To encourage the last of the tomatoes to ripen, most of the leaves have been removed from the vines for weeks now. So, imagine my surprise when there appeared a flower!
The vines are pretty much naked. It’s time to tidy up the tomato bed before winter.
photo by SVSeekins
I found a big fistful of orangey-red tomatoes. They make good snacks, although aren’t as tasty as the sun-warmed-super-red tomatoes we enjoyed in September.
But more impressive is how many green tomatoes survived on those naked vines. (Unfortunately, they’re not so tasty. )
Now the question is:
What do I do with 1 pound (600 g) of green tomatoes?
Any ideas?
Recipes?
Out walking the other day, C spotted proof positive that blackberries are tenacious – – check out this pic:
This blackberry has taken root in the little nest between a branch & trunk of a garry oak tree!
It must be 7 or 8 feet off the ground!
My guess is the seed got there via the digestive tract of a bird. I wouldn’t have expected that seed to sprout & survive in this location. Perhaps that bird wanted his very own berry patch?
They’d hoped it wouldn’t cause concern that they were expanding their garden empire. It was only removing the fence delineating their yard from the street. It was only replacing some weedy grass with dry habitat native plants . Wasn’t it beautifying the neighborhood, safeguarding water resources, and educating the community about our natural environment?
photo by SVSeekins
Happily, the neighbors welcomed the expanded forest glade. Passers by often complimented Rainey Hopewell and Margot Johnson as they tended the public area beside their home on Asquith street, not far from the downtown core of Victoria, BC.
photo by SVSeekins
The dynamic couple encouraged neighborhood involvement. The boulevard grew into an active native plant urban demonstration garden with volunteers, workshops, and planting parties..
Building on that success, expansion spread to include the boulevard on the Haultain street edge of their corner lot. This time the intention was to bring to mind issues of local food security. The community pitched in, developing the common area into a shared food garden,
photo by SVSeekins
Now known as Haultain Common, the boulevard between the sidewalk and curb was first sheet mulched. Over a west coast winter the mulch smothered the grass and weeds below it, developing into nutrient rich, composted soil. By spring it was ready for planting.
photo by SVSeekins
To start, they chose vegetables that often volunteer in a compost pile: tomatoes, potatoes, pumpkins & squash. They share with whomever chooses to join in: parents & kids learning to grow food, seasoned gardeners exploring permaculture, and even urbanites tasting their first home-grown tomato. All are welcome to share in the harvest.
photo by SVSeekins
Some neighbors donate plants, and even more contribute leaves or compostables on a regular basis, gaining a sense of ownership & belonging in the common and in the community.
photo by SVSeekins
Over the past several years Haultain Common has grown in profile as well. It’s not unusual to see a university class exploring the garden one day, and a Day Care tour on another. It’s been so well received that a local irrigation company & a landscape company donated the equipment & installation of a watering system for the Common.
Boulevard gardens have cropped up on other properties along Haultain street. They’re also growing in other neighborhoods around the city. To Margot and Rainey, its been an experience in growth in so many ways.
Garden Variety Life 