The fields are bursting, and that can only mean one thing: tomato season is nearly here!
Whether you're a seasoned sauce-maker or new to the preserving game, now is the moment to lock in your supply of the best tomatoes Ottawa has to offer. Fresh, organic, and packed with real flavour.
Why Our Tomatoes Are So. Darn. Good.
At Ottawa Farm Fresh, we don’t grow tomatoes like the big guys do. Our tomatoes are nurtured in living soil, never hydroponics, and are grown with organic practices that prioritize plant health, soil vitality, and flavour above all else.
Soil-Grown for Superior Flavour
Healthy soil = healthy plants = tomatoes that are packed with natural flavour! That deep, old-fashioned tomato flavour you crave? It comes from roots reaching deep into compost-rich, biologically active soil.
Selected for Taste, Not Transport
Supermarket tomatoes are bred to survive cross-country travel and weeks of cold storage. We choose varieties for one reason: TASTE. From juicy rounds to rich paste types, every tomato we grow has been hand-picked (literally and figuratively) to make your taste buds sing.
Round vs. Paste Tomatoes: Which Should You Choose?
When it comes to preserving, both round and paste tomatoes have their place, but they’re quite different!
Round Tomatoes
In a tomato head-to-head, we’re always going to choose round tomatoes. Why?
* Juicy and bursting with flavour
* Thin-skinned (no peeling needed for canning!)
* Perfect for both fresh eating and preserving
* Ideal for diced tomatoes, stews, and salsas
These are the tomatoes that truly shine in every way, and their sweet, sun-ripened flavour will make your winter meals unforgettable.
Paste (Plum) Tomatoes
That being said, we totally understand the appeal of paste tomatoes, especially if you’re all about sauces.
* Meatier with fewer seeds
* Cook down quickly into a thick, rich sauce
* Great for canning whole tomatoes or making paste
* Classic choice for serious sauce-makers
No matter which tomato you go with, we promise they’ll be the most delicious ones you’ve ever eaten.
This is What Preserving is All About
There’s something magical about opening a jar of homemade tomato sauce in the dead of winter and catching the scent of summer.
That’s the heart of it: preserving is about love, resilience, and celebrating the season’s abundance. It’s a way to honour the harvest and bring sunshine to your plate, even in January.
Bulk tomato season is short, and demand is high. Reserving now ensures your share of this seasonal magic.