The $22 Tomato

Perfectly’s Dad has a farm…..ei ei OHHHHH. And on this farm he has a GARDEN! Ei ei OHHHHH! With a Tomato plant here, a zucchini plant there, here a plant, there a plant, everywhere a plant plant.

I guess you get the picture. And as you all know, Perfectly isn’t the outdoorsy sort. At all. Ever. Unless it’s under an umbrella (patio, or beach) with a pretty, sparkly drink in her green nailed hand. But do I ever love the garden. Actually the PRODUCE from the garden. I don’t work in it. I break out easily, and don’t enjoy the laborious nature of garden work. Oh, I may go on a pleasant afternoon and casually gaze at the budding veggies, but that’s about the extent of my gardening interest. Other than preparing and eating the bounty

However, I am mildly obsessed with gardening from afar. As in, things I want IN the garden and organic compost that I want Mr. P and my dad to deal with to provide me with healthy, yummy produce. I want home remedy pesticides, and compost (luckily Perfectly’s dad has plenty of Moo Manure on his place to help the compost cook). I want HEIRLOOM tomatoes, and other heirloom veggies.

So, as it happens sometimes, my dad and I actually shared a similar thought. As we were discussing the items we (as in Mr. P and me) would like to add to his garden, Perfectly’s dad mentioned that he’d like some heirloom tomatoes this year. Say WHAAATTTT?? My dad wanting something kind of hippy and trendy? Something other than Big Boy, and Big Bertha beefsteaks?

Armed with this information, I began perusing the internet yesterday looking for information on heirloom tomatoes. Somehow, buying an heirloom tomato plant from Lowe’s or Wal Mart seems so…well, not right…….like fake or something. What about REAL heirloom tomatoes?

I ran across a site—freakishly called heirloomtomatoplants.com! Run by a seemingly VERY nice lady named Laurel. And on her site she has HUNDREDS of heirloom varieties! And her descriptions need to be academy award winning…….the words bountiful, luscious, juicy, velvety, fragrant, complex…..ABOUND in her site. It’s too much for a wanna be hippy/bohemian to take!! I was drawn to her purple colored explanation that she had some ORIGINAL ‘Purple Haze’ tomato seeds…..only 300. And she was taking pre-orders for this FABULOUS…..RARE…..top of the line plant! Only ONE PER CUSTOMER.

Well-----nobody is going to deprive Perfectly of a RARE, purple tomato plant…NOBODY!! I was going to get my one per customer plant!! So, as soon as I thought she may be open for business (she’s in California, which is 2 hours behind us in time), I called her. She excitedly told me that there were very limited supplies of the Purple Haze………and she was SO EXCITED about them……and yes, I could just order one item……..she’d be happy to send it out according to our planting ‘zone’ here in Missouri. How would I like to pay? Debit card? No problem!!

That will be $22.75 with the plant, shipping and handling. Thank you for your order. I hope you decide to order more plants from us later on!!

Holy seeds, Batman. I now have a Hella expensive tomato plant on order. One that cost quadruple of one I could have gotten from Lowe’s or Wal Mart---which I’m sure are chock full of pesticides. Sigh. I’ve informed Dad and Mr. P that they WILL lovingly support my Purple Haze tomato Plant, and make it grow. Baby it…nurture it…..love it. DAMN IT….I will get purple tomatoes!!!! Won’t I?

Guess, what, though? I plan on ordering more next week!!! Mr. P will kill me. So will Perfectly’s dad. But OMG….how fun are the rare varieties of plants? The fruit that is BURSTING with luscious flavor?

Oh, yes folks. I’ve got my list started. Hawaiian Current, Marianna’s Peace and German yellow. I may even get a book from the Library about heirloom tomatoes.

Tomorrow, kids, we’ll discuss composting from afar. Mr. P will be THRILLED!! I’ll have to buy some drink umbrellas l so I can watch the gardening with STYLE!!

Toodles for now…….