Winners of 2017 Massachusetts Tomato Contest announced

State Agricultural Officials Announce Winners of 2017 Massachusetts Tomato Contest

33rd annual tomato competition draws 59 entries

BOSTON – Massachusetts agricultural officials joined tomato farmers from across the state today at the KITCHEN at the Boston Public Market for the Commonwealth’s 33rdAnnual Tomato Contest. Designed to increase awareness of locally grown produce, this year’s contest drew 59 entries from 12 farms.

“The annual Tomato Contest is a fun tradition that highlights the diversity and quality of Massachusetts agriculture,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Matthew Beaton. “As we approach peak growing season, I encourage all residents to try a new variety of tomato from their local farm or farmers’ market to support their local farmers.”

After the entries were judged by a panel of food writers, chefs, produce experts and state officials on flavor, firmness/slicing quality, exterior color and shape,  Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) Commissioner John Lebeaux announced that the top prizes went to farmers from North Easton, Sharon and Pepperell.

“The Tomato Contest provides growers across the Commonwealth the opportunity to showcase the delicious tomato varieties from Sungold to Black Prince, grown right here in our state,” said MDAR Commissioner John Lebeaux. “I am pleased to see the excitement surrounding this event for Massachusetts farmers and locally produced foods. I thank the Boston Public Market, the New England Vegetable and Berry Growers Association and Mass Farmers' Markets for their continued support of this event that highlights Massachusetts farmers.”

In addition to the presentation of awards, today’s Tomato Contest included a healthy cooking demonstration by UMass Extension, tomato tasting and information on nutrition and local farms. The contest is sponsored by DAR, the New England Vegetable and Berry Growers Association and Mass Farmers’ Markets and was hosted by the Boston Public Market Association and Trustees of Reservations.

“The Boston Public Market and its KITCHEN has provided Boston’s communities with access to local and nutritious produce and groceries,” said State Senator Joseph Boncore (D-Winthrop).  “The tomato contest is a great opportunity to showcase the hard work of our local farmers and the Kitchen’s work.”

“This will be the third year in a row that the Boston Public Market has had the honor of hosting the Tomato Contest,” said Cheryl Cronin, CEO of the Boston Public Market. “The Market was built to support local agriculture and to educate the public about food sources and nutrition. The Annual Tomato Contest creates an opportunity for growers from across the Commonwealth to showcase the fruits of their labor and for the public to get closer to the farmers who grow their food. Judging by the incredible tomatoes we've been seeing from our Boston Public Market farmers this summer, it's going to be a tough competition!”

“We wait all year for tomato season and we are thrilled to host MDAR’s Annual Tomato Contest in The KITCHEN. As a founding partner of the Boston Public Market and stewards of over 2000 acres of community farms and gardens across the State, The Trustees is committed to educating residents and visitors about the benefits of eating seasonally and supporting local agriculture,” said Lieza Dagher, Trustees’ Program Director of The KITCHEN at the Boston Public Market. “We are delighted to partner again this year with the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources to showcase the variety of flavor, color, shape and size of tomatoes grown in the Commonwealth.”

Of the more than 7,700 farms in Massachusetts, 759 annually produce more than 7.6 million pounds of tomatoes on 685 acres with a value of approximately $14.5 million. Consumers can find farmers’ markets, farm stands and other opportunities to buy local here.

2017 Massachusetts Tomato Contest Winners

Slicing Category

Place	Farm Name	Town	Variety
1	Langwater Farm	North Easton	BHN589
2	MacArthur Farm	Holliston	Tomimaru muchoo
3	Three Acre Farm	Berlin	Valley Girl
4	Langwater Farm	North Easton	BHN1021
5	C&C Reading Farm	Bryantville	BNH589
6	MacArthur Farm	Holliston	BHN589
7	Kimball Fruit Farm	Pepperell	Dixie Red
8	E. Cecchi Farms	Feeding Hills	Biltmore
9	Siena Farms	Sudbury	Beefsteak
10	Kimball Fruit Farm	Pepperell	BHN589

Cherry Category

Place	Farm Name	Town	Variety
1	Ward's Berry Farm	Sharon	Braveheart
2	Kimball Fruit Farm	Pepperell	Sungold
3	Langwater Farm	North Easton	Sungold
4	C&C Reading Farm	Bryantville	Sun Sugar
5	Ward's Berry Farm	Sharon	Sugary
6	Three Acre Farm	Berlin	Sungold
7	Sienna Farms	Sudbury	Sungold
8	C&C Reading Farm	Bryantville	Heart Throb
9	Still Life Farm	Hardwick	Striped Tiger
10	MacArthur Farm	Holliston	Sungold

Heirloom Category

Place	Farm Name	Town	Variety
1	Kimball Fruit Farm	Pepperell	Carbon
2	Sienna Farms	Sudbury	Brandywine
3	Ward's Berry Farm	Sharon	Cherokee Chocolate
4	E. Cecchi Farms	Feeding Hills	Amana
5	Ward's Berry Farm	Sharon	Royal Hillbilly
6	Kimball Fruit Farm	Pepperell	Orange Russian 117
7	Langwater Farm	North Easton	Cherokee Green
8	Langwater Farm	North Easton	Cherokee Purple
9	Ward's Berry Farm	Sharon	Cherokee Carbon
10	MacArthur Farm	Holliston	Yellow Brandywine

Heaviest Category

Place	Farm Name	Town	Variety	Weight (lbs)
1	Ward's Berry Farm	Sharon	Heirloom Yellow	2.315
2	Langwater Farm	North Easton	Striped German	2.263
3	Kimball Fruit Farm	Pepperell	Pineapple	2.238
4	Sienna Farms	Sudbury	Striped German	2.235
5	Harpers Farm and Garden	Lancaster	Striped German	1.920
6	Hanson's Farm	Framingham	Striped German	1.739
7	E. Cecchi Farms	Feeding Hills	Brandywine	1.710

至孝篤親公所慶中秋發獎學金 (圖片)

所有圖片陳建立攝，提供

台北醫學大學生技EMBA團訪問波士頓

駐波士頓教育組組長陳幗珍(中著藍綠色洋裝) 北醫EMBA訪問團長

許怡欣教授（陳組長左）與座談會成員會後於華埠牌樓前合影

(Boston Orange 周菊子整理報導)臺北醫學大學生技EMBA團8月19日至23日訪問波士頓，將拜會哈佛大學創新實驗室(Harvard Innovation Lab)與麻省理工學院醫學工程研究所(Institute of Medical Engineering and Science)，訂23日在哈佛大學舉辦美東參訪成果發表會。

駐波士頓經文處教育組新到任組長陳幗珍19日特地在香滿園餐廳設宴接風，不但邀有經文處新到任的趙昌倫副組長，王麗芬秘書做陪，還邀來波士頓臺灣人生物科技協會(BTBA)，新英格蘭玉山科技協會(MJNE)兩會幹部，以及李小玉醫師等臺北醫學大學大波士頓地區校友共聚，交流討論波士頓的生物科技發展概況。

她一邊笑說北醫參訪團的到來，正好給她機會更快的認識本地科技團體，一邊指出，教育部設有學海系列計畫，鼓勵學生利用暑假到海外實習，累積國際經驗，希望學生們盡量利用。

許怡欣主任率領的臺北醫學大學生技EMBA團，一行12人，抵達波士頓前，已在紐約參訪了哥倫比亞大醫學院及長老教會醫院。到波士頓的哈佛iLab，MIT醫學工程研究所參訪後，將於8月23日在哈佛大學為這次的美國東部參訪，舉辦成果發表展。

許欣怡表示，她們這次出訪，主題之一是創新創業。到哥倫比亞大學產學合作辦公室拜訪時，看到美國大學把研究成果轉移給業界，成功地為學校帶來可觀利潤，讓他們深覺這樣的產學合作模式與技轉制度，值得借鏡。在紐約時，她們還參觀了哥倫比亞大學的附屬醫院，也感受到海外華人僑胞的溫暖與力量。

出席餐敘的玉山科協會會會長許翠玲，前會長李政欣等人指出，哥倫比亞大學的產學合作模式和麻州劍橋許多機構的支持創業公司做法極為相似。麻省理工學院每年協助教職員或學生和業界公司合作，把研發成果大量開發上市，也給學校帶來十分驚人的利潤。

在座談中，訪問團成員和波士頓臺灣人生物科技協會，玉山科技協會還互相交流了醫學制度、臺美醫院管理差異，甚至臺美文化差別等。(內容資料及圖片由經文處教育組提供)

波士頓台大校友9/9 迎新

大波士頓地區臺大校友會將於九月九日（星期六）中午十二時半到下午三時半舉辦迎新活動，歡迎到大波士頓地區來念書及新來工作的台大校友，校友會希望藉此一活動能幫助校友們適應大波士頓地區的環境與生活。地點在 Brookline Coolidge Corner Library, 31 Pleasant Street, Brookline, MA 02446，可坐地鐵綠色C線在Coolidge Corner站下。請參加的校友將中英文姓名email 到gbaantu@gmail.com。校友會不收費用並備有薄點招待及迎新抽獎禮物。校友會網址：http://gbaantu.org/；臉書:https://www.facebook.com/gbaantu。

摩頓市獲得50萬元改善學校科技

City Receives Funding for Technology Upgrades in Schools

Monday, August 21, 2017

Superintendent John Oteri and Mayor Gary Christenson are pleased to announce that Malden was selected for E-Rate Category 2 funding for the 2017-2018 school year in the amount of $486,604.59. Malden Public Schools Business Manager Toni Mertz and Internet Technology Director Anthony Rodrigues worked to secure the funds which will provide wireless upgrades and replacements of the computer infrastructure at all school locations. E-Rate, formally known as the Schools and Libraries Program of the Universal Service Fund, supports connectivity for communications using telecommunications or the Internet. The program is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) under the direction of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The City has also received funding in the amount of $135,772.80 for Category 1 expenditures, namely internet connectivity.

“I’m grateful to Toni Mertz and Anthony Rodrigues for their efforts to obtain this funding,” said Superintendent John Oteri. “This grant will enable the Malden Public Schools to make significant infrastructure upgrades in technology which will not only support teaching and learning, but also foster overall student achievement."