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Though commercial tomatoes are
obviously better than no tomatoes
at all, the modero marketing
procedures necessary for the mass
production and distribution of to–
matoes rob them of freshness and
sometimes create a fruit so bland
that you would just as soon not eat
it. Why? Because the red tomato
you buy at the store has not ac–
quired the nutritional and ftavorfu l
benefits ofvine ripening.
Now consider the taste, freshness
and high quality of home-grown
vegetables and fruits. (Tomatoes
are, botanically, a fruit. But they are
grown and used much like vegetable
crops.)
A home-grown tomato does not
suffer from the limitations imposed
upon commerciaUy grown crops.
Los Angeles Cou nty Farm Advisor
L.
E. Francis stated recently:
"There's no marketing program
in
existence today that can give the
quality and freshness of a hand–
grown and picked vegetable from a
backyard garden."
Today, Amsterdam, in the Neth–
erlands, comes close by offering
vegetables for sale the same day
they are picked from nearby fields.
This example, unfortunately, is not
typical of many other cities around
the world where mucb prime agri–
cultura! land has been covered with
housing subdivisions.
Savings to Famil y Food Budget
Quality and freshness are both
desirable vegetable characteristics.
But just how much of a contribution
can a home garden make toward
saving money which would nor–
mally be spent for food? Aren't
home-grown vegetables commonly
more expensive?
The answer is yes, pound for
pound, when all costs are consid–
ered. But the cost per pound of the
harvested crop is not the whole pic–
ture.
A budget-conscious home gar–
dener can just about pay for his
hobby out of grocery savings. That
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