Time for Tomatoes!

Every day at the farm is one to be celebrated,

whether we are planting, picking, prepping the land or stealing an early taste

photo by Jerry James Stone
during his stop at our farm on his Chevy Volt Tour

And, like a parent, you don't want to have a favorite, 

but c'mon, it's hard not to be especially excited on tomato planting day! 

So, while we may have indulged in some "tomato talk" last month (in March,) 

we were really talking tomatoes on this late April morning, 

when we put 500 of our babies in the soil at the farm. 

Even Executive Chef John Toulze got into planting 

And, they truly are "our babies," since all of the tomatoes 

we planted at the farm are starts from seeds 

we planted at the greenhouse behind "the fig." 

this tray can hold up to 1500 lbs of tomatoes!

this pineapple tomato start is 6 weeks old

just one of several truck loads of tomato starts
that went from fig to farm
(and will eventually go back to "the fig" when harvested and served to you!

Planting the tomatoes is really a labor of love, 

with emphasis on both labor and love–all done by hand 

and each one carefully planted. 

 Local Landscapers works with us, overseeing planting and maintenance 

at the farm at Imagery Estate Winery.  

Matt from Local Landscapers offers these tips 

for planting tomatoes to ensure healthy and abundant plants: 

The stems of these young starts are very fragile and the moment of 

putting them in the soil is a critical one, so try not to handle the stem too much, 

in fact don't hold the plant by the stem if you can help it. 

To remove the plant from its plastic pot, spread your fingers around the stem 

as you gingerly turn it over and "dump" the plant into your hands.

Gently steady the plant by holding the leaves 

as you get it into position for planting.

Here are some other tips about planting tomatoes.

Seems appropriate that Executive Chef John Toulze 

would plant the first tomato of 2013 season.

We are looking forward to when he gets his hands 

on this red gem once it is harvested! 

first tomato planted for 2013

can't wait till John is doing this
(photo from last summer)

But, of course it is these "sugar plum visions" dancing in our heads

that inspires us as we work. 

tomato watermelon salad photo by
Steven Krause for
Plats du Jour: the girl & the fig's Journey Through the Seasons in Wine Country

Check back next week for a rundown of some 

of the varieties of tomatoes we are planting,

including some new ones not tried before.  

Out of the 800 plants we have, there will be a rainbow of tomatoes.

What are some of your favorite tomatoes?

Tomato Talk, already?

What's going on behind this curtain? 

Lots of good stuff and true farm magic.
We are currently growing over 800 tomato starts for our farm project. 
We have another 600 on their way – making a total of 1400 tomato plants 
produced this year from SEED! 

Kind of boggles the mind, don't you think? But it's true. 

And if you've ever been overly enthusiastic planting a few too many tomato plants 

(is that a contradiction in terms?) in your backyard, 

you understand–going from fresh tomatoes all summer 

to learning to can or freeze for sauce. 
But hey, that's not really a problem, right?

this tray alone can yield 1500 pounds of tomatoes!

We aren't worried about how our chefs at the girl & the fig will use all the tomatoes 

we are looking forward to harvesting this summer. 

Besides our popular standards and whatever new inspirations they will cook up, 

Executive Chef John Toulze has been creative in the past 

sun drying tomatoes, freezing for sauce, making tomato jam. 

tomato watermelon salad

tomatoes and mozzerella 

We know it's early to be talking tomatoes, but it's hard not to, 

when we see all the activity in the greenhouse.

last week our first anxious start "starting"

more coming up this week

just imagine how these will look soon!

not to be outdone by the tomatoes,
these Purple Royalty Beans are standing tall 

when we harvest these beauties, they will be purple;
when we serve then to you, they will be green!

Have you planted seeds to have starts for your farm project? 

What's "starting" to come up?

And if you are not sure how much is too much, here are 

some great tips on how much to plant in your garden.

How Does Our Garden Grow

 Grey days when winter won't let go yet 

and the work at the farm continues to be all about prep. 

We stay steadfast and patient doing the incremental work 

that we know will soon yield harvest.

planting radish seeds at the farm

results a bit faster from the greenhouse:
The white one is an Easter Egg and the pink is a Heirloom French Breakfast variety.

this radish starter at the girl & the fig 
keeps us focused in both farm locations 

 Then a bright spot lifts our mood and we know spring will be here soon.

nectarine tree in bloom 

The work at the farm will bring us the greatest abundance

 but takes more time than our patch of farm behind "the fig." 

But we work on both and much of what we start in the greenhouse 

will soon be planted in the fresh new beds at the farm.

the first tomato starts 

So, how does our garden grow?

Chefs at the girl & the fig dash outside to cut microgreens for garnish 

or check on the progress of vegetables growing.

fava beans anyone?

And the garden outside the kitchen door 

is offering up other goodies for us right now.

rainbow chard ready to be picked

chives coming up

Calendula loves the late winter and early spring weather. 

This variety has attractive brilliant orange flowers. 

The blooms can be used as attractive living accents to cocktails 

or dried and made into tea. 

It is also very good for your skin

calendula in raised beds behind "the fig"

At the farm at Imagery Estate Winery, we are prepping beds 

to plant potatoes knowing soon there will be lush growth 

joining the fava beans we will soon harvest. 

The garden grows, we do our work.

beds for potatoes cleared just beyond our favas

This video gives you tips on the joys 

of growing your garden at home, even in a small space.

How does your garden grow?