Summer, at least this close to the Jersey Shore, isn’t official until the tomatoes start rolling in faster than we can eat them. I grew up with the Big Boys, the Early Girls and the Beefsteaks that grew in most backyards, everywhere from the sticks to the city. Whatever the variety listed on the tag, we just called them all “jersey”…which meant “the best.” Life was simple. So was the tomato.
Until it wasn’t. Tomatoes have changed. Oh, they’re still delicious. And some of them are still red. But we’ve recently had our heads turned by a sexy new taste sensation. Striped or speckled, bumpy, squat or spheroid, in greens and yellows and maroons: enter the Heirloom tomato. Hubba Hubba! Wait, did I say new? Let me back up.
It turns out that the new kid on the block is what tomatoes used to look like before we tamed them, and before Andy Warhol turned them into kitsch. Seeds that have been sown, collected and handed down through someone’s great-great-great (etc.) grandpa have found their way to 2019. Seems some smart pre-combustion-engine farmer knew that we would be wanting this right…about…now! There’s tons of information about all of this out on “the Google,” so I’ll just give you this push to get you started.
The tomato, whatever the color, whether sliced, diced or eaten out of hand, is still a double shot of summer. Eat as many as you can now, but for goodness sake, save some for later. There are plenty of ways to hang on to the harvest to get you through winter without resorting to those mealy grocery-bin imitations. Canning is making a comeback, but it can get complicated. For the absolute easiest way to get those tomatoes from September to January, simply grate, bag and freeze. You’re welcome.
For tomatoes and more…here’s your shopping rundown for this weekend:
Big Sky Bread, Fruitwood Farms, Herrcastle Farm, Mitchell & Mitchell Wines, MyHouse Cookies and Pies, Potato Homestead, Wilson’s Curiously Good Foods, Conshohocken Brewing Company, Firehouse Donuts, Kay Way Juice, Lucille’s Grand Daughter, Red Brick Craft Distillery, The Icery, and the YMCA Kids’ tent.
And…here on our stage for the very first time:
GreenHorn Gardens will join the LFM lineup with a selection of fresh produce and flowers. Styling themselves as “urban gardeners,” Sean and Stacy have rehabbed the old greenhouse at Arlington Cemetery and turned it into a vibrant green space. I remember buying my geraniums and impatiens there many years ago…like I said at the beginning: Everything new…. Welcome Greenhorn Gardens!
As always, for ALL things LFM, visit us on FaceBook or on our web page.
In the Music Tent: Kathy Quinn and The Minor Adjustments Home-brewed acoustic jam (not jelly) music.
Artist of the Week: Andrea Woodle’s AHWclay Creations…unique handcrafted pendants and beads.
Health & Beauty: Izzie Lizzie Organics Co. These ladies have become a popular staple at the LFM. Feel good, look good, smell good.
As noted elsewhere in the newsletter, this is our second Community Day. Always a crowd pleaser. If you are a home business, a new entrepreneur or part of a local organization, this 5-times-a-year event is a great way to get your name or organization out there at very little cost, but spaces are limited, so go here now to sign up for one of the remaining dates.
Don’t forget to have the little ‘uns stop by the YMCA tent to see what’s up each week.
Hard to believe that we’re at the end of July already, but there is still plenty of market yet. We haven’t even talked about the corn!
And it’s still No Plastic July. Come to the Manager’s tent, donate $1 to the Community Cupboard and get your cloth veggie bag.
Hoping for a drop in the thermometer…but in the meantime, stay calm, stay hydrated, and stay COOL.
See you at the LFM.
Terry Baraldi