the garden.”
Casteen expects the next Tomato Fest to take place in September 2024. For more information, interested persons may inquire via email at [email protected].
