back-to-top
x
close
Jersey Tomato
Blog

What’s So Special About a Jersey Tomato?

For some of us, memories of a thick slab of a home-grown Jersey Tomato, just-picked and still warm from the sun, on soft, sliced bread with a bit of salt and pepper, and a smidge of mayo brings back lazy, hot summer days from our childhood.

The sweet and tart juicy tomato we remember was most likely the Rutgers Tomato, a high-sugar, high-acid variety from the 1930s. But do today’s Jersey tomatoes taste the same?

It turns out the classic Jersey Tomato we remember was not a single variety but actually an array of varieties that did well in New Jersey’s climate and range of soil types. The end result was a sweet and tangy, flavorful tomato available throughout our growing season depending on the ripening rate of the variety. A favorite variety, the Ramapo, was introduced by Rutgers in 1968.

Although having a loyal following, it was judged too soft for long-distance shipping and commercial seed producers discontinued the production of the variety. Rutgers continued to produce small batches of the seed until they finally found a commercial seed producer who was willing to produce an amount they could afford. The Ramapo seed was re-released in 2008, 40 years after its introduction and enthusiastically welcomed by local growers and gardeners alike. Rutgers’ “Rediscovering the Jersey Tomato Project” researches what makes a tomato tasty and has brought back long lost favorite tomato varieties along with conducting tomato tastings and communicating with gardeners and farmers on growing delicious tomatoes.

The Jersey Tomato varieties are bred for their taste and not for long-distance shipping, and will not last for weeks after picking. They are vine-ripened when picked and are best eaten within days of purchase. So aside from joyfully anticipating this delicious time of year, given their relatively short shelf-life, we know that donations of these homegrown gems will be plentiful. Within hours they will be on the tables of our recipient agencies and stocking our mobile markets, ensuring that every New Jersey resident has access to the best taste of the summer!


As New Jersey’s first and largest food rescue, our mission is to reduce food waste and provide healthy, nutritious nourishment to our food-insecure neighbors throughout North Jersey. We rescue millions of pounds of fresh food annually that would otherwise be wasted and end up in landfills. This contributes to climate change. We deliver it to partner organizations who support the nearly 1 million people in our area who need it most.

Together, we can reduce food waste in our home and make a positive impact on the planet. Every little bit of effort—no matter how small—leads to change.

REAL PEOPLE, REAL STORIES.

October 23, 2025
News 12 New Jersey: Rising Food Prices

Editor’s note: This story originally aired on News 12 New Jersey. Click here for the story. News 12 New Jersey ran a...

Read More
October 22, 2025
Affinity Federal Credit Union Volunteers Assemble Nearly 5,000 Meals During Annual Impact Day

Over 370 staff members partnered with New Jersey food rescue program to support local hunger relief efforts Basking Ridge, NJ – Affinity...

Read More
October 2, 2025
Inside Table to Table’s Skills-Based Volunteering Project with Novartis

Editor’s note: This blog post originally appeared on Common Impact’s website. Click here to read the rest of the blog. When you...

Read More