Heirloom tomatoes add Magical qualities SHF1848

The sun was shining and some fresh new tunes were playing when the mail person drove up the drive, honked her horn and delivered the package. She had a smile on her face, not sure if it was based on the rare rays of radiant sun or what she was delivering. Regardless we were grateful for both the smile and the package. The sunshine was the cherry on top with its beneficial vitamin D and other magical qualities.

The package contained some 60 packets of organically grown primarily indeterminate heirloom tomatoes seeds, each holding at least 30 seeds. These are all the new varieties slated for the 2011 crop in addition to the seeds saved from the 2010 harvest. That’s a lot of tomatoes. The excitement is as hard to contain as is the impulse to start seeding them on a sunny day. The Schoolhouse Farmers are planning an epic Heirloom tomato season for the upcoming year regardless how much cold and snow is in the forecast. The thought of fields of fruit ripening under the hot summer sun are inspiration that keeps us focused and motivate during the bleakest of times and during unbroken days of cold and grey. Salvation from seeds has been an enduring pattern that has fueled the farmer for generations. One can only hope for the proper amounts of precipitation and sunshine to bring the dreams to market or for inclusion in our CSA’s in quantities sufficient to satiate the most robust tomato enthusiasts.

Having said all that and pining for the spring it has to be said that all the Schoolhouse Farmers are rather excited about the possibility of a good old fashion snow storm. The kind that keeps you cabin bound and penned in for a good 24 hours. Bread baking, bolognaise making, driveway shoveling, snow play and the perfect silence that accompanies the storm. Plus the knowledge that after it concludes we will be able to enjoy some awesome powder skiing which brings huge grins as well!