Taste testing etiquette

[Labradors2]

When attending a tomato tasting event, is it rude to pocket sample pieces of tomato for seed-saving purposes, assuming of course that there are no seeds being offered for sale?

Just wondering......

Linda

[NarnianGarden]

Wow, that is very thoughtful of you to ask before embarking on a seed saving mission
You're fortunate to be able to attend such an event! I would imagine it would be gross to do that in a public happening - just as it is considered gross to save and pocket stuff from a buffet table for further use...

[carolyn137]

I've held many taste testing events and have made it perfectly clear that no pieces of the sliced tomatoes go anywheres other than into the mouth of each taster.

Many times I was offering tastes of rare varieties before seeds were even available through my SSE listings or more recently, I was doing this until the walker stopped that, and as far as I know, everyone complied.

I do think it's rude for people to take fresh slices with seeds but I do know it happens. Make it known before hand no way, and enforce it and tell them why.

Carolyn

[Labradors2]

Thanks for the replies ladies. I wouldn't want to be thought of as rude, much as I would be tempted to save some seeds.

Linda

[PaulF]

When we had the Mid-West Fest, it seemed like it was a seed swap as well as a tasting party. Several asked whether they could save seeds from certain varieties; but they always asked the individual who brought the tomato. Never noticed anyone who was uncomfortable in sharing.

[Douglas_OW]

I think that the answer depends on the event and its organizers' rules. I've only attended the Rutgers Great Tomato Tasting. There, the volunteer Master Gardeners that were doing the slicing and serving were quite receptive to seed saving and they were happy to dish seeds from the serving plates into baggies that the guests brought with them for that purpose. I didn't bring home anything myself, but many others did.
Personnaly, I don't think it rude to ask about seed saving, either by phone or email before the event, or when you arrive. But again, my experiance is limited.

Jim

[Tormato]

I ask first...

and have never had anyone say no. There were no very rare varieties that someone wanted to later offer/sell seed and not have any competition. I would only like the very best tasting (to me) tomatoes at an event, so I would compliment the farmer/gardener how amazing their tomato tasted, and tell them that they really know what they are doing.

I do not think that I am normal enough (or Canadian enough) to give an opinion as to what is, or isn't rude, as I would bring a 100 pack of 2" x 3" re-sealable clear plastic baggies and a permanent marker to such an event.

I would also bring packs of seeds from my collection, offering more varieties of mine for less varieties (slices) of theirs. It worked for me, and them. I've been offered whole tomatoes, let alone slices, in exchange for my seeds.

Gary

[ScottinAtlanta]

Originally Posted by NarnianGarden

Wow, that is very thoughtful of you to ask before embarking on a seed saving mission
You're fortunate to be able to attend such an event! I would imagine it would be gross to do that in a public happening - just as it is considered gross to save and pocket stuff from a buffet table for further use...

Uh-oh. There goes my buffet seed searches.

[Labradors2]

Originally Posted by Tormato

I ask first...

and have never had anyone say no. There were no very rare varieties that someone wanted to later offer/sell seed and not have any competition. I would only like the very best tasting (to me) tomatoes at an event, so I would compliment the farmer/gardener how amazing their tomato tasted, and tell them that they really know what they are doing.

I do not think that I am normal enough (or Canadian enough) to give an opinion as to what is, or isn't rude, as I would bring a 100 pack of 2" x 3" re-sealable clear plastic baggies and a permanent marker to such an event.

I would also bring packs of seeds from my collection, offering more varieties of mine for less varieties (slices) of theirs. It worked for me, and them. I've been offered whole tomatoes, let alone slices, in exchange for my seeds.

Gary

Oh Gary!

You are so polite that you would qualify as an honorary Canadian! (I can say that 'cos I'm British by birth.)

I don't see a reason why the group holding the heirloom tomato tasting event would object to someone saving a few seeds for their own use, so I will ask first and go armed with some baggies. Maybe they might even be interested in accepting some seed from varieties that I am growing!

Thanks,
Linda

[NarnianGarden]

Originally Posted by ScottinAtlanta

Uh-oh. There goes my buffet seed searches.

Ha!

[Lee]

When folks have come to Tomatopalooza[tm] in the past, we've
specifically given permission to save seeds at the start of the
tasting. (Thus preventing anyone from needing to ask!) However, we also clearly specified which tomatoes were off
limits to seed saving. This included the unstable dwarf variety
table and special tomatoes being grown out for the following year's seed distribution.

A few folks would always come late to these events, so I ended
up spending the afternoon "guarding" these off-limits tables.


I can think of a number of reasons why folks would not want seed saved... not isolated, diseased, or experimental... so the best bet is to ask.

Lee

Originally Posted by Labradors2

Oh Gary!

You are so polite that you would qualify as an honorary Canadian! (I can say that 'cos I'm British by birth.)

I don't see a reason why the group holding the heirloom tomato tasting event would object to someone saving a few seeds for their own use, so I will ask first and go armed with some baggies. Maybe they might even be interested in accepting some seed from varieties that I am growing!

Thanks,
Linda

[Redbaron]

I kind of agree with the consensus. Is it rude to just pocket the seeds? Absolutely. Is it rude to ask? No question is a bad question, and Gary's idea of bringing trades is a good one.

[remy]

People who come to my party thankfully realize that seed taking should be done at the end of the party once everyone has had a chance to sample the varieties.
Remy