We have been blessed with a few substantial rain showers over the last week. While this has been wonderful for replenishing our groundwater supply, soaking parched, sunbaked soils, and greening up the pastures and gardens, it also causes some fruits to grow faster than their skin can hold them.

Behold, the split tomato! You will never see these in a supermarket, because they require more delicate handling. When an unusual amount of rain strikes ripening tomatoes on the vine, the combination of percussive hammering from the rain itself and the rapid uptake of rainwater into the plant can cause the fruits to grow rapidly and the outer skin of the tomato to split. As long as the inner skin remains intact and the tomato is not leaking any of its juices, these are perfectly safe to purchase and to eat, and the cracks confirm that the tomato is a truly local and extremely fresh vine ripened treat. Some nutritionists would probably agree that split tomatoes are better for you because you are more prone to eating more of them immediately, replacing any junk food in your diet. 😉

What to go with your delicious heirloom, cherry, and slicer tomatoes this morning? Loads of sweet salad mix, teen arugula, teen spicy salad mix, kale, lettuce heads, red and green bell peppers, yellow squash, amazing pumpkins, loads of cherry tomatoes, slicing tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, loads of onions, scallions, radishes (three types), Italian basil, lemon basil, holy basil, dill, cilantro, parsley, lemongrass, rosemary, baby ginger root, wild cucumbers, zinnia flowers, marigolds, a few cosmos, loads of hot peppers, Indian chilies and serrano peppers, loads of Luca’s favorite not-hot seasoning pepper. And a few passionfruit.

From our partners we have I-Sha’s vegan ice cream and local fresh goat cheese from Fiddlewood Farm! Wanda the Honey Lady will be back next week, her eyesight has been successfully restored, friends, and she can see you quite clearly now! So bring your best smiles for her next week!!