Tomato Shortage Again
 

Tomato Shortage Again. This looks like it is becoming an annual event.
Per TV channel 7 Chicago;

February 15, 2011 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- A freeze in Mexico and cold weather in Florida and Texas are creating a tomato shortage.
This is expected to drive up prices at the grocery store.
The shortage has forced the Wendy's restaurant chain to only serve tomatoes on its sandwiches upon request.
Growers expect the shortage to last through April.
The freeze in Mexico has also shortened the supply of cucumbers, bell peppers and other vegetables.
[URL]http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/consumer&id=7960686[/URL]

This is when the greenhouse operators make a killing! Wish we had some to sell!

I'm LUVIN' this weather!!! Low last night was 59, it's 74 right now and the a/c is on! We put-in corn, snap beans and potatoes on Wed. If it frosts we'll just replant. We do that every year - sometimes we win and sometimes we lose.

Jack

The "tomatoes" that the fast food and other resturants put on sandwichs and in salads during the winter months are not real tomatoes anyway and must be just for color; surely not for taste.

The people @ Subway always give me strange looks when I say "No lettuce or tomatoes please".

is there anything on the bun when you get it? i think subway subs are 99% lettuce. lol, sad but true.

Most people that eat in those places have never tasted a vine-ripened OP - they think that's the way tomatoes are suppose to taste. I'd just as soon it stays that way - the more demanding they are, the more they complain about things, the harder my life becomes! :-).

[QUOTE]The "tomatoes" that the fast food and other resturants put on sandwichs and in salads during the winter months are not real tomatoes anyway and must be just for color; surely not for taste.[/QUOTE]

Amen.

As an aside - anyone have any luck with "Longkeepers" etc. I'm playing with the idea of growing them and seeing how they last through the early winter here in NY - but it's somewhat of a logistical nightmare. If anyone has any experience/ideas - I'd love to hear about it.

surf,

There is a real nice "Search" function here at Tomatoville. Just type in "longkeeper" and you will get dozens of posts. Here is a link to a recent one:

[url]http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=16358&highlight=longkeeper[/url]

Raybo;)

Grape cherry tomatoes 1 pint 2.99 same cheapest store 2 weeks ago 1.25

Actually some of the grocery store cherry and grape tomatoes that I buy during the dead of winter arent bad. They aint no Sun Sugar or Black Cherry but they satisfy my craving for the time being. I dont even bother with any thing larger.

Damon

I know a owner of a local pizza shop........he said he went from paying $17 per case (25lbs) to $43, talk about an increase.

I ordered take out from a local pizza joint here in town. After placing my order for a large entree salad, the man informed me that due to the freeze in Texas, they did not have roma tomatoes for my salad. Did I still want to order?
I said no tomatoes was fine, I'd take the salad anyway. I had to laugh to myself about it. I always pick the nasty styrofoam tomatoes out of my salad anyway :)

Those tomatoes are actually picked totally green and have no taste whatsoever. The color is artificially induced with ethylene gas, which turns them red but doesn't develop any sugars. The producers would like to sell good-tasting tomatoes, but it's impossible when you have to transport them half-way across the country and hold them in cold storage for days, or even weeks, on end.

It's just "something red" people expect to see in their salad - most people pour-on so much dressing that's all they taste anyway.

Jack

Barbee, I know that the tomatoes in your photo are a gourmet's delight with fantastic taste - but they sure are UGLY!! LOL LOL

Jack

Cost is of no concern to me, I have my private food purchaser fly around the world to get the produce I want once a week.
Just last week we had BBQ'ed baby panda bear stuffed with a family of rare hummingbirds said to be the last of their kind.
5 men and 2 children died getting this delicacy to my table, a small price to pay for what I want.

The tomatoes that commoners purchase at the local markets are of no use to me and I couldnt care less what they pay or even if they starve to death.
My only concern is what I have and want, nothing more.:twisted:

Worth