The Curiosity Desk

August 3rd, 2026 

We talk with Harvard Law Professor Jacob Gersen about Nix v. Hedden, the 1893 Supreme Court that officially classified tomatoes as a vegetable in the U.S. 

 Farmer & food sustainability expert Mitch Hagney breaks down the industrial tomato sourcing & ripening process.

Scent historian Jessica Murphy talks about a recent trend of tomato-scented perfumes and soaps, and why someone would feel compelled to make themselves smell like a tomato. 

 Mass. Department of Agricultural Resources Commissioner Ashley Randle previews the 41st-annual Massachusetts Tomato Contest, and her criteria for judging the perfect tomato.