After starting tomato seeds in the greenhouse in winter, transplanting them (late) in April, staking, and tying them, plus other steps in between, it’s undeniably tomato time. Three different harvest teams (one for cherry tomatoes, one for heirlooms, and one for early girls, romas, and slicers) are busy picking, giving the packing team plenty to do. Dru and Andrew could be spotted during the week sorting tomatoes! It’s an almost overwhelming amount of tomatoes, in addition to all the other summer bounty we’re tending to, harvesting, and boxing up, and we’re making good use of all those tomato boxes we’ve made.
Alfonso and his team harvest heirloom tomatoes. They harvest them into small plastic crates, they drop them off at the shop, and Francisca does an initial sort, pulling out bad tomatoes (overripe, damaged, etc. – we have the prettiest compost bin!). She hands them off to others who put them into boats for the CSA members or boxes for wholesale customers. Some stay in plastic bins to go to the farmers market. We try to use paper padding in all the boxes to protect the fruit.
Each heirloom tomato is beautiful, each one differently shaped. They make a beautiful looking box, a tasty mosaic of Big Zebra, Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, Gold Medal, Jubilee, Vintage Wine, and other varieties.
Now’s the time to get your fill of tomatoes, whether you’re planning to can, dry, roast, or eat them fresh! CSA members can order them in the CSA member store (or by email) and everyone can get tomatoes at the farmers market!
Elaine Swiedler, CSA Manager
