The Neighborhood Farm Newsletter 8-8-08
Greetings from The Neighborhood Farm!
If there is one crop that we specialize in, it's heirloom tomatoes.
"Heirloom tomato" has become a popular term in the last few years,
and it has lost some of it's meaning as the label is applied to all
sorts of tomatoes that probably don't deserve it. An heirloom
tomato (potato, carrot, eggplant, lettuce, etc) is an old fashioned
variety. There are hundreds and hundreds of old fashioned tomato
varieties, many with quirky names like Aunt Ruby's German Green or
Cosmonaut Volkov. Heirloom tomatoes are often "ugly" with weird
shapes and color patterns, because they weren't bred for looks, but
rather to have the best flavor and to perform well under the growing
conditions in the area they were bred. Thus New England had
different varieties of tomatoes than Italy. As large scale,
commercial agriculture became widespread, new varieties of tomatoes
were bred that were suitable for this new type of farming. Tomatoes
that could be shipped cross-country, that ripened long after they
were harvested, that were all the same shape and size (easy to
pack!), and had a generic tomato "look" replaced the heirloom
varieties in most markets. Flavor was not a primary consideration.
Now that farmer's markets are more common, and we are experiencing a
little local food renaissance, people are rediscovering these
heirloom tomatoes and other wonderful vegetables. However, the big
stores are also aware of a marketing niche and are trying to fill
it. If you buy heirloom tomatoes from the grocery store they
probably aren't going to taste like the heirloom tomatoes you buy
from the farmer's market. Produce from the grocery store has
(usually) had a long journey before it reaches you. To ship
heirloom tomatoes long distance, you must pick them long before they
are ripe, and let them ripen en route. This doesn't allow the
tomatoes to develop their flavor like they would if they were left
on the vine longer. No grower can let them ripen on the vine
fully. Even a tiny, local grower like us has to pick them when they
are about 3/4 ripe. Otherwise we would pick tomatoes Wednesday
mornings and they would be melting into mush at market on Wednesday
afternoons. However, those extra days on the vine make a world of
difference.
Once you've found some delicious, fresh tomatoes, they can still be
ruined - DON'T PUT TOMATOES IN THE REFRIGERATOR! They will lose
their flavor and their texture will change. To keep tomatoes in
your house, leave them on the counter, out of the sun. I wrap mine
in a paper towel or thin tea towel to keep fruit flies at bay and to
allow them to breathe. If you put them in a plastic bag, any excess
moisture is trapped and they tend to get mushy and moldy more
quickly. If you are choosing tomatoes and you don't want to eat
them for a few days, pick the ones showing a little less color at
the shoulder (next to the stem).
I want to conclude this newsletter on a
totally different topic. Many people have noticed a garden site at
the Newman School on Central Ave in Needham. This garden site
belongs to the Needham Farm Committee, a group of local folks trying
to start up an educational, community farm like in Natick and
Newton. Here is a blurb from the Needham Farm Committee explaining
their wonderful project:
"The
Needham Community Farm Committee was formed a year ago with the
mission of finding
open space in Needham for a sustainable organic farm and education
center.
Our pilot program was started this past spring at 147 Central
Avenue, next to the Needham Historical Society and the Newman
Elementary School. We are working with the Needham Science Center
and Newman teachers to provide hands-on opportunities for learning.
Newman students planted in our four vegetable gardens and the
produce is growing beautifully. Most of what we harvest is donated
to the Needham Community Council Food Pantry.
The pilot program is just the
first step in a long-term vision for the community. We are
looking for a permanent location for our education center that
will allow for a dynamic, hands-on curriculum to engage
residents of all ages. To learn more about the Needham
Community Farm, visit
www.needhamfarm.org."
Next - 8/15/08
Previous - 8/1/08
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