Since we moved here over 3 years ago, my hubby has diligently set out tomato plants and we have managed to enjoy a few each year, not a huge harvest, but several tomatoes of our own. I got really spoiled growing up, since my dad is a major farmer and has grown tomatoes since I was a little girl. Many years of fresh home-grown tomatoes. If you have never tasted a home grown tomato, you are missing out on something special in life, I promise you. I’ve been waiting patiently this year for the tomatoes to start ripening, looking for that red to start appearing, which means something BIG around our house. Can you guess what that is?
A fresh home-grown tomato sandwich! Oh man, do I love those or what?
I’m so proud of Peter. He has hung in there with the tomatoes and this year they are looking better than ever. I think the soil had to get better conditioned, but now 3 years into our gardening, his tomato plants are huge and full of tomato clusters. Just like my daddy grows!
Not stopping at tomatoes, though…my hubby even bought some fencing and added pole beans to our front yard (insert eye rolling here). I had to laugh. I’m sure the neighbors think we are some kind of Jed Clampett neighbors, but that’s OK. When we are eating fresh beans soon, we’ll be the ones chuckling to ourselves. I do have plans for some landscaping in this area eventually (it’s in dire need of it), but in the meantime, pole beans it is. 🙂 He’s also got some squash and cantaloupes planted in the backyard.
Not to mention the blueberries I told you about in the front yard. These 6 plants are doing great and we’ll even have some ripe blueberries shortly to enjoy, as all of them have several clusters of fruit already.
The blackberries are just getting started in the back, but we hope to get these trained and maybe by next year, we’ll have some fruit like Petals from the Past features. The most amazing blackberries you’ve ever seen, which I told you about here last year.
There’s my resident farmer now, petting the next door neighbor’s dog.
So, back to the tomatoes. They are getting ripe now and we’ve eaten our first tomatoes of the year. And I’ll tell ya this, it’s SO great to go outside and pick a tomato and slice it up for dinner.
And the time came for that first tomato sandwich of the summer just this week. Loved it!! You can bet I eat a bunch of these every year. So, do ya’ll love tomato sandwiches too or is that just a Southern thing? I can just about bet that those of you raised in the South know all about them. 🙂
Had to try out my vintage plate with a ‘mater sandwich and some chips.
Ain’t nothin’ better, my friends!
Joining Jen today for Tasty Tuesday.
LOL! You sound just like my Momma. She loves her tomato sandwiches! I'm more into the other Southern delicacy – banana sandwiches!
I'm jealous! Here in Missouri our tomatoes are green and about the size of ping-pong balls. But, we're gettin' there.
I like a little bacon and lettuce on my tomato sandwich. Can hardly wait!
Ah, we are soon to enjoy our tomatoes. The wait is almost unbearable. Your's are beautiful. Thanks for sharing!
Loved your blog. Hope to be back soon
Mmmmmm, I think BLT's sound mighty nice about now. That is what seeing your home grown tomatoes make me think of.
Love the vintage plates you found. Very pretty.
Great looking sandwich on a great looking new plate! Elizabeth H
We don't have ripe tomatoes yet, but I am so looking forward to them. I love mayonaise and tomato sandwiches. I don't add any seasonings whatsoever. I also like it on white bread, not whole wheat.
My tomatoes aren't ripe, but I just put the first green beans of the season on two cook. I will also have coleslaw from cabbage from the garden, onions, cucumbers and fried potatoes. Yum yum! Doesn't get any better. Isn't it great to be a southern girl?
I just had a tomato sandwich also – the ones my daughter and I are growing have not ripen yet -so had to purchase a couple from the local farmers market, but I like the white bread – can't go the wheat – just not the same –
Love your blog
OMG! You already have ripe tomatoes????? I'm so jealous! It'll be another couple of months before we get to enjoy our first red ripe tomato. My favorite recipe using tomatoes is a tomato tart. Oh so good!
Amen! I haven't had my first tomato sandwich of the summer yet, but my taste buds are all set.
Walk out to the garden on a warm summer day ~ spy a bit of red hanging in the leaves, pick that tomato, and bite down into it. Warm, red juices run down your chin. Nothin' better…
Hey Rhoda,
Elijah's Barrel is a thrift/antique/general store with decor and pricing from a "by-gone era".
If I remember correctly,they now have 4 separate locations(different kinds of merchandise in each)around a block wide radius.
I've been thinking about doing a post on it for some time so maybe this week,I'll go there and take some pics.I'll let you know if I do.:)
I've lived in SC my whole life, but my parents never ate tomato sandwiches, so I didn't know about them until I got married. I'm a little funny about mayo, so I use cream cheese instead; that plus one of hub's homegrown tomatoes: oh man, is that good!
We are growing tomatoes for the first time. But ours haven't ripened up yet. I've never had a tomato sandwich. Not sure if I would like just having tomatoes. I'm a meat kind of gal. Need to have some meat with my tomatoes.
That sandwich made my mouth water. Off to the farmer's market I go.
yummy
Wow, y'all have got a garden goin' on!! 🙂 We only have 3 little tomato plants right now, but we'll get there someday. 😉
Oh, yes. Home grown tomatoes. You're right: ain't nothing better!
And I notice that your tomato sandwich is on wheat bread. This is good; you're being a good eater. But I do hope that you still eat your baloney sandwiches on white bread. Please tell me you eat baloney sandwiches sometimes.
Reading your post makes me wish I could go back to the Irondale Cafe. Yum, yum.
Hi Rhoda, I LOVE tomato sandwiches! Ours aren't ripe yet. Mayo and pepper…that's good. Speaking of gardening, check out my giveaway.
Oh those veggies look wonderful!
I could really go for a sandwich like that right now.
sandy toe