Tomatoes!

Our tomato plants are exploding out of their earth box this year!  We put one large plant and one cherry tomato plant in the one earth box, and already they look like they have far outgrown their home.  We did a lot of research this year, trying to maximize our fruit production, and so far so good!

I’m excited, I love cooking with ingredients we grow ourselves.  It is very satisfying knowing that we grow some of the food that we eat.  I like knowing exactly how the plants are treated and cared for.  No pesticides or picking unripened fruit.  And the taste!  The taste of real, home grown fruits and veggies can not be beat.  I never realized how bland and tasteless fruit and veggies from the grocery store were until we began growing our own.

I want to preserve as much as I can and make use of every single fruit and veggie that we grow.  I love to can and share our harvest with friends and family.

I am truly longing for a larger yard where we can expand our garden.  Won’t be long.  Hopefully by next growing season.

Indian Strawberries

While sitting out in the back yard this past weekend, a flash of red near one of our trees caught my eye.  At first I thought it was some sort of flower that had accidentally gotten transplanted, either by wind or rogue gardening kiddo.  Upon closer inspection, I saw this:

What the what?!

Teeny, tiny strawberry looking fruit on what appears to be a strawberry plant.  But so small!  And alien looking!

I had Abe come out and look at it, and he declared it to be wild strawberries.  Upon further research on my part, I believe these to be Indian Strawberries, also known as False Strawberries, Mock Strawberries, She Mei, and Wild Indian Strawberry.  Also often confused for wild strawberries.

The fruit is edible, but completely tasteless.  We ate them and didn’t die, but I wouldn’t eat them again.

They are a perennial herb with several medicinal purposes, but are considered by many as an invasive weed.  Their location doesn’t bother me, so as far as I’m concerned they can spread as much as they like.  Its kind of neat to look out and see the tiny strawberries growing wild.  What can I say, I’m easily amused.