LOCAL. SEASONAL. SUSTAINABLE.

LOCAL. SEASONAL. SUSTAINABLE.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Not Too Shabby

For all of the complaining that has gone on about the weather this "summer", and I have done my fair share, it hasn't been as bad as we all thought. I have to admit I didn't think I would get this many ripe tomatoes. The star performer has been Black Krim, producing lots of beefy, juicy, luscious fruits.

Here are several at the bottom of this group shot, and one in the spotlight dance.











I've grown this variety previously, but not had much luck with it. I do love most of the tomatoes described as purple, dark, or black. They seem to have a real depth of flavor and good balanced acidity.

Among the other varieties I grew this year were Japanese Trifele, a gorgeous little pear shaped tom. Very prolific. Another called Polish Linguicia; a paste/sauce variety. The fruits on this plant are huge, but none are ripe yet. Also Aunt Ruby's German Green, which don't seem ripe when green, in fact they turn quite pink before they seem ready to eat. So maybe I didn't really get what was on the label. And Cuore di Bue, literally translated to Oxheart. These are big, beautiful pouch like tomatoes, but the yield has been disappointing; only a few pleated beach balls have appeared.

So that's the tomato roundup. A few weeks ago I didn't think we'd have anything but cherry tomatoes, but the bigger ones are ripening and I think we'll have good enough weather so that they won't all have to ripen on the kitchen counter.

A week ago I planted some salad greens and rapini. I also planted some Dutch White Clover as cover crop in some of the beds. Happily all of these seeds have come up and hopefully will get a good start before the weather turns cold. I hope I have done a better job of covering bare dirt this year than last.