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The First Tomato of 2011

July 18th, 2011

Yesterday evening I was out watering and as I walked by the Tess’s Land Race Currant tomato growing in the side flowerbed a slash of red caught my eye. There were three tiny tomatoes that were ripe and ready to harvest. I picked them and Mr Chiots and I ate them.

They don’t come close to a Brandywine for depth of flavor, but they’re a ripe tomato. Since I haven’t had a ripe tomato since last October this one was quite tasty! I think the next variety that will come ripe will be the Silvery Fir Tree. Hopefully we get to enjoy a few tasty tomatoes before we go on vacation!

Where are you in your tomato season: harvesting, almost there, not even close?

26 Comments to “The First Tomato of 2011”
  1. Jennifer Fisk on July 18, 2011 at 5:56 am

    Not even close. There are some green ones coming but I won’t get any until probably the second week of August. The coast of Maine rarely lends itself to early tomatoes.

    Reply to Jennifer Fisk's comment

  2. Kathi on July 18, 2011 at 6:53 am

    I returned from vacation on Sat. to my first 3 cherry tomatoes (sun gold). I planted an early tomato (Glacier) which will probably be next, but my cherries are always first. A few varieties will be surprises because I always get a few of my labels mixed up when I am dividing the seedlings. I meant to plant at least 4 or 5 cherries but looks likke I only have 2 out of 18. Theyy are my favorite because they produce the longest and I love them roasted.I would love to see pictures of your “silvery fir tree” tomatoes when they are mature.Have a great vacation!

    Reply to Kathi's comment

  3. kristin @ going country on July 18, 2011 at 6:57 am

    ALMOST THERE ALMOST THERE YAY!!!

    Sorry. I get excited. About The First Tomato that is. Tomato # 1,000? Not so much excitement. Maybe even some swearing. I’m fickle like that.

    Reply to kristin @ going country's comment

  4. Sonya C on July 18, 2011 at 7:41 am

    We are at the end of our season, and starting seeds for the fall (in Central Fl). Tried a few heirlooms this year, so-so result. Although, we are now in love with the Cherokee Purple and Black Mauri’s. I’m gonna
    try them for the fall.

    Reply to Sonya C's comment

  5. Allison on July 18, 2011 at 8:15 am

    Yum!
    We’ll be lucky to get some…are tomato plants aren’t looking to hot this year for some reason :(

    Reply to Allison's comment

  6. Rhonda on July 18, 2011 at 8:34 am

    We picked our first tomato last night too! It was a Pink Girl. Not very big but big enough for my daughter and me to share. :-)

    Reply to Rhonda's comment

  7. tj on July 18, 2011 at 9:15 am

    …Yay! :o) And yes – I harvested my first Early Girl the other day and had it last nite on a BLT for supper…Holy YUM! That was the best BLT I’ve had since last fall! ;o)

    …Enjoy your day!

    …Blessings :o)

    Reply to tj's comment

    • Susy on July 18, 2011 at 9:35 am

      MMMMM – can’t wait for a large tomato so I can have a BLT – especially now that I just found a small local butcher shop that makes really great bacon from local pastured hogs.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  8. Nebraska Dave on July 18, 2011 at 9:29 am

    Susy, my tomatoes are far from being ripe. I like the heirloom called Rutgers. It’s a later producing tomato but when it starts I have to be ready because it does have a lot of tomatoes. After I give away as many as I can then I can up the rest which is still quite a lot. Last year they were producing up into November. Toward the end of the season I had to use the wheel barrow to harvest the tomatoes as the garden baskets just weren’t big enough. So when the gardener’s around me talk about their first tomato, I just smile knowing that soon my harvesting will bury their hybrid tomato picking. One neighbor has given up trying to grow a garden knowing that they can come and get anything they want from mine anyway. That leaves a strip of garden potential for me to use next year that’s on their side of the fence.

    Have a great harvesting day.

    Reply to Nebraska Dave's comment

    • Susy on July 18, 2011 at 9:34 am

      Great to hear from you after all your travels & volunteer work! I’m growing Rutgers for the first time this year – glad to hear you like it. Should be perfect for big batches of tomato soup.

      Love that you give away lots of tomatoes. Nothing encourages others to grow a few edible plants more than receiving a few delicious homegrown tomatoes from friends!

      Reply to Susy's comment

    • KimH on July 18, 2011 at 7:00 pm

      Rutgers was a favorite of mine when I lived in Texas.. Its an oldie and a goodie.

      Reply to KimH's comment

  9. Donna B. on July 18, 2011 at 10:10 am

    Eeee~ Isn’t it exciting! You have three – I’m jealous!
    On my morning walk-thru of the gardens, I spotted one pretty lil’ [self-seeded “Sun Gold” wonder] orange cherry! It was promptly brushed off, and eaten. In the sun. Surrounded by bumblers and hoverflies. I think my neighbour’s cat was watching me…

    @ Everyone talking about BLT’s: MMMM!!! ♥

    Reply to Donna B.'s comment

  10. Danielle on July 18, 2011 at 10:23 am

    Congrats on your first tomato. Isn’t that the best? We are lucky to live a little bit more South so we’ve been harvesting romas, cherries and just picked our first Brandywine’s this weekend. I think this week I’ll have to make a tomato pie!

    Reply to Danielle's comment

  11. t on July 18, 2011 at 10:25 am

    It really is the flagship of gardening on the right path.
    This is the first year I haven’t gone with a ton of tomatos. In years gone by they get really mooshy with the brown stinkbugs.
    Do you have problems with stinkbugs?
    What organic means do you have to get rid of them?
    Thanks,
    T

    Reply to t's comment

  12. MAYBELLINE on July 18, 2011 at 11:06 am

    Harvesting started last week but the recent cool weather has slowed production. Canning was postponed until this weekend and next.

    Reply to MAYBELLINE's comment

  13. Candie on July 18, 2011 at 11:18 am

    I have lots of green ones but no red yet!! We are getting close though

    Reply to Candie's comment

  14. Barefeet In The Kitchen on July 18, 2011 at 12:07 pm

    We’ve been harvesting a few varieties for a couple of months and the rest have finally ripened over the last couple of weeks. We’re in Phoenix though, so the heat is likely to kill several of them off over the next month. We’ll see though. I’m crossing my fingers that they will make it through fall.

    Reply to Barefeet In The Kitchen's comment

  15. Sincerely, Emily on July 18, 2011 at 12:44 pm

    Oh congratulation on picking your first tomatoes. That is so very exciting. It is so strange to think you are on your 1st and I am on my last. I stopped watering my tomatoes a few weeks ago, our season is over and it is too dry. We should be planting our fall tomatoes in a few weeks. I still have many green tomatoes out there that are slowly ripening on the bushes. I had plans to trim back the current bushes and let them re-grow, but with no rain that isn’t going to happen. Enjoy your tomatoes! Emily

    Reply to Sincerely, Emily's comment

  16. Jenny on July 18, 2011 at 12:45 pm

    We’re still waiting–we had a cold spring which slowed the tomatoes down quite a bit.

    Reply to Jenny's comment

  17. KimH on July 18, 2011 at 7:03 pm

    None up here by the lake either.. Not yet.. but soon! I think Im at least a week behind you in ripening.. Im keeping a look out but my tomatoes have turned into a jungle I definitely wasnt expecting.. They’re loaded too..
    Hope the icky weather predicted for tonight passes us by.. (crossing my fingers & saying a prayer) :D

    Reply to KimH's comment

  18. Eleanor on July 18, 2011 at 8:51 pm

    I’m still a few weeks away here in New Hampshire, but the plants are healthy and loaded. I can’t wait! I’m reading Tomatoland right now — makes me more appreciative than ever of my precious heirlooms!

    Reply to Eleanor's comment

  19. goatpod2 on July 18, 2011 at 9:01 pm

    Haven’t picked a tomato here yet, they’re getting awfully big and still green though!

    Amy

    Reply to goatpod2's comment

  20. Mistresseve on July 18, 2011 at 10:44 pm

    I’ve got lots of plump, sexy tomatos teasing me from the vine, but none are even close to ripe. Drat!

    Reply to Mistresseve's comment

  21. Wendy on July 19, 2011 at 12:47 am

    We’re not even close, but ever hopeful!

    Reply to Wendy's comment

  22. Patricia on July 19, 2011 at 9:55 am

    Congrats on your first tomatoes! I harvested my first Sungold cherry tomato on July 6, but it has been a very frustrating summer. The squirrels have been hauling away a few during the day, and during the night, an opposum has made major midnight raids, taking all the large green tomatoes from my 12 plants! I’ve tried hot-pepper spray, bone-meal rings on the ground, and tying tulle around the fruit. None of that worked. The only thing that seems to be working is wrapping foil around the fruit in the evening and then removing the foil in the morning. It’s a lot of work, but I’m determined to harvest something from all my hard work! I’ve been babying these tomato plants since I started them in March!

    Reply to Patricia's comment

  23. ron Bowen on July 20, 2011 at 1:02 pm

    Been picking tomatoes for 2 months. Living in arizona has it’s perks. Silver fir tree is a determint that has almost run it’s course. sungold and tiny tim doing great. zuchinni tasting great. Growing everything in self watering totes that I make myself. Only have to water every 2 days, even in 105 degree temps. Roma and patio coming on strong. Growing everything in a chincken wired screened house with shade cloth on top. 80 tomatoe plants 30 zuchinni , strawberry plants and more.
    It is the only way to stop critters in the middle of desert. keeps everything from ground squirrles to rabbits, fox to mountain lions out In totes because only way to stop golphers

    Reply to ron Bowen's comment

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This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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