Maters and Taters

Here's today's bounty from my tomato plants: Black Krim, Cherokee Purple, Juliet, and Lemon Boy, mostly Juliet. In the South folks sometimes call tomatoes - maters. If you want a stake to hold up tomato plants, you ask for a mater stake. In Arkansas Gary worked at a pallet mill. One of the first days he worked there while his truck was being loaded, folks drove up in the morning asking for mater stakes. Gary has no idea what they wanted. They kept saying, "you know, mater stakes". Finally someone told him they wanted the scrap wood to hold up their tomato plants, mater stakes.

Here are a few shots of the Juliets after I picked them. See how they grow in nice little clusters.

 Next time I'll try to get a photo with some red ones on the vine.

I have two plants and I need to pick them every day now. If you get a chance to grow these I highly recommend them. The only draw back I can see is that "maters" easily separate from the stem, so I have to be careful not to accidentally hit any of the green ones.

Of course you know if tomatoes are called maters, then potatoes must be called taters. Read the road signs carefully as you drive by, you might miss out on other vegetables too. Another great day at the market yesterday, thank you to all my repeat customers and new ones too. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.