Tomatoes, tomatoes, and more tomatoes. Mid-summer is here, and we are in full tomato production. In the past weeks, I've made a vat of gazpacho, many bowls of summer pasta, bruschetta, corn-tomato salsa, and caprese salad. Got any other ideas?
We delivered tomatoes to all of the neighbors -- more than once. I don't feel so bad now about never getting around to giving them any home-baked Christmas cookies last December. Flavorful organic tomatoes have to compensate for that oversight. With one neighbor, we've initiated an open-gate, barter policy. They are free to come in our yard anytime to harvest tomatoes. In return, they've granted us full access to their overburdened orange tree. Already this week, we've consumed two big pitchers of fresh-squeezed juice.
Most of the other vegetation is keeping up, too. A couple of red bell peppers are about ready to pick, the basil recovered from its earlier slug onslaught, and the grapes are plentiful and will hopefully ripen in a month or so.
Given the drought, we've been considering expanding our edible garden project beyond the fence and onto the front lawn. The local dry conditions have made it almost unpatriotic to water the grass, and brown lawns are everywhere. Why not remove some of our scratchy dry grass and install a few more raised beds?
But this is how it starts, right, the slippery slope to eccentricity. Soon we'll have a permanent scarecrow standing in front of the house, not just a Halloween decoration, and Dennis and I will be begging the passing dogwalkers and stroller mothers to cart off a rutabaga or two. Neighborhood kids will avoid our house. "Not that street! That corner is where the spinach pushers live." You can see how this idea might get out of hand. But still, it's under consideration.
What do you think? Should we install a few raised beds streetside, yea or nay?
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