News

September 12, The 6th Annual Tomato Fest, Portland, OR

Produced by the Culinary Breeding Network and Wellspent Market, this wildly popular summer celebration highlights the incredible diversity and deliciousness of tomatoes.Taste unreleased varieties from Oregon State University’s tomato breeding program, explore the possibilities of dry-farmed tomatoes and melons, and meet the farmers and researchers working to bring more flavorful and resilient crops to our tables.

This year we’re also expanding the celebration to include buckwheat in collaboration with the WSU Breadlab, showcasing the possibilities of this delicious and climate-resilient crop. Free, outdoors and open to the public at Wellspent Market.

The Variety Showcase is a public tasting and community-building event produced by the Culinary Breeding Network and Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming. It takes place on Sunday, August 30, from 3-7PM at Glynwood, in Cold Spring New York.

Chefs will collaborate directly with plant breeders and farmers to create dishes featuring specific cultivars and in-development breeding lines. Guests will have the rare opportunity to taste new and emerging vegetable, grain, and fruit varieties while learning about the plant breeding, and seed production work behind them. Representatives from many vegetable and grain breeding research projects will be present, including the Developing Multi-use Naked Barley for Organic Systems, the Value-added Grains for Local and Regional Food Systems, and the Tomato Organic Management and Improvement Project. 

Learn more and register at https://www.glynwood.org/events-collection/variety-showcase-2026

Join eOrganic for a webinar on challenges in breeding tomatoes, with the right combination of great flavor and disease resistance! It takes place on March 24, 2026 at 11AM Pacific, 12 PM Mountain, 1PM Central, and 2PM Eastern Time. It's free and open to the public, and advance registration is required.

Register now at https://oregonstate.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_eExWeuzBSuy2_naFGJlTjg

About the Webinar

In this webinar, plant breeders will discuss how they are meeting the many challenges involved in the goal of breeding tomatoes with good agronomic qualities such as the ability to resist multiple diseases and produce high marketable yields under different growing conditions—and also have good flavor. 

Presenters Jim Myers of Oregon State University, Julie Dawson of the University of Wisconsin and Jared Zystro of the Organic Seed Alliance will discuss some of the lessons they've learned and strategies they are using to overcome these challenges as part of the NIFA OREI funded Tomato Organic Management and Improvement Project. 

Sunday, October 5, 2025
3:00 PM 6:00 PM
Garver Feed Mill

The Culinary Breeding Network, Artisan Grain Collaborative, and Seed to Kitchen Collaborative invite you to an engaging evening of conversation, learning, and tasting.

Farm to Flavor brings together plant breeders, farmers, chefs, bakers, and beverage makers to celebrate the power of participatory plant breeding - showcasing how collaboration is shaping the future of food.

Explore over 20 tables featuring research and delicious bites highlighting grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts. Sample crops like wheat, rye, oats, barley, buckwheat, bitter gourd, Calabrian peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, strawberries, blueberries, black currants, American persimmons, and more.

Whether you're a grower, maker, researcher, or simply a curious eater, you’ll leave with new insights and flavors to savor.

Special guests include Abra Berens, chef and author of three books including Grist: A Practical Guide to Cooking Grains, Beans, Seeds, and Legumes and featured culinary partners Itaru Nagano, Fairchild; Evan Dannels, Cadre; Mitchel Weber, SAGRA; Andrew Hutchison, Madison Sourdough Co; Jonny Hunter, Underground Meats; Kasey Cooke, Mint Mark; Kirk Smock, ORIGIN Breads; Christie McKenzie, Pasture and Plenty; Young Cho, Simple Food Group; Mary Kastman, Purslane; and more! 

Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind experience connecting field to flavor.

Tickets available HERE.