Urgent Tomato Thread!

[Hop]

Where are my eyes and ears out there? I need some good tomatoes! Who know of a good local stand? If anyone knows of any...please shout out....i need a summer tomato fix. THANKS!

[seacrestkristi]

We got some nice ones at Cotten's in freeport on 331 last week.

[Hop]

We got some nice ones at Cotten's in freeport on 331 last week.

thanks SCK! anything on 98?

[Jdarg]

My house in about a week.

[kurt]

Tell me when and where dinner is and I may give you secret info.

[Jdarg]

I ought to give the tomatoes to Toots and let her cook'em up.

[Hop]

My house in about a week.

careful what you say... daddy-o is a tomato fiend...you might find him rootin' around in your patch....

[kurt]

I trade SoWal gear for maters.

[DD]

I trade SoWal gear for maters.

I will remember this.

[Smiling JOe]

I trade SoWal gear for maters.

How much SoWal gear for a HOME-GROWN mater? Harvested my first one this afternoon.

[Jdarg]

How much SoWal gear for a HOME-GROWN mater? Harvested my first one this afternoon.

Showoff.

Mine are growing in whiskey barrels.

[kurt]

mmmmmmmmmmm maters

[Teresa]

Hop, this is a very serious matter and the most important thread ever started on this entire board. not kidding. there are no good maters in sowal. period. I don't care what people tell you. they ain't here. here is what you do.

call skunkape immediately and offer him whatever you have to offer him for a basket of creole tomatoes. he can bring them to you on his next trip back from NO. they are still in season. he brought me some. and they were the best.

maybe we need to give him a bundle of cash and ask for a few boxes.

[Mango]

You can have all the maters you want in July and August. Seems like they all get ripe at once and I have more than I can ever eat or give away cause everyone else in the hood has maters too.

[Smiling JOe]

there are no good maters in sowal. period. I don't care what people tell you. they ain't here.

They grow really well down here. You just have to plant your own, which are about 1000 times better than any gassed tomatoes which you buy at the store.

[NoHall]

Where are my eyes and ears out there? I need some good tomatoes! Who know of a good local stand? If anyone knows of any...please shout out....i need a summer tomato fix. THANKS!

My backyard, too, later this summer. If I need to make a special trip down there for a couple of days to bring you maters, I will...(Nothing to do with my jonesing for SoWal at all; just pure love. )

[NoHall]

p.s. As many offers as you've had for Florida maters, they ain't home maters. (Not that I miss surfing at all.)

p.s. again: Saw your baby bro tonight.

[Smiling JOe]

Guy Clark wrote a song about HomeGrown Tomatoes

There's nothin' in the world that I like better than
Bacon, lettuce and home grown tomatoes
Up in the morning and out in the garden
Pick you a ripe one, don't get a hard 'un
Plant 'em in the springtime eat 'em in the summer
All winter without 'em's a culinary bummer
I forget all about the sweatin' and the diggin'
Every time I go out and pick me a big'un

{Refrain}
Home grown tomatoes, home grown tomatoes
What'd life be without home grown tomatoes
There's only two things that money can't buy
That's true love and home grown tomatoes

You can go out and eat 'em, that's for sure
But there's nothin' a home grown tomato won't cure
You can put 'em in a salad, put 'em in a stew
You can make your own, very own tomato juice
You can eat 'em with eggs, you can eat 'em with gravy
You can eat 'em with beans, pinto or navy
Put em on the side, put em on the middle
Home grown tomatoes on a hot cake griddle

{Refrain}

If I could change this life I lead
You could call me Johnny Tomato Seed
I know what this country needs
It's home grown tomatoes in every yard you see
When I die don't bury me
In a box in a cold dark cemetery
Out in the garden would be much better
Where I could be pushin' up home grown tomatoes

[Cheering472]

Oh man I can't wait. 'Mater samiches are the best.

[Smiling JOe]

The real question is, who loves to eat tomatoes more than my dogs? You've heard of people putting up rabbit fences around the garden? I may need to put up a dog fence around my maters.

[rapunzel]

I will be harvesting my first tomato this morning!

[Hop]

aren't there usually a couple Ga/Ala stands on 98?!?! ya'll aren't helping...you're just bragging...unless you're gonna offload a couple on poor ole hop...

[rapunzel]

There is usually a guy on the side of the road just east of Beach Clean car wash -- he had some excellent tomatoes, but I haven't seen him out yet. Since our tomatoes are all ripening right now, he'll probably be out in a week or so if the lack of rain hasn't decimated the tomato crops around here.

Hop, I'm making a Cotton's run this afternoon unless it rains. Would you like me to pick up some extras?

[kurt]

The maters (and other veggies) you get at stands now are often the same as from the grocery store unless they are in season locally. Cotton's, when they were in SoWal, only got good maters in the summer from Sand Mt. Alabama.

[rapunzel]

I had some from Cotton's last week that weren't bad. They didn't compare to the creole's, but they weren't bad. The ones I've had from Publix were mealy and bad.

Anyone have a better source?

And why, for the love of all that is holy, is there not a farmer's market in Walton County?

[Smiling JOe]

I had some from Cotton's last week that weren't bad. They didn't compare to the creole's, but they weren't bad. The ones I've had from Publix were mealy and bad.

Anyone have a better source?

And why, for the love of all that is holy, is there not a farmer's market in Walton County?

Kurt is right about the road side stands around here getting their produce from the same sources as the groceries. If they were vine ripened tomatoes, they wouldn't be sitting on a truck full of them sitting out in the sun. They would spoil too quickly. They are most likely harvested before they are ripened, which means they will not be nearly as sweet as homegrown maters.

The reason you cannot find a local farmers market in SoWal is because land is to pricey to grow tomatoes and potatoes on it. It is much more profitable to grow houses. It doesn't take much of a green thumb to grow maters and you can even grow them in 5 gal buckets on your porch, if you don't have a yard.

[kurt]

I had some from Cotton's last week that weren't bad. They didn't compare to the creole's, but they weren't bad. The ones I've had from Publix were mealy and bad.

Anyone have a better source?

And why, for the love of all that is holy, is there not a farmer's market in Walton County?

For the Health Of It often has good ones, The Ugly Tomatoes at Publix are OK, Tony's Nursery near Elmo's sells them off the plant.

[Uncle Timmy]

Hop, this is a very serious matter and the most important thread ever started on this entire board. not kidding. there are no good maters in sowal. period. I don't care what people tell you.

I like your thinking missy. Maybe General Tootsie needs to rally the troops and start a tomato growing movement.

Victory Tomato Gardens, ala WWII.

[scooterbug44]

I used to get great produce from a guy who would sell at Gulf Place on saturdays, then he disappeared. It was like a mini farmer's market and if you gave him a week's notice he'd get special items. Anyone know where he went?

[Hop]

There is usually a guy on the side of the road just east of Beach Clean car wash -- he had some excellent tomatoes, but I haven't seen him out yet. Since our tomatoes are all ripening right now, he'll probably be out in a week or so if the lack of rain hasn't decimated the tomato crops around here.

Hop, I'm making a Cotton's run this afternoon unless it rains. Would you like me to pick up some extras?

thanks punzy...i'm too busy to try and meet up somewhere...i'll try the place by elmos...we grew some last year that tasted good but the harvest was pretty weak and eventually the bugs got to them...despite all my efforts to keep them off...

[Hop]

There is usually a guy on the side of the road just east of Beach Clean car wash -- he had some excellent tomatoes, but I haven't seen him out yet. Since our tomatoes are all ripening right now, he'll probably be out in a week or so if the lack of rain hasn't decimated the tomato crops around here.

Hop, I'm making a Cotton's run this afternoon unless it rains. Would you like me to pick up some extras?

thanks punzy...i'm too busy to try and meet up somewhere...i'll try the place by elmos...we grew some last year that tasted good but the harvest was pretty weak and eventually the bugs got to them...despite all my efforts to keep them off...

[rapunzel]

I forgot all about Toni's. I will try Toni's first.

[Teresa]

They grow really well down here. You just have to plant your own, which are about 1000 times better than any gassed tomatoes which you buy at the store.

I wish I knew how to grow 'em. I've been given backyard maters that were either just okay or really wonderful. usually though there aren't enough of them to make a big ole pot of fresh tomato sauce for pasta. or a gallon of fresh salsa. but they are so good in a salad or on a sandwich!

but I'm not kidding you, those creole maters are usually the best I've ever had in this country. as much as I love tomato products (ketchup, salsa, etc), I never would even eat a tomato until my first trip to Italy about 12 years ago. they were so beautiful that I could not resist. so I have enjoyed good tomatoes since. still, I've never had one that comes close to the ones in Italy (the locally grown fruits and veggies in their little groceries are the most beautiful foods I've ever seen) I'm still very very particular about which tomatoes I will eat. there is something about the look, smell and texture of a tomato that is just so important. I cannot eat one unless it smells right. don't know how to explain it.

when in a real bind, I'll buy two kinds at publix: roma and/or ugly. these are fine for cooking and okay for salads, etc. and in winter, I depend on canned whole tomatoes (hunts organic) - which are very nice and flavorful.

[Teresa]

For the Health Of It often has good ones, The Ugly Tomatoes at Publix are OK, Tony's Nursery near Elmo's sells them off the plant.

Tony's has hydroponic tomatoes grown by someone in Walton Co. they are kind of small though. but, pretty and tasty. but, I need those big ole fat juicy ones by dam! sorry.

[30A Skunkape]

I scored three big fat Creoles at Wal-Mart yesterday...$1.48/pound!

[DD]

Tony's has hydroponic tomatoes grown by someone in Walton Co. they are kind of small though. but, pretty and tasty. but, I need those big ole fat juicy ones by dam! sorry.

[Teresa]

I scored three big fat Creoles at Wal-Mart yesterday...$1.48/pound!

what? walmart??? destin???

you are too good to me.

[Smiling JOe]

I would avoid the tomatoes which look photoshopped.

[30A Skunkape]

[QUOTE=Tootsie;248668]what? walmart??? destin???




The same city that is going to be hosting the French Market Creole Tomato Festival this weekend!!!

[DD]

I would avoid the tomatoes which look photoshopped.

[Teresa]

[quote=30A Skunkape;248670]

what? walmart??? destin???




The same city that is going to be hosting the French Market Creole Tomato Festival this weekend!!!

oh hail. I forgot you were in NO. I thought I was going to have to drive to destin TODAY if they had creoles.

okay, when are you coming back? wait, I know someone coming in next week who can bring some... but skunk - don't even think of coming back into town without the creoles.

[30A Skunkape]

[QUOTE=Tootsie;248674]

oh hail. I forgot you were in NO. I thought I was going to have to drive to destin TODAY if they had creoles.

okay, when are you coming back? wait, I know someone coming in next week who can bring some... but skunk - don't even think of coming back into town without the creoles.

Alrighty then Had one with breakfast yesterday, will have one tonight. By the way, do you like fire roasted tomatoes? I had some out of a can (don't know the name, but it was a fancy brand Rapunz got at Whole Foods) last night that were out of sight delicious...I stewed them down with a little garlic and capers, then simmered flounder in it until the fish was done. Yum-O!

[Teresa]

[quote=30A Skunkape;248679]

Alrighty then Had one with breakfast yesterday, will have one tonight. By the way, do you like fire roasted tomatoes? I had some out of a can (don't know the name, but it was a fancy brand Rapunz got at Whole Foods) last night that were out of sight delicious...I stewed them down with a little garlic and capers, then simmered flounder in it until the fish was done. Yum-O!

you know, I've never tried the fire roasted tomatoes. I will! and your fish idea is wonderful! I shall copy you! where is the punz?

[30A Skunkape]

[QUOTE=Tootsie;248697]

you know, I've never tried the fire roasted tomatoes. I will! and your fish idea is wonderful! I shall copy you! where is the punz?

Somewhere in SOWAL conspiring against me

[rapunzel]

Well, Tootsie was right. I looked high and low and there wasn't a decent homegrown tomato to be had in SoWal today. I went to every place mentioned on this thread...nothing quite right.

I did score some excellent greek yogurt at For the Health of It, which I highly recommend...I'm having the fig yougurt for lunch now. But I really would have preferred a big plate of tomato slices.

I'll get back to my plotting now....

[30A Skunkape]

Well, Tootsie was right. I looked high and low and there wasn't a decent homegrown tomato to be had in SoWal today. I went to every place mentioned on this thread...nothing quite right.

I did score some excellent greek yogurt at For the Health of It, which I highly recommend...I'm having the fig yougurt for lunch now. But I really would have preferred a big plate of tomato slices.

I'll get back to my plotting now....

You eat lunch too late.

[beachmouse]

What brand of greek yogurt does For the Health of It carry? I've gotten hooked on the Fage greek yogurt Publix carries, but I'm always on the lookout for good stuff.

[rapunzel]

What brand of greek yogurt does For the Health of It carry? I've gotten hooked on the Fage greek yogurt Publix carries, but I'm always on the lookout for good stuff.

I love the Fage...especially the kind that has the little honey compartment. The brand at For the Health of It is called Greek God. It was outstanding. A little story to illustrate the point -- I have a dachshund, and she sometimes has tummy issues and I've tried to get her to eat yogurt before to no avail. Today, she was BEGGING for my yogurt. To shut her up I gave her a spoonful to prove she wouldn't like it. I was wrong...she inhaled it and begged for more.

For dessert, I had my one little tomato. He was excellent.

[Hop]

[QUOTE=30A Skunkape;248679]

...I stewed them down with a little garlic and capers, then simmered flounder in it until the fish was done. Yum-O!

what time should we come over?

Well, Tootsie was right. I looked high and low and there wasn't a decent homegrown tomato to be had in SoWal today. I went to every place mentioned on this thread...nothing quite right.

thanks for scouting...i guess it may be a another week or so before we start seeing them...except @ jdarg and sj's place...

[Smiling JOe]

Had I known that there were so many HGM fans out there, I would have planted more than 4 plants.