Veggie Spotlight: Tomatoes

Farm Update

Mary, Therese, Jewel, Ben, Carson,
 and Logan (our newest team
 member!) getting ready to do some
weeding earlier in the week.

Hi everyone!  Things are looking pretty good at the farm.  The rain we had on Thursday really helped things along, especially the cool season crops like lettuce.  Most of our plants are looking really healthy right now, but we are starting to see some disease, mostly because of the cooler night temperatures and morning dew.  Anytime the plants' foliage is wet for an extended period of time, that allows diseases to proliferate, so that is more common this time of year.  We've noticed over the last few days that our Brussels sprout plants are looking especially big and healthy, so we're hoping for a good crop this year!  Our warm season crops (such as peppers) seem like they're a little bit behind, but they're coming along.  Same thing with the tomatoes; we still have plenty of green tomatoes on the vine that are gradually ripening, which is actually pretty great!  A few years ago, we had a heat wave and all the tomatoes ripened at once, meaning we had massive numbers of tomatoes for a very short duration of time.  So when they ripen slowly, that means we have them for much longer, and we may be enjoying tomatoes well into October.  Only time will tell though, so I intend to eat as many tomatoes as possible in the meantime.  See you all this week! :-)

What to Expect in your Share this Week

If you are picking up at one of our regular drop-offs (Alma, Mt. Pleasant, and Midland) this week, here are the options you’ll find at each station!  If you have a half share, you’ll choose one item at each station, and if you have a full share, you’ll choose two.

Carrots or green beans
Cherry tomatoes
Potatoes
Beets, slicing tomatoes, or lettuce
Kale, Swiss chard, or cabbage
Onion, kohlrabi, or garlic
Zucchini or herbs

And if you’re having your share delivered or picking up in Lansing, Okemos, or the Midand hospital, here are your options.  If you have a half share, choose either share A or share B, and if you have a full share, you get to choose two.

Share A:                               Share B:

Carrots                                  Green beans
Cherry tomatoes                    Cherry tomatoes
Potatoes                                 Potatoes
Beets                                      Slicing tomatoes
Kale                                       Cabbage
Onion                                    Onion
Herbs                                    Zucchini

Veggie Spotlight: Tomatoes

There's nothing like brilliant red just-harvested tomatoes!

There are few garden plants more popular than the tomato, and it is one of the most widely eaten vegetables in the world. However, this widespread use of the tomato as a food has really become a lot more prevalent since the 19th century. Before this it was thought by Europeans to be poisonous, and it was often used for more ornamental purposes, both on the table and in the garden. (The tomato foliage does have mild toxins; however the fruit has very little, and you would have to eat a lot of tomato foliage to get ill.) The tomato’s origin is still debated in academic circles, and is thought to either have come from modern day Peru or somewhere in Mexico. However, most of its early recorded use is in Mexico, where evidence of its cultivation dates back to 500 BC. From then until the very early 1500s the tomato was only found in the Americas, but after Spain began its exploration and exploitation of the Aztecs and their land, the tomato soon made its way to Europe and quickly spread over the rest of the world. The first tomatoes that came over from Mexico to Europe were yellow, which remained the most common color of the early tomatoes in Europe. The tomato varieties that we grow today are mostly the result of a plant breeder from Ohio named Alexander Livingston, who greatly improved the flavor and eating quality of tomatoes that we enjoy today.  Before his work, tomatoes were commonly hollow with a hard core.

You’ve probably also heard the debate over whether the tomato is a fruit or vegetable. This issue was even taken to the Supreme Court in 1893 in the case of Nix v. Hedden, which determined that for U.S. customs purposes, the tomato should be considered a fruit.   Actually, it is both. Botanists consider it a fruit, because it forms from the ovary of a flower (it is considered a berry fruit). However, it is considered a vegetable to horticulturists, due to its annual growing culture and lower sugar content than other fruits.  The fruits vary widely in nutrient content and antioxidants, depending on variety and color. However, all tomatoes have a lot of vitamins A and C and contain the antioxidant Lycopene, which is thought to prevent cancer and heal the skin, especially from the effects of UV rays.

Green beans and cherry tomatoes
about to head out to the CSA drop-off.

On our farm, the tomatoes start in the greenhouse as seeds planted in trays in mid-March. These seeds turn into fast-growing plants that are transplanted into our coldframes and field. The planting of the tomatoes took place throughout May this year, both inside and outside. The plants that go in the coldframes are put into raised beds with plastic mulch. Stakes are put in the rows of plants every 8 feet. Then as the plants grow, lines of twine are put tightly around the rows of plants to guide their growth upward so they are not sprawled over the ground. At the end of the season most vines are 10-15 feet long. The system we use for the tomatoes improves the quality and flavor of tomatoes. This time of the year, we only water the tomatoes a little bit, so they can concentrate the flavor and sugars of the fruit for better eating and nutrient value. When tomatoes are overwatered, the taste is less intense and the nutrients are more diluted. By only giving our tomatoes a little water, we sacrifice a little on total yield, but we feel it is way worth it in flavor.  The outside tomatoes are exposed to more difficult conditions, but since we need more tomatoes than the coldframes can produce, we plant a few outdoor beds each year.

We absolutely love tomatoes at our house, and we are thrilled each year when the first tomatoes start to come in.  We leave cherry tomatoes out on the counter, and our kids eat them like candy.  We also use slicers for caprese salads, bruschetta, on top of omelets, on BLTs… the uses are endless!  Tomatoes are one of those things that really ought to be eaten in ridiculous quantities in August and September when they’re in their peak season, because the February grocery store tomatoes really aren’t worth eating.  So to aid you in that plan, we have a lot of tomatoes in the share again this week!  Enjoy!

Recipes

And here's another idea for your tomatoes!  Try out these Parmesan Roasted Tomatoes, which are so quick and simple, and so delicious!  Or try this excellent Garden Fresh Bruschetta with some good bread!