Ken Odor,

I just read the Local on the internet. I enjoy being able to read it. I was born and grew up in Mechanicsville and still have family and friends there. For several years I have wanted to write and tell you my feelings about the FIRST RIPE HANOVER TOMATO published in your paper. It is becoming more unbelievable every year. When this tradition began it was tomatoes that were grown in the field by farmers or garden grown by any one who had home gardens. It seems grossly unfair to give the HONOR to a POT Grown tomato. New years day could claim to be the first easily by treating it like a house plant or greenhouse grown. I look forward next year to seeing a Real FIRST TOMATO grown in Hanover county soil. Hooray for Hanover Tomatoes.

Shirley J Storms