NC Tomato Growers

Home
United States
Clayton, NC
NC Tomato Growers

Directions Website

The North Carolina Tomato Growers Association supports and promotes NC tomato growers through education, research, advocacy, and industry resources.

Dedicated to strengthening fresh market tomato production, sustainability, and the success of NC ag.

10/14/2026

Keeping North Carolina farms growing takes more than a good harvest. 🍅🚜

Our tomato growers make important decisions long before the first ripe tomato is picked. From hiring workers to managing expenses, each growing season requires careful planning.

Unpredictable labor costs can make those decisions harder. That's why agricultural wage reform remains an important issue for the NC Tomato Growers Association.

The association supports the Ag Wage Reform's efforts to address labor cost challenges and provide growers with greater certainty.

Learn more and the proposed legislation at https://vist.ly/5mmsg

10/12/2026

Some things you just can't put a price on. ❤️

Behind every North Carolina-grown tomato are early mornings, long days, and countless hours of hard work and care that don't go unnoticed.

This National Farmer's Day, we're showing our appreciation for the NC tomato growers who dedicate so much of themselves to growing the fresh, flavorful tomatoes we know and love.

Thank you for the dedication you put into every crop and all that you do for our state's agriculture. 🍅

10/08/2026

Tomato, Tomahto Trivia! 🍅

As fall settles into North Carolina, tomato season begins to look a little different.

October can bring the first frost of the season to some North Carolina tomato farms, especially in the mountains. What makes that first frost so important for tomato growers?

A) It makes tomato plants dormant until spring.
B) It triggers the vine to produce a new surge of yellow flowers.
C) It ends the growing season, so remaining tomatoes must be harvested before freeze damage.

Share your best guess in the comments before reading the answer below!
Answer: C. Tomatoes thrive in warm conditions and have no frost tolerance. Freezing temperatures damage their cellular structure and can ruin unharvested fruit. That’s why the first frost serves as a firm cutoff for the growing season on North Carolina tomato farms.

10/06/2026

Green tomatoes deserve a spot at the fall table, too. 🍅

As the growing season winds down, late-season North Carolina green tomatoes can become everything from crispy fried favorites to tangy chutneys and chow-chow. It’s one more delicious way to enjoy the harvest and make those local flavors last a little longer.

What’s your favorite way to cook with green tomatoes?

09/30/2026

How can growers make the most of extra produce? 🍅

Faylene from Whitaker Farms shared one approach: value-added products. Extra tomatoes and other produce can be transformed into products customers can take home and enjoy later, including sauces, salsa, jams and jellies.

We love this idea for our NC tomato growers! It’s a simple way to make the harvest go further and enjoy those farm-fresh flavors a little longer. ❤️

09/29/2026

We’re not quite ready to say goodbye to tomato season. 🍅

As the harvest begins to wind down, now is a great time to preserve fresh North Carolina tomatoes for the months ahead. Enjoy them later in soups, sauces, chilis and family favorites when cooler weather rolls in.

👉 Save this helpful guide for your end-of-season tomatoes.

09/24/2026

North Carolina’s tomato industry is built on growers with stories like Chris Smith’s. 🍅

Chris is a third-generation farmer at Smith's Nursery and Produce Farm in Benson, where each generation has helped shape the farm in a new way.

For Chris, inspiration came from his wife. She wanted homegrown tomatoes, so they planted a few in their garden. Chris enjoyed the process so much that he “got the bug” for growing.

That backyard experience eventually became part of the family farm. Now in their 11th year of tomato production, Chris and Smith’s Nursery are helping carry NC agriculture forward, one growing season at a time.

09/21/2026

A basket full of NC tomatoes makes our hearts happy. 🍅

As the season winds down, we’re especially thankful for everyone choosing local and supporting the North Carolina growers behind every harvest.

09/18/2026

Cooler nights are a sure sign that fall is on its way, and North Carolina tomato growers are paying attention. 🍂🍅

As September winds down and nighttime temperatures begin to drop, growers start gathering the last green tomatoes still on the vine before the first seasonal chill arrives.

That end-of-season harvest is one reason you’ll see more green tomatoes showing up at NC farm stands this time of year. And there’s plenty to do with them! Their firm texture and tart flavor make green tomatoes a favorite for frying, pickling, relishes and other seasonal recipes.

How do you like to use green tomatoes?

09/15/2026

Whitaker Farms’ tomato story started with just half an acre. 🍅

In the mid-1980s, Faylene and her family participated in an experimental tomato plot through NC State University & NC State Extension as plastic growing methods were being explored in the Piedmont. They liked what they saw, and tomatoes became part of the farm’s future.

Today, Whitaker Farms grows about 40 acres of tomatoes, plus greenhouse tomatoes that keep tomatoes growing on the farm year-round. Meet Faylene, one of the North Carolina growers whose willingness to learn, experiment and grow has helped shape a family farming story spanning more than 50 years.

Address

401 W. Main
Clayton, NC
27520

Website

https://nctomatoes.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when NC Tomato Growers posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Want your organization to be the top-listed non profit organization in Clayton?