Homegrown

Ratatouille – all from the garden, of course.

As gardens are starting to go into full bloom, I’ve noticed more Facebook profile photos changing to photos of vegetables.  I’ve seen various photos of tomatoes, cucumbers, and even corn (clearly, a very rare oddity this year) grace my page as people share what they’ve been doing all summer.  Even more so, I’m seeing photos of what people are doing with all those fresh vegetables afterwards.  Pickles seem to be a favorite this year as one tries to handle an avalanche of cucumbers.  There’s also been a variety of tomato-basil salads, and a few adventurous lads have shared photos from their first jamming session – with delicious looking results.   Now, I don’t think this means the whole world has gotten up and gone granola, but I do think it shows a conscious effort to benefit from fresh and local products.  Honestly, a homegrown tomato does taste better than a supermarket one, and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out.  People are proud of what they grow and even prouder of their creativity in what they do with their products.  Canning, and complaining about the kitchen heat is popular, but those who are doing it are doing so willingly, and are very happy with the results.  Admiration is shared for those generations who’ve done this for survival, and even more so, a deep appreciation for modern conveniences such as a freezer.

It doesn’t mean the world is going to give up tomatoes in winter, but it does mean, and I’m making my own judgment here, that people enjoy making something from start to finish or from seed to plate, if you will.  I’m not starting an ecological or nutritional debate, but rather sharing an observation of trends.  People are growing gardens; it’s cheaper and better tasting, and not to mention, a lot of people clearly like getting their hands dirty.