The First Tomato of the Season

I put in my fire escape garden over Memorial Day weekend, my second year as a farmer. Last summer the fire escape hosted a large purple petunia, one tomato plant and two pots of basil. The tomato produced one perfect piece of round red fruit and then stubbornly refused to yield another, though it did break out in yellow flowers until the first frost. The basil was great but the petunia was the all-around champion. After looking out the window during an unseasonably warm spell in early December, I scribbled the following in my notebook:

December
On the fire escape, one
stupid petunia still blooms,
purple trumpet blowing
high notes at the sky long

after the rest of the band

has packed up

and gone home

This season, no petunias. Instead, I bought tomato and basil plants--two of each--put them in pots over the Memorial Day weekend and prayed for rain and sun. At noon today, I picked the first of what I hope will be many tomatoes and enjoyed it with a little F. Oliver's Heady Garlic, fresh basil and Israeli feta cheese. Delicious!