Yes, we have tomatoes…finally!

Seems like it started raining for the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival the first week in May, and kept raining for another month. As a result, we were even later than usual getting the garden planted. We got through the first few farmers markets of the year with plants from the greenhouse; after that things were a little sparse for a while (garlic scapes and radishes, anyone)? Slowly, the crops have been coming in. Summer squash and cucumbers are winding down, but where, oh where, were the tomatoes? The week of the Howard County Fair at the beginning of August, we had five – count em, five – ripe tomatoes. Not enough of any one variety to enter in the fair!

Finally, in the last couple of weeks, our booth has really started looking like a farmers market should. This week, we had five varieties of heirloom slicing tomatoes (Brandywine, Yellow Brandywine, Striped German, Black Krim, Green Zebra) and one non-heirloom variety (Celebrity). One heirloom plum tomato (Debarao), the classic Italian San Marzano paste tomato, plus the ever popular bite-sized Juliet (nearly a bushel)! Although classed as a plum tomato, Juliet is also good for salads, salsas, and fresh pasta sauce, not to mention eating out of hand. Let’s not forget the cherry tomatoes: super, super sweet Sungold and the small, pear shaped Red Pear and Yellow Pear.

Hmmm, what else? A smattering of squash, cucumbers, and onions. Four kinds of potatoes (Russian Fingerling, All Blue, Yukon Gold, and Norland red potatoes). Swiss Chard. Lots of extra large green peppers, some colored bells, and two varieties of frying peppers. Ten varieties of hot peppers. Tomatillos. Several varieties of eggplant, including the miniature "Fairy Tale". Three kinds of basil (Italian Large Leaf, Red Rubin and Fino Verde "baby" basil). Spicy Red Korean garlic. Zinnias. Did I forget anything?

If we can find some time this week to clean it, we will have our "Westminster White" garlic next week. (So called because we originally bought it at a festival over ten years ago and have no clue what the real variety is!) Right now, Greg has the chainsaw out cutting up a tree that fell on the fence in the sheep pasture, so it looks like we’re not cleaning garlic today!

Stop by and see us one Saturday morning at the farmers market!

Kris