Home grown

My dad grew tomatoes when I was a kid. And cucumbers, radishes, green onions, squash, yellow and zucchini and grapes. He was good with it. Later he tried eggplant and spaghetti squash and planted fruit trees, pear, apple, plum and cherry. The plum tree produced in abundance the year he died. And there was a bumper crop of strawberries, and there were raspberries and blackberries.

I came home to live with my Mom (from Hawaii) after Dad died and I really enjoyed eating all of the fruits of his labor.

I've tried to grow tomatoes and they all died. But maybe I should try again. I asked Dad to show me how to garden and he told me about composting. I think he really preferred to be able to putter around in the garden by himself. But I guess compost does help with gardening. I know he went to the trouble of going to the whatcha call it where you can get your soil tested, find out the pH and stuff. I guess I would have to remember what you call it first. My brother showed me an article in the paper about growing tomatoes, it said you need to correct the soil months before you actually plant the tomatoes. Gardening definitely takes time and patience. But I do love a good home grown tomato. There is no comparison to the store bought if you do it right. The tomatoes my Dad grew had excellent flavor. I have noticed that it is possible to grow tomatoes that don't taste that exceptional. I think it must have to do with amending the soil.

With the recent scare about tomatoes, a person I know suggested that we all should perhaps start growing our own food. Then we can know for sure it's safe to eat. I said I might starve if I had to grow my own food!