Where did they go?

[bcallaha]

My 2 year old grandson and I found our first ripe tomatoes of the season on the 4th of July. The tomatoes were small, just a little larger than a golf ball. My grandson was excited, so he took off with them towards the house. I followed him a few minutes later.

When I got to the house, I asked his grandmother what she thought of the tomatoes, and she said "what tomatoes?". I asked my grandson where the tomatoes were, and he pointed to his tummy. They must have been good!!

Brad

[digitS']

Early experience . I suppose he could get in trouble if it was a jalapeno or something that he decided to sample on the way to the house.

Thanks for sharing the story, Brad! Grandpa Gardener helping a little one will have a lasting benefit . Learning that a garden is a source of good food is important. There is no doubt that a large percentage of "civilized" folks think that food has to be highly processed and that it can only be found in stores & restaurants.

Few people can have the experiences enjoyed by a few of us who grew up on farms. I did have some early mishaps, some of a fairly disturbing nature.

It actually became important to me to learn that a garden wasn't just a place of hard work. I guess that's almost at the other end of the spectrum. For me, one way was to be allowed to steal melons, carry them out beyond the irrigation ditch and enjoy them there. Another thing that happened was that I came to have special responsibilities after harvest. We always had fresh milk & eggs on hand. And, I made the "pumpkin pies" for the holidays! Over 50 years later, I still have that role!

Steve

[bcallaha]

I hear you on the garden and work thing. When I was growing up, we had a huge garden. We only ate what came out of the garden, and as everyone knows, a garden is hard work. I was made to work in the garden, and I didn't enjoy it at all. When I moved from the nest, a garden was the last thing I wanted to think about. When I started a family, I got interested in working in a garden for different reasons. We fed our family on the fresh food of a garden when they were young.

Now, I do it mostly as a hobby, a place where I can grow good food, and work with my grandson. I really get a kick out of watching him work with me. He thinks he is a big boy, and quite honestly, he does help quite a bit for his age. He can pick up potatoes, and shuck corn as good as any 2 year old!!

Brad