Psssssst, Diana, er, ah ... have you looked outside lately?
Posted on 03/05/2010 4:23:01 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin
You might want to buy your tomatoes today.
Record Florida freezes early this year wiped out about 70 percent of the state’s tomato crop, according to the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange, a Maitland, Fla.-based trade group. Shortages — along with poorer quality — may show up at the consumer level soon.
“We’ll have greener tomatoes and the price will go up, probably next week,” said Tracy Nelson, produce director for Cosentino’s Food Stores, which owns 25 area grocery stores. “Mexico also has had cool and rainy weather down there. We’ll probably turn to Canada in mid-April.”
On Friday, vine tomatoes were $1.29 each at Cosentinos Price Chopper in Brookside.
Retailers were unsure how high tomato prices could climb. But the growers exchange said a 25-pound box is trading for about $30 without freight charges, compared with $6.22 a year ago.
Robert Glover, a Whole Foods produce buyer,buys tomatoes from West Coast suppliers at this time of year so his storesare not directly affected by the Florida problems.However, he has noticed many other buyers are now calling on his West Coast suppliers.
Some restaurants and supermarkets are already having a hard time finding red ripe tomatoes.
Hamburger chain Wendy’s said it is only topping sandwiches with tomatoes if the customer requests them.
The good news, said Wendy’s spokesman Denny Lynch, is that the problems are expected to be short-term — weeks instead of months.
“We felt it was important to let customers know of this situation so they would not be disappointed if the tomatoes that they asked for may not measure up to their expectations,” Lynch said.
At Prairie Village’s Kokopelli Mexican Cantina, owner Kevin Lyman frets about telling customers he’s cutting back on tomato servings.
(Excerpt) Read more at economy.kansascity.com ...
Produce experts said ketchup, salsa and other tomato-based products shouldn’t be affected because tomatoes used in those toppings are often grown in other states.
However, they said there also could be shortages of peppers, green beans, squash and eggplants in coming weeks, with higher prices to boot.
Ping! Grow your own! :)
They don’t taste good anyway. I bought heirloom Mortgage Lifter seeds this year.
;-)
that’s interesting. The Cosentino’s of Kansas City and of San Jose started in the same year, 1948.
You’re right. I’ve had little success since we’ve moved to this house in 2002, but I’m thinking of trying again.
"Do, or do not. There is no 'try.'" ~ Tomato Master Yoda :)
LOL! We’ve had some major failures here. :)
If I understand our Al Gore global warmers logic...
I can’t wait for the climate to cool so the weather warms up enough to grow tomatoes.
Did I get it correct? Their “science” tends to confuse me.
We’re fixing to put out some Celebrity, Beefsteak & cherry transplants later this week.
I’m going with as many of the traditional Michigan cool weather crops this year as possible. Last year was a horrible tomato year as it was.
We bought our usual Campari cluster tomatoes at Costco today and the price was $5.99 for the clamshell which is what they were for months...
I have NEVER bought a tomato in a grocery store.
*Looks Down Nose At Tubebender* LOL!
Come fall I give the call, ‘Last Fresh Tomatoes of the Season’ and my boys and husband come runnin’ for the LAST BLT of the Summer/Fall.
They KNOW I won’t pay cash money for a tomato. Lord knows they’ve asked me enough times and I have re-FUSED! ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-QzLIjL1u4
(It’s a little ‘dirty’ but I think you’re old enough to handle it...)
Post Humus
by Patti Tana
Scatter my ashes in my garden
so I can be near my loves.
Say a few honest words,
sing a gentle song,
join hands in a circle of flesh.
Please tell some stories
about me making you laugh.
I love to make you laugh.
When I’ve had time to settle
and green gathers into buds,
remember I love blossoms
bursting in spring.
As the season ripens
remember my persistent passion.
And if you come in my garden
on an August afternoon,
pluck a bright red globe,
let juice run down your chin
and the seeds stick to your cheek.
When I’m dead I want folks to smile
and say, “That Patti, she sure is
some tomato!”
I planted 15 various tomato plants last weekend. I found some Sunmasters at our local hardware store. I may get more this weekend.
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