US (VA): Red Sun tomatoes on the menu at locally

If a dish is ordered at Fatz Café that includes tomatoes, chances are the ripe red fruit was grown just a few miles up the road at Red Sun Farms’ greenhouse in Dublin.

Fatz, located off Interstate 81 at exit 98, started carrying locally grown Red Sun Farms tomatoes lasts month. Since then, the organic and hydroponically grown tomatoes have become a cornerstone for many of the recipes offered at the restaurant.

According to Fatz’s local operation partner Tracy Nester, the restaurant started incorporating the local produce in early November – a little more than a month after the first crop was harvested at the Dublin greenhouse. It all started when some of the company’s employees came into Fatz for dinner.

“I’m a tomato lover, and I’m upset that I don’t have homegrown tomatoes in my garden anymore, so I asked them if we’d be able to carry their tomatoes,” Nester explains. “I really didn’t think we could do it.”

In response, Red Sun Farms offered to bring in some tomatoes, and a few days later returned with an assortment of tomatoes for the staff at Fatz to try.

“We were in tomato heaven,” Nester admits.

Click here to read the complete article at southwesttimes.com.