The fourth grade students of Memorial Elementary School in Washington, New Jersey are studying our great state. They were learning about our state symbols when they realized we didn’t have a state vegetable. We have a state fruit, flower, bird, tree, animal, even a state tall ship, but no vegetable. The students had narrowed their choice down to the Jersey tomato or Jersey corn. They argued that the tomato is really a fruit, but when they discovered that the tomato was declared a vegetable by the United States Supreme Court in 1893 that made their choice quite clear. When you think of “Jersey Fresh” you think first of the Jersey Tomato.

       They wrote to our state assemblyman, the Honorable Michael Doherty to enlist his help. Assemblyman Doherty came to school to talk about how bills are passed and what the students could do to get our state an official state vegetable. The students are ready to get the job done.

       "A world without tomatoes is like a string quartet without violins."       ~Laurie Colwin

       "It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato."        ~Lewis Grizzard

       "Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French. Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek. Soy sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it good.”       ~Alice May Brock