Houston, We Have Tomatoes!

It's been a long time coming but I can finally reap some of the fruits of my labors as the tomato plant I started growing last May is at last yielding some honest-to-goodness vine-ripened tomatoes!  

With the way the weather has been going this summer and all the rain that we were having, I was beginning to despair of ever actually getting any edible tomatoes from my plant as a lot of people were having problems with tomatoes rotting on the vines and what-not.  Perhaps having grown my tomato plant in a container on the porch made a difference as the plant wasn't subject to the elements like a traditional plant in a garden would be and rather than it being drenched on a constant basis, I had to make sure to water it at least every other day so it wouldn't dry out.

These three little beauties are the first pick of the vine and I'm as proud as any kid entering their own homegrown goodness into one of the local fairs!   Granted, they are certainly nowhere near good enough to earn a ribbon, blue or otherwise, at the fair as they aren't very big and the top two need to ripen up just a bit more but to me they are definitely winners! 

Of course, the proof is in the eating so with my mouth watering for a taste of vine-ripened goodness I sliced up the ripest tomato, arranged it on a plate, and sprinkled it with salt for one quick photo before sitting down with a fork and enjoying every single mouthful. Let me just say - it was absolutely delicious and I can't wait for the others to ripen up a bit more so I can eat those, too!

No wonder people like to garden - it gives you a sense of accomplishment that going into a grocery store and buying something off of the shelf never could.  Perhaps next year I'll try growing some peas, too!