TUTTI FRUTTI HEIRLOOM TOMATOES

Chris Cadwell was born to be a farmer. A descendent of a long line of farmers, he was only 15 years old when he started his first organic garden. In 1988 he founded Tutti Frutti Farm and now has 350 acres of organic heirloom tomatoes, specialty cherry tomatoes, a variety of sweet and hot peppers, zucchini, winter squash and more. Tutti Frutti is situated in beautiful Santa Barbara wine country near California’s Central Coast. The location, climate, and the farm’s dedication to long-range sustainability all come together to produce a consistently delicious crop. Cadwell says “We’re in a pinot noir belt, with great conditions for tomatoes. It’s 85, 90 degrees, not too hot. Every day around noon, the breeze kicks in. It keeps the plants dry, so we have very little disease. And we’re also surrounded by an extreme wilderness area, so we have a natural insectary for predators. We don’t use any manure. Instead, we plant cover crops – vetch, oats, peas, bell beans –and flip those right over into the soil. So we’re improving the soil every year as we grow.“

For over 30 years Cadwell has specialized in beautiful streaked, striped and unique shaped heirloom tomatoes. Cherokee Purple, Vintage Wine, Brandywine and Persimmon are a few of the incredibly flavorful varieties grown.

Learn more about the grower on Earl’s Farm Tour to Tutti Frutti.