Last week we talked with you here about growing tomatoes. I wanted to share with you the story Zona Galle told me about her tomato garden. Omer, her husband, installed a drip watering system and she said it sure helped with tomatoes. Zona and her husband live east of Liberty Hill, in the country, on a beautiful strip of Central Texas land. Some 25 years ago some yellow tomatoes came up voluntarily. They enjoyed them so much she saved the seeds. She still plants these tomatoes from seeds each year. Often Zona plants heritage tomatoes that ripen blackish, stripped, orange, and yellow . They look a little strange to our eyes, however they have a great taste.
I was talking to my friend, John Steel , who lives out county road 200 on a few acres, about how much fun it has been talking to the folks about gardening. Especially tomatoes. He suggested if I were so wound up about the little red fruits perhaps we should have a contest. A contest to see who could grow the largest tomato by July the Fourth. Well I think that is a champion idea. We talked about how to stage the event and he suggested we have the gardeners bring their tomatoes in to Troy Josephs’ Liberty Hill Information Center for the official weighing in and recording. They can keep the fruit or if they feel charitable, leave the tomato for Troy and his lieutenant, Mike Jacobs, to give to those who need them. Then on the Fourth of July the winner will be announced. As a prize the gardener will win from this paper four Round Rock Express tickets, and a plaque declaring he has grown the worlds largest tomato. Well at least this areas largest, by weight, tomato. That brought up the question of what this area meant. We discussed the question and decided that, This Area, meant all of Williamson County, the northern part of Travis County, the eastern part of Burnet County and the southern part of Lampassas County. And you can draw the line of east west, north south boundaries yourself.
Now for a contest we need an official set of rules. They are as follows:
1. You plant and grow the tomato yourself in your own garden.
2. You have them weighed at the official weight station.
3. You share some of the smaller brothers with your neighbors and friends.
4. You don’t have to be present to win, but you would miss a lot of attaboys.
2. You have them weighed at the official weight station.
3. You share some of the smaller brothers with your neighbors and friends.
4. You don’t have to be present to win, but you would miss a lot of attaboys.
All of that seems pretty simple and that is the way John Steel wanted to keep it. Fun and great eating. We hope you will join in the contest and show the rest of us how to grow great tomatoes. Now go baby a couple of Big Boys or Early Girls and win the contest. Good Luck.