Encino Farm Hosts Annual 'Tomatomania' Event

- Tapia Brothers Farm, one of the last family-owned produce farms in the San Fernando Valley, has been operating in Encino since 1984. The family farming tradition, however, dates back three generations to their grandfather, Primo Tapia, who began farming in the 1930s. - The farm is run by brothers Tom and Felix Tapia Jr. on land leased from the Army Corps of Engineers as part of the Sepulveda Basin flood control project. In addition to their well-known sweet corn and tomatoes, they also host seasonal "agro-tainment" events like a pumpkin patch with a corn maze and Christmas tree sales. - Tomatomania was founded by Ojai-based landscape designer Scott Daigre in the early 1990s and has been dubbed "the tomato freaks' Woodstock" by the New York Times. The event travels to various nurseries, but the Encino gathering is its largest, featuring over 180 varieties of tomato seedlings. - The event showcases a massive selection of both hybrid and heirloom tomatoes, with some of the largest sales offering over 300 varieties. These are sourced from nearly a dozen different growers. - Each year, a "Tomato of the Year" is designated. For 2025, the honor went to 'Persuasion', a pink-striped tomato with green and gold stripes, noted for its sweet flavor and long shelf life. The 2020 winner was 'Thorburn's Terra Cotta', a variety first introduced in 1893. - Attendees can find unusual and uniquely named varieties that are difficult to find elsewhere. Past events have featured seedlings like the heart-shaped 'Rebel Starfighter Prime' with purple and gold stripes, a sweet cherry tomato called 'Midnight Snack', and a paste tomato named 'Big Mama'.