when too many tomatoes test neighborly bonds
I still remember summers in my childhood, when my grandmother’s garden overflowed with tomatoes. Back then, every neighbor would swap baskets of ripe fruit, and nothing went to waste. But this year, things feel different. My vegan neighbor, usually the first to ask for extra produce, showed up at my door with a box of the most beautiful tomatoes I’ve ever seen. She smiled, but her words surprised me: “I want no part of them.”
It made me wonder—have we grown too much, or have our tastes changed? In the past, a bumper crop was a blessing, a reason for neighbors to gather and share recipes. Now, with new gardening trends and plant-based diets, even the most abundant harvest can become a burden. Some folks want tidy lawns and ornamental beds, while others, like me, cling to the old ways—messy, fruitful, and full of surprises.
This box of tomatoes sits on my counter, a symbol of changing times. Should I can them, give them away, or let them go to waste? In our community, some say we should only grow what we need, while others argue for the freedom to plant as we please. It’s a small conflict, but it makes me nostalgic for the days when every tomato found a home, and neighbors found joy in sharing the earth’s gifts.
#tomatoseason #gardeningdebate #communityconflict #Gardening