Normally we find four or five types, but there are up to “ 25,000 varieties of tomato ,” he says. Santiago Palazuelos , secretary of Simientes Infinitas. This non-profit association was founded in 2020 in the Cantabrian municipality of Torrelavega, when Guy Ferrier, Javier Sánchez Castaños, Florencio Enríquez, and other tomato enthusiasts decided to join forces to prevent the loss of traditional cultivars, and with them, the genetic variability of fruit and vegetables.
Since then, the association carries out several actions aimed at increasing environmental education and awareness, such as the free distribution of 15,000 heirloom tomato seedlings to residents. "This way, citizens contribute to their maintenance," notes the secretary of Simientes Infinitas. He adds: "Once you taste their flavor, you won't go back to the commercial varieties."
International Tomato Festival
But, without a doubt, the most important event that this association carries out is the realization of the International Tomato Festival , the fourth edition of which is being held this year from August 30th to September 1st in Manuel Barquín Park in Torrelavega. “Our goal is to bring the countryside to the city. We move the boxes where we grow the plants and arrange them according to color, size, and geographic area. It's a spectacle,” he emphasizes. Palazuelos .
Not surprisingly, the festival has not only become an opportunity to learn more about the world of tomatoes, thanks to the talks it organizes, but also a tourist attraction. "The festival is a huge success, from an economic impact perspective. But above all, because it aligns with the Local Agenda and the 2030 Torrelavega objectives and Roadmap, as well as with the policies of naturalization of cities and biodiversity conservation," Palazuelos emphasizes.
Article Enter https://www.tapasmagazine.es/entrevista-a-santiago-palazuelos-existen-hasta-25-000-variedades-de-tomate/
