I was never a huge tomato fan, but that was before Brown’s Grove started selling heirlooms at the Downtown Sarasota Farmer’s Market. What a refreshing break from the sea of boring red tomatoes at the grocery store. The Black Cherries were the first to draw me in. I love the soda; it only made sense that I would love the tomato. I already visited Brown’s stand regularly for their fresh local citrus; their Honey Murcott Oranges are amazing, but that’s a whole other post. They offer a dozen varieties of heirlooms including Black Prince, German Strawberry and Roman Candle. The colors make them appetizing; the flavors make them addictive! They’ll only be in season for another two months, so don’t miss out. For all the organics out there – Brown’s isn’t an organic grove, but they’re a third generation, family-run local farm and hold seemingly minimalist views on chemicals. Their website says, “Our fruit is tree-ripened, never picked early or chemically degreened.”
Monthly Archives: May 2009
Local Heirlooms
A Reason to Love the Rain
Living in Florida conditions you to crave the sun. Before I gardened I hated the rain, all it offered were dirty floors and a quick bout of depression (probably incited by all the extra mopping). That was BRL – before rain lilies. An unexpected inheritance from the prior owner, they started springing up in every corner of the yard. It took me a while to make the connection, but they start popping two to three days after a good rain storm during the summer. I’ve forced them once or twice to spruce up the yard for company. They’re not as flashy as they are after a real rain, but they’ll deliver a nice display. They multiply fast and come in a variety of colors. Locally, I’ve seen light pink, dark pink, red, and white.
Garden Spells & Grapefruit
Since this blog is so new, it seems fitting to continue on with the tour of my garden. This is my grapefruit tree, the grandfather of the garden. The house was built in 1950, and I’m not sure which came first – the house or the tree. Every season it delivers the juiciest, most delicious pink grapefruit I’ve ever tasted. That’s partly the reason it’s decorated – to give my thanks. The other reason is the book, Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen. I’ve been part of a book club for almost two years now, and I can speak for every member when I say, Garden Spells is our favorite book by far. After reading it, this tree grew more than grapefruits; it grew a personality. It’s my apple tree…my fiancé even threw a grapefruit at me for inspiration. That sounds strange and maybe even borderline abusive, but read the book. I promise you’ll laugh out loud the next time a piece of fruit is hurled at your back.
