The Fruits of Our Labor

 Mountain Springs tomato patch(the Have-A-Heart trap is behind the scarecrow)

    

     My early recollection of anything 'tomatoes' is when playing in and out of the laundry/canning room in my grandmother's backyard.  I remember the hot, steamy, 'tomato' smelling air as my brother and I would run in and out of the room, always banging the screen door. My grandmother, mother, and aunt would spend a day or two every summer (always the hottest day of the summer, I'm sure) canning tomatoes for the winter.  At the time, you couldn't get me to even taste a tomato!

     Things change.  Maybe the aroma of all those hot tomatoes simmering in a pot on the stove finally 'took'.  Today, I LOVE tomatoes.  Red better boys and Park whoppers, yellow Lillians, orange-lobbed Kellogg Breakfasts, green striped Zebras, green and red Mr. Stripys, little sungolds,  and the dark, rich red/green of Cherokee Purples.  I have never met a tomato I didn't love--EXCEPT those 'cardboard' tomatoes you find in the grocery store in winter.  I don't consider those tomatoes and resort to canned tomatoes at that time of year. 

Summer bounty

     When tending a garden, as all gardners know, there is competition with the 'critter' world.  A few days ago, I noticed signs of one of these 'critters'.  The half-eaten, nearly ripe, tomato, still on the vine, alerted me that I wasn't the only one that appreciated a lucious tomato.   Again, the next day, more half-eaten tomatoes still clinging to the vine.  We suspect a groundhog  made a trip or two through the tomato patch. 

     Jack googled 'trapping groundhogs'  and soon found "How to Quickly and Easily Trap Nuisance Groundhogs".  Obviously, it is a hot topic since there was lots of advice.  We now have our Have-A-Heart trap baited with carrots(that's what they say groundhogs love!) and set out in the midst of the vines. 

     No groundhog this morning, but no new half-eaten tomatoes either.  We have also encouraged Molly and Daisy to make rounds every hour through the area.  They are such a help.  Last week they rid the garden of a mole who had made several tunnels through the garden. And,  woefully, a few rabbits!

"But don't go into Mr. McGregor's garden."

                                             The Tale of Peter Rabbit

                                                             Beatrix Potter