The First Tomato

Ok then... Gardenmama was the first to show colour...
and lovely it was too. Now she's well on the way to a 'Tomato Summer".
I can still remember how it was to see her first one while mine were still green (my toms were not the only things that were green, I can tell you).

Well today was the day to introduce and consume the season's first debutante. I was pretty proud of myself making it all the way to the Rivera before scarfing that red baby.

Actually it went like this: My bride said, "Why don't we go and have a look at how the tom is coming along" (day before yesterday there was only one that was red).
So I said, "Sure...do you wnat to creep into the greenhouse, or shall I"?
She deferred to me (mistake), so in I went. I got down on all-fours, crawled in and gently squeezed it a few times. It really did feel softish, I swear it did. I squeezed a couple close to it, and they were hard by comparison.
I began to perspire in the heat of the greenhouse...or was it in the heat of the moment. I told her that it felt softish and she said, "When in doubt, pluck it out"...and that's exactly what I did.
I cradled it lovingly in my palm as I scooted back out of the greenhouse. We stood therer admiring it for awhile, then began making our way to the Rivera. As I walked, I squeezed it a few more times, and you know what--it didn't feel soft at all. Shocked

You can imagine my surprize.

We took our seats in the cool shade along the canal and I presented it to her...and she did the honours.
I reached for the salt.....

Not too many seeds...and oh my, what a flavour!

Here are a couple of fotos of the inside of the greenhouse (sorry for the blackened areas--apparently the lens covers didn't open properly).

Confession: The tom could have waited about three more days. Embarassed

_________________
Sjoerd http://www.volkstuindersvereniginghoornenomstreken.nl/Page11.html

Sjoerd wrote:

Gurrrrr EJ. I could just give your little ear a good twist! hahaha

I'll bet that when you get back, you'll have all kinds of toms to eat and show.

Thanks G'mama--The oines that I have shown are just the cordon types. The others have not really started to redden yet.
How are your toms coming along, BTW?

The one plant I have been harvesting from has another that should be ripe in a few days. That is if the sun comes back out and it stops RAINING...the cherry tom plant has a few that should be ripe in a few days as well. I have found babies here and there on many of the other plants and they will start to turn soon I hope. I am even finding babies on the plants that I started from seed. that is encouraging. All that work and finally I can see it is paying off. The 9 plants I bought all are loaded and I just have to wait. I had to throw a few away because of the end rot but that is part of the game and there isn't anything I can do since they are outside and it has been raining a lot this summer and it hot as well. Thanks for asking!