Code Red – Tomatoes By The Bucket

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”no” hundred_percent_height=”no” hundred_percent_height_scroll=”no” hundred_percent_height_center_content=”yes” equal_height_columns=”no” menu_anchor=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_position=”center center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” fade=”no” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ video_mp4=”” video_webm=”” video_ogv=”” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_loop=”yes” video_mute=”yes” video_preview_image=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ spacing=”” center_content=”no” link=”” target=”_self” min_height=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_position=”left top” background_repeat=”no-repeat” hover_type=”none” border_size=”0″ border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” padding=”” dimension_margin=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” last=”no”][fusion_text]Ok so NZ is into the real summertime, and the green fruit have started to follow one another to ripen to various shades of red.

I have the daily pleasure of harvesting my crop of ripening tomatoes, which involves a bit of foraging in amongst the Roma bush plants as they like to hide their blushes, plus a good scan of the more upstanding varieties.

There are a few critical challenges, firstly you want to ripen on the vine as long as possible, but also avoid those pesky birds that skewer the fruit in search of a tasty meal. This is a bit of a gamble to be honest, but I’m usually on the winning side of the battle.

I know that I’m currently in the main harvest as I am filling a ten litre bucket each day!

I complete the ripening on the trusty kitchen window sill, until I’m ready to process them into tomato based food.

There is a sense of achievement when you return to the kitchen with a full bucket, and the various shapes, sizes and colours, paint a pretty picture too.[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]