Who Doesn't Love A Fresh Tomato?

There is nothing quite like the taste of a red, juicy, homegrown tomato. The tender skin and flavorful flesh evoke memories of mid-west summer cookouts and BLTs. Nothing can top the flavor of a tomato grown in rich soil. I can almost taste the vitamins and minerals from the earth as the juice drips down my chin. This year, we were determined to have a go at growing our own; so, late in April (past the prime planting time in our area) we purchased 4 puny plants and brought them home to see if we could channel our inner farmer, and actually grow something we could eat.

Our hanging cherry began to grow immediately out of one of those crazy, upside down tomato contraptions. It seemed to enjoy its moderately sunny space near the patio, and within weeks, little yellow flowers began to appear. Tomatoes soon!

Meanwhile, we planted 3 more plants in our ramshackle garden plot behind the garage. I was a bit uneasy about the quality (and safety) of the soil given that the previous home owners were a bit eclectic in their yard keeping practices, but something in the soil must agree with tomatoes. They took off and grew at a staggering rate. Up the cages, out of the cages, until nearly as tall as the fence... they kind of fell over and begin growing into and around themselves. The plants were amazing, and it seemed a bumper crop of fruit was to follow given the tremendous numbers of furry yellow flowers popping up in bunches scattered throughout the tangled web of vines.

Each day I would come home from work and sneak around the corner of the garage to check on the progress of our little (or giant, rather) garden residents, dreaming of BLTs, salsa, homemade marinara...oh what we could do with the bounty we were sure to reap. Slowly green turned to coral, orange, and at last a hint of the classic "tomato red." First harvest was at hand.

The next evening, I spied several ripe tomatoes deep in the center of the vines. I bent down and slowly reached in...weaving my arm around and about the sticky tendrils, carefully grasping my prize when...SQUISH! My finger tips wrapped around the back side of the juicy fruit sank deep into meaty flesh. Quickly, I snapped off the inaugural tomato and flipped it over, only to be greeted by...bird beak holes!  Pecked out of the pristine side of MY tomato. I reached for another...but the result was the same. It seemed I was not the only one eagerly awaiting the harvest. Who doesn't love a fresh tomato? The battle wages on...me vs. birds!