Abundant tomato times have been amongst us for a few weeks. I can't believe, nor did I imagine, that we would have so many endless tomatoes with more still to come…
I started most of the vines indoors in winter, and planted them into the ground in early spring.
Is that the key to a major abundance of tomatoes?
I dunno, but it worked.
The best news, I guess it wasn't the tomato vines that made me ill at all.
As I have been under, around and all over them gathering never ending little red orbs.
They are slightly firm, with an explosion of tartness, and then pure sweet candy like tomatoey flavors explode in your mouth.
They taste unlike any store bought tomato I ever tasted, ever.
This is how a tomato hater turned into a tomato lover.
I realized the store bought ones always sort of taste ironey or metallic and watery to me.
These just don't.
I like them room temperature best.
Not cold, and not hot.
How do you like your tomatoes?
It's like a basil tomato jungle out there these days.
This is about the 10th basket of tomatoes, maybe more?
It's a funny thing.
Me and growing things.
You see…
My dad owned a produce brokerage (not a grower but a broker), which he ran and worked crazy mad hours at for 30+ years.
We lived half years in San Diego, California, and half in an Arizona border town.
All because of the produce business.
I remember going to check on veggies with my dad in these icy produce warehouses.
The scents incredible.
Dad making sure what he was shipping to major grocery stores was in tip-top shape.
He was bossy and loud.
He had to be, it got the job done.
And done well.
My dad is a type A aggressive go getter.
He was so intense.
I always admired that, and as a rotten kid, feared it. Which was good.
I was rotten.
I was.
Not totally, but mostly.
Anyhow, point is….
It's funny, that my dad's company logo was always tomatoes.
And now, here is his daughter who grows things.
He thinks I am borderline insane though.
Spending all my time watering and growing all sorts of things.
"You're crazzzzzy," he says in a joking manner when I tell him all the things I am up to.
Actually he says it more like, kerrrr-azeee.
Why do you do this to yourself my love? he asks.
That's too much work, he says.
And I say, but I love it.
It is way too much work.
But, I do love it.
So, that's the balance.
And so, with all the tomatoes….
I get busy making so many things.
Tomato Tarts.
(I used this recipe, but changed ingredients up a tinge based on what I had in the house)
Mmmmm.
Yumm yumm.
And tomato sauces galore.
Delicious all sorts of things made with all the tomatoes.
Pizzas too.
Lots and lots of raw tomato eating also.
And gifting too.
I can sit and eat the little guys like grapes.
And I do.
While I rest my tired farmer tanned feet.
Phewey.
Throw in a little corn for good measure…
And the seemingly endless sweltering groundhog days of mine, are worth it.
Every morning, no sleeping in, straight out to work.
Mostly I am a morning person.
I get a lot done early in the morning for some reason.
Jumping in…
Back garden, vegetable garden.
Trees.
Office garden.
Front yard garden.
Then to work I go inside.
Every single day.
I can't lie.
Everything isn't obnoxiously perfect around here in the least.
Sometimes I want to cry in the morning, when I first open my eyes and have to go outside and work.
Not all the time, but once in a while when days are over 105' and I need a break.
I want to stay in my cool fluffy bed.
And not have 4 hours of chores outside ahead of me.
Mostly, I don't think about it.
But sometimes…
I say to myself…
Self, what have you gotten yourself into?
But then, I get outside, and it all goes away.
I see the fruits of this mad labor, and I say, I would be so sad if I hadn't done this.
And then, all is well again.
I make sure 4 beds of basil don't go to seed.
Snip snip.
I smell the tomato vines, and the fresh cut basil.
I see pumpkins growing.
And my soul is refueled again, for tomorrow.
When it all begins again…..
Love in the garden.
It is love.
Love is complicated and hard.
Love has it's ups and downs.
But love is love, and you can't help love.
Love happens.
When you love, it leads the way.
It makes you do crazy things, this love.
And, that's just the way it is.
Love inspires, doesn't it though?
The things we do for love…..
(Isn't that a song?)
Love, Vanessa
ps: Please keep sending down the rain!! 😉
All you marvelous UK friends, I'll trade you.
5 days sun scorched heat, for gloomy rainy skies.
Deal?
(office courtyard)
Shopping cart above, equals flower cart.
All you need is black plastic, burlap, soil and seeds.
Then you have a flower cart on wheels.
I have two, they work great.
You can find them at junk yards for free, or for very little money.
I've used mine for years, never changing the soil really (just adding a bit from time to time), and green things love growing in there.
Most mornings I do not mind getting up at dawn to enjoy a few sweet hours of pre intense heat. Still, it is that first step that is the toughest.
I am best in the mornings for sure. Mostly I spring out of bed, but sometimes when it has been months of everyday, I just beg for a day off in my mind 🙂
Rain dances become a total option, and I talk to my friends about how to go about this. And you know what? It’s worked twice!!! OH MY!
Let’s see, I have had about 3 or 4 mornings off this spring/summer from rain, and two weeks off when I was in the hospital and sick with the freak hives and anaphylactic shock, when Lovee did my chores.
It’s so worth it, I feel guilty even complaining a tinge 🙂
Oh the joy of tomatoes!!!!! How lovely that you have them in abundance! We are getting them one by one by one. I am greedy – I want them all now! (I sound like Veruca Salt, don’t I). I like tomatoes in any shape and form – can’t wait to try this tart…how lovely it would be with a salad. I hope that you do get more rain – sending rainy wishes your way! xoxo
Omgosh Vanessa, its time for lunch and all I want to eat is your tantalizing Tomato tarts, pies RIGHT NOW!<3
Add to other things to get: Tart pan, shopping cart!
This is all good because it takes my mind off of the fact my girls head back to school tomorrow. Boo Hoo!!!! We are all dreading this and Ssoooo out we must go to explore and enjoy are last summer day together, even though it’s Too HOT!!! ; )
Can I just say I am so insanely jealous of your tomatoes? Mine have done absolutely nothing this year. I have tried everything to grow tomatoes on my property but I have failed every year. 🙁
I love tomatoes. Love, love, love.
You know what? I admire your hard work so much. I know it’s ratty to get out of bed sometimes, but just think of all the goodness this garden has allowed you to gift folks with? Isn’t that a great thing? Especially in today’s world.
I crave to move to the country….away from these stuffy, self-centered suburbs I have found by accident. I’ve lived in the same neighborhood for almost 15 years and no one really knows each other. I’ve tried to be friendly, but everyone just wants to pull into their garages, close the door behind them and go directly into their houses. No one works out front…they all have gardeners and sprinkler systems. No one shares a basket full of tomatoes or gifts each other with baked goods.
You are not only sharing the goodness from your home and garden, you are linking your neighborhood. That is a beautiful thing!
xoxo
Kim
Gerushia’s New World
I don’t know where you find the time for all that baking, planting, etc. – your images, gorgeous, as usual.
I recently made a cherry tomato, mozzarella, basil salad. Nom nom nom
thriftshopcommando.blogspot.com
Your tomatoes look wonderful, Vanessa! My favorite to make with tomatoes is very simple ~ thinly sliced on toasted bread with mayo and some pepper. Mmmm! My favorite Summer sandwich.
I’m in tomato heaven here, too. So many tomatoes and it is hard to eat them all ourselves. My favorite? My black cherry cherry tomatoes – omg they are so sweet and yummy!!! They are slightly purplish red and with a greenish hue at the tops and inside, but they taste so darn good! I love homegrown tomatoes. When it is winter I hate the tomatoes they have at the stores – my new compromise is to get the sweetest cherry tomatoes in a pack. Makes waiting for summer a little easier.
BUT – I just found out I may be moving to Florida at the end of the year. All depends on if the job offer is good enough for my family. I’m not sure how happy I am – I have a beautiful 110+ year old house made of stone and chock full of history and I’m looking at the realtor homes of houses built in the age old year of 2011…ugh. I’m trying to tell myself that a new house has less upkeep and problems to fix…that the cooler summers and no more winters would be kinder to my health…and I could grow whatever I want in a tropical climate like that…I could actually grow a fig tree. You can’t get figs in St. Louis – not even in the poshest stores can I find any.
Ehhh, we’ll see.
Nicki
58Cherries
There’s nothing that looks, smells, and tastes like ‘garden fresh’ than tomotes right off the vine. YUMMY!!! I think you have abundant harvests because of all the love you and Mister Lovee put into it. The wee little plantees know it and celebrate with big bountiful produce. Just like delicious recipes make up every so much tastier when the main ingredient is love.
Have a great day.
Always, Queenie
It’s definitely a deal….I’ll send some rain your way for a little sun this way ok?? Lol. As an American living in England I’m still getting used to the rain here. I feel guilty complaining about it though when I call my family and they are melting away in 100 plus heat!
Your photos are amazing as always. It is always such a treat to read your blog, and an inspirational treat at that 🙂
Ohhh, if I send some rain, could you also send me some of those amazing tomatoes?? 🙂
That tomato tart looks delish! Nom nom nom…
You KNOW you stole that grocery cart.
Admit it!
Oh Laura, you are so wrong! You evil minx ;)))) But I love you
anyway. I am sending you one via freight in the mail, watch
🙂
Vanessa,
Your garden is beautiful. I love the pictures and stories you share. I also live in the desert, but don’t have nearly as good of luck as you do with vegetable gardening. The critters here are hungry and will eat anything and do anything to get to what they want to eat.
Your tomato tart looks delicious. I’ll have to try that recipe. When I come across a large supply of garden fresh tomatoes, I like to chop them up, drizzle some olive oil on them, and sprinkle some feta cheese and fresh cracked black pepper. Do you feel a revitalization in your being when you eat something so fresh? I can feel myself come back to life when I eat good food.
I’m glad your garden makes you so happy! 🙂
Carmen
Carmen, I agree, your entire being feels a jolt of life when eating such
things.
I will tell you this, we have had to beyond protect ourselves against
critters. I know exactly what you mean.
The entire veggie garden is enclosed with chicken wire, and each bed
underneath has tight waffle wire about 8 inches down and surrounding, to protect
against gophers. Still a couple got in – but we fight the war with chicken
wire and such things as best as we can. It is not easy at all.
When I try to feed the wild rabbits their own patch of growing things, they
do not want it. They only want what they should not have 🙂 They are
smart :)))
Hi Vanessa, Your tomatoes are beautiful..I have made the tomato tart and it is delicious. Made me want to make one now. Don’t have enough tomatoes yet and it’s another paint nite. Don’t know if u grow em in Arizona, but NYS is loaded with Zucchini squash and if you have em, I was informed it’s “Leave a Zucchini on your neighbor’s Porch Week” So if you grow em and have an over-abundance, as we do here, that’s what you can do with them. Happy visiting…Lori
We have a short tomato season in Oregon and I dream of a crop such as yours. They are so beautiful! Dreaming now of cold tomato soup and tomato tarts. Yummmm!
As much as I dislike summer….I love the veggies from the summer. Yours are beautiful. Makes me want to got out in the 100 degree weather and garden. Hugs!
Terri, you can garden in my yard ;))) 100 just for ya. I am so
glad you said that you dislike summer. I have a love hate relationship
with it. Sometimes I love it, and sometimes I hate it, haha. Unless
you experience the high heat (as you have), its impossible to understand the
bounty it brings to the garden and the misery it brings from not being able to
play out there without fainting ;)))
(for some reason Typepad is dropping my apostrophes 🙂
Blog: http://www.aFancifulTwist.com
Website: http://www.VanessaValencia.com
In a message dated 8/7/2012 5:53:59 P.M. US Mountain Standard Time,
Your tomatoes looks so good. I have to try that tart. I love home grown tomatoes, they just taste so good. The heat hasn’t been good to our tomatoes this year.
We’ve had so much heat and dry weather this year. Some days it is like walking into an oven. But I’ll take summer over our dreary grey winters anyday. I guess it all evens out.
And I love growing things.
abundance and blessings…these words come to my mind when i read and se your posts!
may you always be well!
Ummmmmm yum yum yummy, that tomato tart looks gorgeous. I love making tomato sauces for pizzas, lasagne and things, it is so much tastier when you make it yourself.
We don’t have any tomato plants this year, but when I go round to my parents I pinch some out of my Dad’s greenhouse. 🙂 That’s when they are at their tastiest, fresh of the vine and popped straight into my mouth. 🙂
Yummy! I love farming and I’m really impressed with your way of growing tomatoes. Thank you for sharing the inspiring post, Vanessa.
I am so up for that rain trade, you can have a week’s worth! It’s been raining non stop here in the westcountry, and no proper sunshine for weeks. I’m in my winter warmers again 🙁
So… how about you do a rain dance in your garden, and I’ll do a sun dance in my garden, and we’ll turn it around!
Those tomato tarts look amazingly delicious. We keep our toms at room temperature, it gives the best flavour. x
I love the smell of early morning…It is so very fresh, of course then are the mornings that the skunks are out and I hurry back into the house…Where would we be without the skunks? You have an amazing crop of tomatos. I love them. Cooked or fresh out of the garden. Yummmm!
Sorry we can’t help you with any rain…we need some here also.
Hope you have a wonderful day.
Wonderful post and such gorgeous veggies, my mouth is watering after that tomato tart… Your courtyard is amazing too. Never thought of a rolling flower cart–brilliant idea!
Love love love the basket made of twigs!!!
Here in South Sweden it´s been rain rain rain so everything I planted eventually died from lack of sun and warmth, hardly any berries except for wild strawberry right outside my bedroom window, small and hiding under leaves but a lot (for that I´m pleased). I replanted carrots and hope for a warm late summer.
Everything you make looks so yummy!!!!!!!
That was about the prettiest post I’ve ever laid eyes on. The pictures were simply delicious.
-gillian gredings
http://www.seasonsgredings.com
I’ve got to tell you, no matter how yummy yours look.. I just don’t like tomatoes!
Charis, I totally get what you mean. I once hated them myself… its
a hard line to cross 😉 If I dont grow them and prepare them myself, they
pretty much freak me out. haha. I sooo get it.
Blog: http://www.aFancifulTwist.com
Website: http://www.VanessaValencia.com
In a message dated 8/8/2012 1:41:55 P.M. US Mountain Standard Time,
Oooooooo your tomato tart looked mouth watering! I just had to have pizza for dinner!
XxxxQueen Creative
Oh, you and your tomato pies!! Always so pretty and lovely and pretty. Did you happen to see my little Missouri Pink Heirloom on my bloglette? We are In Love with that little baby! It’s almost a sacrilege to eat!!
I try not to covet others gardens but oh my how I love yours! My tiny, humble garden & I bow to you :o) PS: I sent you an email this morning!
Oh my goodness, where have I been??? Three posts beyond the Mad TEA!!!! Well, let me tell you…come to think of it I don’t know, but my tale too involves tomatoes up to my eyeballs. SO, me thinks I must try your tomato tart…did I tell you that it looks ever so delicious? Well it does, but then of course it does for it was created by you <3. So I must try my own.
Now here's a curious thing; I have always wondered if you were of the Valencia Orange family for you are quite sweet and I always imagine you dancing in the groves, but then you say your father's logo was of tomatoes...not oranges "-). I guess the mystery is solved... hee hee!
I heart you Vanessa!!!!!
LoVe me
Just read Laura Irrgang’s comment…HA!!!!!!
Cori, I know isnt she rotten? She deserves a spanking. Too bad
I am too goody twoshoes (sp?) for any of those sort of shenanigans :))
Love you friend!!
Blog: http://www.aFancifulTwist.com
Website: http://www.VanessaValencia.com
In a message dated 8/9/2012 8:12:02 A.M. US Mountain Standard Time,
Ooh, little tomatoes are my favorite! I could eat about a hundred of those in one go. If you ever need help eating them all just send some my way, I would be happy to be of service! 😉 I am not a morning person at all, but I have started to get up a bit earlier every day so that I can water my few plants, but especially the seeds that you sent me. They are growing so well I have already been harvesting the flowers. There are mostly zinnias and I think a couple of marigolds and then a few random plants that I have no idea what they are. I have them growing in front of the house and just this morning a neighbor complemented me on how well they are looking. Hooray! I know it isn’t much compared to your amazing garden, but it is certainly exciting for me. You are such good inspiration!
Ha! Laura! There is an empty one sitting by the Eccles Art Studio & now I’m tempted to take it.
Mz. Vanessa…..that tomato tart looks scrumptious ~ I can’t believe I missed this post….scrolling down, I hit a treasure trove of yumminess. Clicking on the recipe, there was also a pear, almond paste tart.
Have you tried making your own sun-dried tomatoes with a dehydrator? You sprinkle them with pizza spice or garlic salt ~ yummy on salads in winter.
I can’t say this enough……I have absolutely adored clicking on your older posts.
Methinks you should be a songwriter……
Ooooo, Lovee would love hearing you say this. I have lots of songs I
have written…. and he wants me to put them on CD. But, I think.. I dunno
:)))
Blog: http://www.aFancifulTwist.com
Website: http://www.VanessaValencia.com
In a message dated 8/12/2012 7:53:17 P.M. US Mountain Standard Time,
HUm….I’ve lived in Texas believe me, I know it can be hot, but all the hotter these days, so my heart goes out to you. but look at that gorgeous garden…it’s so worth it! I wonder would it be possible to purchase some of your gorgeous sunflower seeds and maybe a pumpkin seed or two?? I will hunt around for your email and send you a request there too just in case. Meanwhile, I’m gloriously happy you are doing what you’re doing, gives me a lift whenever I stop by! hugs, Janice of the Jewels