Garden Detective

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I just returned from hosting The Great Long Island Tomato Challenge Weigh-Off here at Newsday's headquarters in Melville.

Back in June, I ran a column about a man named Matthew Barcia, who believed he would grow the biggest tomato on Long Island. He had educated himself about special techniques and researched new varieties and soil amendments. While Barcia certainly knew his way around a tomato, I knew there must be others like him. So I challenged my readers to join the race for the heaviest tomato.

All summer long, I've been on the lookout for the biggest and the baddest fruit, traipsing around the Island like an obstetrician on call, scale in tow. Contestants called at all hours, panic in their voices, crying, "You have to come NOW! My tomato is ready to be picked!"

When it became apparent there were more tomatoes on Long Island than hours in a day, I decided it would make more sense for them to come to me. And Newsday readers did not disappoint.

Gardeners came from all over Long Island -- tomatoes in tow -- to share ideas, talk about their favorite varieties and, most importantly, have their tomatoes weighed.

Guy Macchia, from Middle Island, who grows tomatoes in a 5-inch-wide strip of earth separating his condo unit from the one next door, entered a 13 ounce Beefsteak. Peter Lofrano of Shirley brought a 15 ounce beauty, while Michael Vecchio, of Old Westbury, entered an impressive Beefsteak that weighed in at 1 pound, 15 ounces. From Port Jefferson Station, John Salvador's Bull's Heart weighed 2 pounds, 2 ounces, and Ed Mitchell of Ronkonkoma showed off his 1 pound, 5 ounce Beefsteak.

And there were others: Janet Hart of Lindenhurst had a 14 ounce Big Boy. John Brady's young grandson Mikey, from Levittown, brought his grandfather's yummy looking 6 ounce piece of perfection, and Patrick Castle traveled from Deer Park with his 2 pound, 7 ounce Porterhouse Beefsteak.

Others came without tomatoes, just to share ideas with like-minded growers and to get an eyeful of the winning entry.

And what an eyeful it was! Vincenzo Domingo's "Ugly" tomato struck fear in the hearts of everyone in the room. Ooos and ahhs erupted as Domingo approached the podium -- seemingly in slow motion -- to set his tomato upon the scale.

I first learned of Domingo's green thumb when I received an email from his daughter, Lucy Scheck, earlier this summer. She wrote:

I would like to enter my father as a competitor to challenge Matthew Barcia. His name is Vincenzo Domingo. He is 78 years old, lives in Deer Park, and he does not own a computer; that is why I am sending this for him. He was born in Sicily and came to this country when he was in his early twenties. Since he's been in this country, he has grown all types of tomatoes, along with various vegetables, fruits, etc. As of last year, his largest beefsteak tomato was 3 1/4 pounds; his largest banana tomato was 1 pound. When necessary, the only chemical he uses is sulphur. He does not use wire cages. He ties his tomato plants the old fashioned way -- with sticks and twine.

My father has always been proud of his garden and I would like to see him "Challenge the Expert".

I visited with Domingo, who just turned 79, at his Deer Park home earlier this week, and that Ugly tomato was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. Misshapen and malformed, like a real tomato should be, it was grown from seeds sent to Domingo by his brother in Sicily.

Its weight? Three pounds, 14 ounces. I've heard of premature babies smaller than that! It was larger than a human head. Domingo brought that tomato and a few others to the Weigh-Off Friday night and was crowned winner on the spot.

Matthew Barcia did well for himself, too. While not a frontrunner -- his Belgian Giant weighed in at 1 pound, 9 ounces -- it was his story that started it all.

So, Long Island tomato growers, you'd better get working on a strategy now, because we're going to do this all again next year. And something tells me Domingo will give you another run for your money.

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