Every meal we eat contains tomatoes. We cannot imagine cooking without tomatoes.
We started growing vegetables, fruits and edible trees about 6 years ago.
Initially we tried to grow in the containers in our backyard. And for the last 3 years, we have been growing food in our farm garden.
As we started getting the yield, our visits to the vegetable shops reduced. Either I or Savithri visited the weekly farmers market to buy the stock of vegetables.
And tomatoes were the criteria for going to market. If there is a stock of tomatoes, we could postpone shopping.
However, if tomatoes were not there, one of us had to go shopping immediately.
About 8 months ago we started getting a regular plentiful yield of vegetables and edible leaves (moringa, agati, beetroot etc).
Because tomatoes were a must, we planted hundreds of saplings of all varieties. And we were rewarded with a bounty that lasted for months.
The tomatoes from our garden are so rich that whenever I was hungry I just plucked some and had. And it was satisfying and fulfilling.
In Fact due to tomatoes, our fruit purchase from the market also reduced drastically.
Everyday, all of us were munching tomatoes. There are many varieties of tomatoes that never come to the market. There are tomatoes with wonderful taste.
We grew various varieties like Kashi, Grape, Pink, Everglades, Native, Cherry, and so on.
About 3 months ago when summer was at its peak, the tomato yield stopped completely.
However, in these 3 months, none of us felt any interest in buying tomatoes from the market.
We have been eating tomatoes everyday since childhood. It means that our body is adapted to utilize tomatoes for some essential nutrients. This is the reason for the cravings for it.
I think tomatoes grown without fertilizers are highly nutritious. And even if we don't have tomatoes for many months, we don't have a craving for them anymore. This is most likely due to fulfillment of the nutritional requirements when we eat naturally grown food.
We have already planted many tomato plants and flowering has started. This year, we will make sure that there will be no gap in tomato yield.
Growing tomatoes has almost saved us from eating vegetables from the market. We now buy only potatoes and garlic from the market. We have grown garlic and potatoes too. However the yield is not enough. This year, we are trying to grow enough. When available, Savithri uses garlic leaves for seasoning instead of bulbs. Leaves taste even more fragrant than bulbs.
Again I see that we are not affected at all by the shortage and high prices of tomatoes during recent times.
For a family of 4, four plants of tomatoes in the backyard, terrace, balcony etc can provide enough yield daily. Try it. You will be enriched.
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