Fresh Tomato

I have been asked why I am trying to grow a vegetable garden when I live in the suburbs and less then 5 blocks from a grocery store. The photo should be enough of an answer. There is nothing better then a fresh tomato picked from the vine. If that isn’t, then there are at least two other reasons: 1) I want the kids to know where their food comes from. Fruits and vegetables are not born in plastic wrappers or wooden crates. I also want them to respect the land which they live and walk. The more they learn how they are connected to the earth, the more likely they are to respect it. 2) Locally grown food takes less energy to get from the garden to the plate. Yes, we need to ship in some things like seeds and water but our compost and grass trimmings should help feed the food which will feed us.

I love fresh picked tomatoes with just a dash of salt or a dollop of mayo. This past weekend Trader Joe’s was featuring samples of Heritage Tomatoes, Feta Goat Cheese and their balsamic vinaigrette. They have also introduced me to marinated fresh mozzarella cheese with tomatoes and fresh basil which has a bit more spice and heat then using a plain fresh mozzarella.