Entry bubble The Case of the Missing Tomatoes

By: Ginger | May 01, 2009 | Category: General

Woman shopping at a farmers' marketIt’s almost summer.  The talented green thumbs among us will plant and eventually harvest the fruits of their labors.  Not so much for me.   Oh, I have tried my hand at gardening several times.  I planted tomatoes one year and I must admit they did well in my backyard. My tomato plants were loaded with lovely green orbs on their way to ripening.  They whispered a promise of fresh tomatoes for salads, sauces, and the delectable BLT with its crispy bacony goodness.  Then I noticed that my lovely green tomato orbs began disappearing.

It remained a mystery until one day while sitting on the deck chatting with a friend I noticed a green object up in one of our oaks.  I turned to my friend and said, “You will think I am nuts, but is that an apple in my live oak tree?"  After she stopped laughing, she volunteered that she thought it was a tennis ball.  We were both wrong, it was one of my unripe tomatoes.   Shortly after that, we observed a sneaky squirrel approaching my tomato plants. AHA!

I eventually solved the squirrel problem.  The following summer I tried again and actually started getting lovely ripe tomatoes.  However, I was confounded by another problem.  I kept finding half eaten tomatoes hanging from the plants.  I had netting to keep the squirrels and birds off of them, so what was eating my tomatoes?  One evening, I approached my plants and saw an undulating brown mass on one of my tomatoes.  I couldn’t make out what it was and went to get a flashlight.  Upon inspection, I discovered the tomato covered with very large palmetto bugs.  The discovery that my lovely tomatoes were being ravaged by mutant cockroaches gave me the "willies."  I admitted defeat and gave up on the idea of glorious fresh tomatoes until my friend took me to the downtown farmers market.

Wow, it was great!  All of the goodness of all kinds of fresh produce and more!  If you too seek the joys of fresh produce, but have less than stellar results growing them yourself, try looking around for local farmers markets.  Here are some resources to get you on your way to wonderful fresh produce.

For those of you who have that magical green thumb and want to get involved in selling or organizing a local farmers market, try these resources:

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Entry bubble Shopping at Local Farmers Markets

By: Nicole | May 30, 2008 | Category: General

Yesterday, when I stepped outside to walk my oversized puppy, I discovered a lovely sunny evening. As we wandered down the path, I was greeted by the distinct smell of fresh cut grass and the sweet scent of honeysuckle. Summer is definitely just around the corner. Sure, that means blistering hot days and relentless humidity, but it also means extra hours of sunlight and the occasional perfect evening.

I have another reason to be excited about summer: it’s the season for fresh produce. Farmers markets should be regrouping across the country, offering fresh local fruits and veggies, as well as dairy and meat products. The USDA farmers market search can help you find nearby markets and their hours of operation. Many of these markets begin in April or May and continue though November. Some places are lucky enough to have year-round markets.

Produce Stand

Gov Gab bloggers have written before about the benefits of organic gardening and cooking with locally grown foods, but many folks (like me) can’t grow a garden. For us, there are farmers markets.

Rest assured, there are lots of rewards for buying local produce in this time-honored fashion. You can support local farmers, especially those who practice organic, humane, and sustainable farming techniques. You won’t have to worry about a middle-man taking most of the profit, and you can make more informed decisions about what you buy. In addition, you’ll be helping the environment. Conventional stores often transport food from distant regions, which is expensive and requires additional fuel, especially if the food needs refrigeration.

Last but certainly not least, you’ll get to experience the wonderful flavor of fresh-picked fruits and veggies. One of my seasonal favorites is fresh asparagus (with a hint of butter). What’s yours?

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