Up and down rows of tomatoes, Julie Donnelly scanned her farm. For the last 30 years she's invested time and money but most of all her heart. "We want to produce a tomato that people desire, taste like Summer is here for like six to eight weeks and then it's gone," said Donnelly.
Donnelly said that once the Arkansas sun brings in warmer temperatures over the next couple of weeks, the green tomatoes will turn plump and red.
"I just get excited about it. It's a lot of hard work, and over the years, we haven't made a lot of money, but that's where the passion comes in," said Donnelly.
Donnelly pledged to bring in as many ripe tomatoes as possible to Bradley County's Pink Tomato Festival this weekend. Warren Mayor Bryan Martin estimates between 15,000 and 20,000 people will file into the town all to taste the famous Bradley maters.
"For the tomato festival eating contest, for the celebrity contest and especially for the parade," said Mayor Martin.
The festival provides Donnelly with a showcase to remind people that behind every good tomato stands a committed farmer.
"A lot of small family farms put flavor and taste above everything," said Donnelly.
If you're interested in tasting a Bradley tomato for yourself, the culmination of the Pink Tomato Festival is Saturday, but activities are going on all week. For more information, go to the festival website: BradleyPinkTomato.com