Three The Hottest Tomato in Town
“Since April, 756 persons infected with Salmonella Saintpaul with the same genetic fingerprint have been identified in 34 states and the District of Columbia.” Center for Commuicative Diseases, June 25th 2008
Have you ever seen a grown man afraid of a tomato? I have. Standing in front of a grocery display of red tomatoes of all kinds, I listened as men and women alike rejected them. By then, 750 people had been felled by salmonells caused by infected tomatoes.
Suddenly, the topic du jour in my small community was home grown tomatoes. Porch talk was all about the farmer who arrived each Thursday in our parking lot, his truck bed filled with local vegetables and fruits.
“He was here today and had lots of tomatoes. I bought a box of them right away. He grows them right here in this county,” said one woman.
Her neighbor said, ‘Oh, everyone was buying tomatoes from him. His cucumbers looked very good, too. I bought a bag of them and three boxes of tomatoes.”
The third woman won the Contest of the Tomatoes. She said, “Oh, I was so lucky today. I got lost on the way to my new doctor and ran right into this big farmer’s stand. He had everything you could name. I bought tomatoes and blueberries and a very sweet melon.” And then she added, “I think I’ll make home made spaghetti sauce when my tomatoes ripen.” She’s the only woman in the neighborhood who has tomato plants in her garden.
Ironically, just days before, if you had mentioned buying from local farmers, some ladies would have thought you foolish. A supermarket and a smaller family grocer are within blocks. But now, they recognize that home grown tomatoes, though not less expensive than a supermarket’s are not hard as little rocks, not strangely pink streaked and certainly not suspiciously and mysteriously shipped from parts – and farms — unknown.
Besides, when was the last time you discussed a fat red juicy tomato with the man who grew it?
Meditation for the Day
“It’s difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato.” Lewis Grizzard
Action for the Day
Whenever I get the chance to eat locally grown food, I will enjoy that simple luxury.
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