Field Tomatoes
Discover how Ontario field tomatoes are planted, grown, harvested, and packed so they can be enjoyed at their peak of flavour. These videos take you behind the scenes of a tomato farm — from preparing the soil and transplanting seedlings to crop care, harvesting, grading, and processing into products like sauces and canned tomatoes.
360 Field Tomato Farm
Tomatoes are bright, bold, and bursting with flavour — but there’s a lot more to them than meets the eye! Check out this 360° video to learn all there is to know about field tomatoes grown in Ontario: who grows them, how they’re harvested, and how they’re processed into the tomato products you know and love. Visit FarmFood360.ca to tour other types of farms and food processing facilities.
How to Plant Field Tomatoes
Growing field tomatoes in Ontario starts with careful preparation and planting. Click to watch and learn how Ontario tomato farmers prepare the soil, plant their crops, and nurture the plants to grow healthy, delicious tomatoes season after season. Visit FarmFood360.ca to tour other types of farms and food processing facilities.
Life of a Tomato Farm Family
If you’ve ever wondered what life is like on a tomato farm in Ontario, this video is for you. Watch to hear the story of a tomato farm family and learn how they combine hard work, tradition, and modern technology to grow healthy, delicious tomatoes while caring for their land and community. Visit FarmFood360.ca to tour other types of farms and food processing facilities.
The Challenges of Growing Field Tomatoes
Growing field tomatoes isn’t always easy. Watch this video to learn about the challenges Ontario tomato farmers face — from pests and weather to soil and water management — and how they overcome these obstacles to produce high-quality tomatoes year after year. Visit FarmFood360.ca to tour other types of farms and food processing facilities.
Harvest & Processing Field Tomatoes
What happens to field tomatoes once they’re picked from the farm? Watch this video to learn all there is to know about how Ontario tomatoes are harvested, sorted, and processed — and how they make their way from the field to your table in a variety of delicious forms! Visit FarmFood360.ca to tour other types of farms and food processing facilities.
FIELD TOMATO QUICK FACTS
- The main tomato growing area in Southwestern Ontario is Kent and Essex Counties where a unique combination of climate and soil has created an area ideally suited to the production of processing tomatoes.
- The tomatoes are harvested at their peak and fresh pack tomatoes (not sauces and pastes) are processed in less than 24 hours, ensuring consistent quality and flavour.
- Processing tomatoes are a convenient way to include fresh tasting flavour to your meals. They have a long shelf life, making them a reliable pantry staple to have on hand.
- Even in winter, you can shop and enjoy local tomatoes when you choose canned products.
- Processing tomatoes are grown for three main end uses: paste, whole peel, and juice. Tomato paste is often further processed by various manufacturers into products like ketchup and sauces or will simply be canned as paste.
- It is estimated that there are 10,000+ tomato varieties worldwide.
- The first Ontario cannery to produce processing tomatoes was established around 1870.
- Canned tomatoes contain essential nutrients such as vitamin C and potassium, as well as lycopene, a powerful antioxidant.