A Tomato Tradition

“It’s time to go, Amy.  We’re going to the plant store.”

“OK, Mama.  I’ll put my shoes on.”

Amy runs ahead of Mama to the car and waits while Mama opens the door.  Then Amy jumps in as quickly as she can and tries to get the buckles fastened in her car seat before Mama can.

Mama smiles.  "You’re getting to be such a big girl."

On the way to the store, Mama makes up a song about tomatoes.

Oh, we’re off to buy tomato
Lovely tomato plants
Squishy red tomatoes
So good in the summer time.
We’re off to buy tomatoes
Lovely tomato plants.

“You’re coo-coo Mama!  Are we going to the store to buy tomatoes?”
“Yes.  It’s a kind of tradition in our family to grow tomatoes in the summer.”
“What’s tradition, Mama?”

"Tradition is something families do over and over because they are special.  They help us to build memories with each other, remind us of who we were and show us who we can become.  Kind of like when we put up a tree at Christmas or make pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving."

“Oh.  Is singing silly songs a tradition?”

“Well, Grandmother used to sing silly songs to me when I was a little girl.  And now I sing them to you, so I suppose that could be a tradition.  Here’s the plant store.”

Amy unfastens her buckles and waits for Mama to open her door.  She takes Mama’s hand as they walk through the parking lot and into the store.

"Alright, let’s go find some tomatoes."

They walk through the aisles and finally find the tomato section.

"Look at all the names, Amy."  Mama begins to read them, "Early Girl, Quick Peek, Super Sweet 100, Mountain Bell…"

"How do we know which one to pick?"

"Well," said Mama, "You pick the one that’s not so fancy.  I’m a no-nonsense tomato grower.  I like this one.  It’s called, Sungold.  It’s small, easy to grow and good for our summer salads."

Amy makes a yucky face.

Mama laughs.  "Salads are good for you Amy."

Amy looks at the tomato plants.  "Can we get this one too, Mama?”

"You will have to help me take care of it.  It will need to be watered every day and you’ll have to watch and make sure that bugs don’t eat the leaves."

"I will."

"We’ll get you your own gardening gloves and a watering can."

Amy tried to lift the tomato plant into the cart.  Mama has to help her lift it high enough.

At home, Mama leaves the tomato plants on the porch.

"Come inside and sit on the couch for a minute, Amy.  I want to show you something."
Mama brings a big book full of pictures, sits down next to Amy and puts the book on their laps.

"Mama, I’ve seen this book before.  I want to plant our tomatoes."

"Wait a few minutes. Amy, I want to show you some pictures."

Mama turns pages.  Finally, she finds the pictures she’s looking for.  In the picture are three people.  They are holding up a tomato.  Mama reads the writing under the picture, "Walter’s first tomato.  1958."

"Wow.  That’s a big tomato, Mama.  Who are Walter and those people?"

“That’s me when I was a little girl and your Grandmother and Granddaddy.  They are my Mama and Daddy.”


“Wow, you were a little girl like me?”

“We all start out little and get big, Amy.”

Mama smiles and turns more pages.  In the next picture, Mama looks more like Mama and is holding a tomato.  "Here I am with the first tomato I grew after your Daddy and I were married.  I had to grow it in a pot on our apartment’s balcony."

Mama turns to look at Amy.

“Would you like to have your picture in the book with your first tomato?”

“Yes!”

“If you take very good care of your plant, your picture will soon be in this book.”

“Wow!  I can’t wait to grow my first tomato!  Can we plant the tomatoes now?”

“Yes.  Let’s go!”

Outside, Mama takes the tomato plants and lines them up along the fence.  Then, she starts digging a hole to put the tomatoes into.

"We’ll plant yours first, Amy."

"Yeah!"  Amy has on her new purple gardening gloves.  Mama isn’t wearing any gloves.

"Why don’t you wear gloves Mama?"

"I like to feel the dirt in my hands."

Amy takes her gloves off.  Mama smiles.

"I like the way the dirt feels too, Mama."

Mama digs two holes in the ground.  Mama lifts Amy’s plant out of the plastic pot, and carefully puts it into the first hole.

“Ok, Amy.  Carefully pat some of this dirt around the plant to help it stand up.”

They put Mama’s plant into the ground.
"Let’s give them a little water and let them be.”
The next day, Amy runs to check on her tomato plant.  It looks the same as it did the day before when it was planted.  Amy finds Mama planting some flowers

"Mama, my tomato plant didn’t grow yet."

"It takes a long time, Amy.  But don’t worry.  In a couple of weeks it will be bigger.  Did you water it?"

"Not yet."

"The best way to help your tomatoes grow is to take good care of the plant."

Amy gets her watering can and waters her plant.  Every day, Amy gives the plant some water and checks for bugs, brushing off any that she finds.  Slowly the plant begins to grow until it is taller than Amy.  One morning, Amy finds a little yellow flower.

“Mama, Mama!”

Mama comes outside and looks at the plant.  "Ahh…yes Amy. That little yellow flower will be your first tomato.  Congratulations!  You’re doing a good job taking care of the tomato plant.  Keep it up and soon your picture will be in the book!"

Amy smiles and Mama gives her a hug.

Amy waters her plant every day and watches the little yellow flower.  Soon there are more flowers on the tomato plant.  One morning, Amy runs inside the house to find Mama. 

“Mama, there’s something weird growing on my tomato!”

Amy takes Mama’s hand and leads her outside. 

“See, it’s a little ball.”

“That’s your first tomato, Amy!”

"But, Mama.  It’s green."

"Tomatoes start out green.  Once they get enough water and sunshine and grow a bit, they will turn a nice pretty red."

"Tomatoes sure do take a long time to grow.  I’m never going to get my picture in the book."
"Oh yes you will, Amy.  Just keep up the good work, and you will."

Amy takes care of the plant every day, watching the little green ball get bigger.  One day, it starts to turn a yellow orange color.

A few days later, Amy finds something new on her tomato plant. 

“Mama, Mama, Mama,” Amy yells while she runs inside.

“What is it Amy?”

“Come outside with me.”

Mama and Amy walk outside to the tomato plants.

“Look Mama!”


Mama smiles, “It’s your first red tomato! I’m so proud of you!  Carefully take the tomato off the plant and stay here while I go get the camera."”
 
Amy picks the tomato from the plant.  Mama makes her stand in front of the tomato plant and hold out the tomato. Mama takes a picture.  Amy’s Daddy brings the picture home that evening.

After dinner, they spread the big book of pictures out on the table and put Amy’s tomato on a new page.  Mama writes, “Amy’s first tomato.  Summer, 2003”

"Am I a tradition now, Mama?"

"No, Amy, but you are part of our family’s tradition of growing tomatoes.  And maybe someday, you will have a child and he or she will grow tomatoes too."

Amy smiles at Mama.  Mama smiles back.  Mama and Amy give each other a big hug.