So our tomatoes are coming in.  Or should I say “OUR TOMATOES ARE COMING IN!!!!!!”?  This is very exciting news at our house.

I used to have a bigger garden, but have found over the years that I’m not enjoying it as much as I used to.  (Plus I foolishly planted a lemon and lime tree in the middle of the space and they now cast such shade that hardly anything will grow.  I know.  What a bone-head, right?  They were so small when we planted them I just didn’t envision this.  What do I know?  I’m from Minnesota–we don’t have citrus trees there.  I do love the fruit at least!)

I still enjoy growing something though, and so do my kids.  So this year we opted for a few potted plants of tomatoes, beans (from Grayson’s kindergarten science class) and a handful of fresh herbs.

I love growing our own food not only because I can control it, but also because I want my kids to have at least some connection with the source of our sustenance.  I’m not going to ask everyone to join hands, go vegan, and sing “We are the World,” but it’s hard to argue with the importance of understanding from where our food comes.

I saw a documentary once about how, when asked, many inner city children couldn’t identify vegetables like “tomatoes” and “corn” when shown photos of it growing naturally.  They had never seen these things before.  That’s frightening.

My point is that to eat well, I believe everyone should have some connection to, you know,  “the source.”  Good ol’ Mother Nature is a friend to the healthy family.

I’ll keep you posted on the progress of our little patio garden spread.  Boy oh boy!  It’s spring!

And just in case you’re curious, here’s the lemon tree that gloriously prevents my garden from growing.  Makes me want an iced tea!