Been Nominated

Grub · February 12, 2006

Just found out I've been nominated for this talent quest (freak search?) in the most esteemed Sydney newspaper:

"We're searching for suburban Sydney's most self-sufficient family. My father and his stockpile of Y2K bug canned food need not apply. We're looking for the family that treated The Good Life as a TV instruction manual rather than light entertainment. We're on the hunt for Sydney's most exotic spice gardens. The biggest vegie patches. If you're running a herd of cattle by the garage, we promise not to tell council. Nominate yourself, or someone you know, at ..."

Seems my partner submitted the following. I'll let you know if they lead me away in a white jacket.

Quote:

"My backyard used to house a couple of folding lounge chairs, an umbrella, and a nice teak table. Now, thanks to my other half's love affair with home produce, I have nowhere to sit outside. But I do have a lot to eat.

It started with some fairly inconspicuous herbs and a lemon tree. Then came two backyard chooks, "just for a little while". They were meant to be on hire. The girls have been with us for about three years now.

Next came salad greens: old-fashioned lettuces, burpless cucumbers and other delights not available commercialy. And enough rocket to sink a ship. Not
to mention chokoes, kohl rabi, silver beet, strawberries, tahitian limes, and so on.

Then came a brand new passion: heirloom tomatoes. Through covert internet sites tomato enthusiasts trade seeds and tips on growing magnificent old-fashioned tomatoes. With the encouragement of hundreds of like-minded tomatoholics from around the world, he has planted at least 50 different heirloom tomatos in our backyard. He has even bred a new tomato that has the big-tomato-wigs talking.

The tomatoes are coming on like crazy and he has a new passion to accompany them. Chillis. Yes, we have at least 10 different chillis and 134 salsa recipes to work our way through.

And that's to say nothing of the herbs.

We have a freezer full of yellow-fin tuna, blue-eye cod and mahi mahi caught on off-shore fishing trips. At the moment, I would say we are pretty self sufficient. And where is all this happening? On about 500 square metres in suburban Sydney.

If only he could work on a couple of nice pinot noir and pinot meunier.

PS I can send a pic or 500 of the garden and the produce - he has a special album!!"

Raymondo · February 12, 2006

Go Grub! I'm sure Grubetta adores the produce and is more than happy to forego the over-rated pleasure of relaxing in one's own backyard!

Star · February 13, 2006

I think Grubetta's write-up is excellent. : )

cottonpicker · February 13, 2006

GO along for the ride, Grub!!! You've got my vote but it probably won't count. So.. Strike up the band, jump on the caravan.... VOTE for Grub!!!! And, BTW.. My congrats!! to "Grubetta", your better half, for her excellent writing abilities... and... she didn't use the word "Goshdarnoodley" even once!

Mantis · February 13, 2006

And whats wrong with goshdarnoodley, gosh darnoodley it.

Well done Grub. Whens the first sustainable living in the burbs, coffee table book coming out

Rena · February 13, 2006

ITS THE YELLOW FIN .....oh my. Med rareeeeeeeee VERY COOL

bully · February 13, 2006

I have read it 3 or 4 times and have yet to find anything out of the ordinary.....for around here

When you win make sure you work in a plug for Tomatoville in your acceptance speech.

chilhuacle · February 13, 2006

Quote:

Then came a brand new passion: heirloom tomatoes. Through covert internet sites tomato enthusiasts trade seeds and tips on growing magnificent old-fashioned tomatoes. With the encouragement of hundreds of like-minded tomatoholics from around the world, he has planted at least 50 different heirloom tomatos in our backyard.

I love it.

Go Grub! Grubetta did a very nice job. I just want to know though, what's wrong with having 500 pictures of your babies?

jwr6404 · February 13, 2006

GRUB
Enjoyed your post but I have a question. Perhaps I'm the only one who doesn't know what a "backyard chook" is. Could you let me know?

Grub · February 13, 2006

Good to be among linkeminded folk. Kind of like group therapy

Jwr,
The backyard chooks are two chickens, Isabrowns, that live in the backyard and jointly lay a dozen eggs a week, while producing fertiliser for the compost pile, and delighting in eating bugs.

Their run is quite separate to the tomatoes, though

Cheers, Grub.

Fusion_power · February 13, 2006

Grub,

Make an honest woman of her. She's done enough to give you get a bad case of the big head. I figure you ought to be hitched for life.

Besides, where else are you going to find someone as apt to put up with your peccadillos.

Fusion

cdntomato · February 13, 2006

Are you sure she'll have him? :wink:

Jennifer, single by choice

Grub · February 13, 2006

She's a modern-thinking tomato partner who considers we're as good as hitched. And having a scary strike-rate in the courts, she should know. Thankfullly,I don't think she'll ever lay claim to the seeds viles. But I might have exciting news for you in the not-too-distant future.

Stay tuned in Days of Our Tomato Lives...like seeds germinating in flat, so are the days of our tomato lives.

Grub, who had Golden Monarch for breakfast and will shift to Livingston's Favorites for lunch then conclude with a large ripe Polish in the afternooon for our daily post-work caprese

cottonpicker · February 13, 2006

grub.... Monarch>>> Livingston Favorite>> Polish progression throughout the day... Sensible man!!!

Grub · February 13, 2006

Hi Larry,
I'm glad you appreciate it. The thinking is: Golden Monarch's big, yellow, slightly tangy and deliciously smooth juicy slices are easy to demolish on toast before work. None too acidy. Reflectiive of the first warm hues of morning light. A comfort tomato.

A good honest red about 6-8oz, Livingston's Favorites slice up nicely and fit inside a long white roll fresh from the baker near my office. Leg ham, mustard, or corned beef and pickles may accompany this red. But its flavor still comes through loud and clear, singing the chorus: hoomegrown, homegrown, homegrown.

Then a huge fruity, juicy pink to fiinish the afternoon, like a port or a sauterne, the iciing on the cake, with more complexity (really like these Polish). Some EVOO, basil, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. A few bland crackers to let the tomato talk. Polish is singing heirloom tunes.

One can't just thrown those treasures down in any order. It's a science, I tell you :wink:

February 12, 2006	#2
Raymondo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Saumarez Ponds, NSW, Australia Posts: 946	Go Grub! I'm sure Grubetta adores the produce and is more than happy to forego the over-rated pleasure of relaxing in one's own backyard! __________________ Ray

February 13, 2006	#3
Star Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 49	re: nomination I think Grubetta's write-up is excellent. : )

February 13, 2006	#4
cottonpicker Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: SE PA..near Valley Forge Posts: 839	Vote for Grub GO along for the ride, Grub!!! You've got my vote but it probably won't count. So.. Strike up the band, jump on the caravan.... VOTE for Grub!!!! And, BTW.. My congrats!! to "Grubetta", your better half, for her excellent writing abilities... and... she didn't use the word "Goshdarnoodley" even once! __________________ "Strong and bitter words indicate a weak cause". Victor Hugo

February 13, 2006	#9
jwr6404 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: University Place, WA Posts: 481	GRUB Enjoyed your post but I have a question. Perhaps I'm the only one who doesn't know what a "backyard chook" is. Could you let me know? __________________ Jim

February 13, 2006	#10
Grub Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 2,722	Chooks Good to be among linkeminded folk. Kind of like group therapy Jwr, The backyard chooks are two chickens, Isabrowns, that live in the backyard and jointly lay a dozen eggs a week, while producing fertiliser for the compost pile, and delighting in eating bugs. Their run is quite separate to the tomatoes, though Cheers, Grub.

February 13, 2006	#5
Mantis Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Oz Posts: 1,241	And whats wrong with goshdarnoodley, gosh darnoodley it. Well done Grub. Whens the first sustainable living in the burbs, coffee table book coming out

February 13, 2006	#6
Rena Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Warm Springs, GA Posts: 1,421	ITS THE YELLOW FIN .....oh my. Med rareeeeeeeee VERY COOL

February 13, 2006	#7
bully Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: S.E. MI Posts: 794	I have read it 3 or 4 times and have yet to find anything out of the ordinary.....for around here When you win make sure you work in a plug for Tomatoville in your acceptance speech.

February 13, 2006	#11
Fusion_power Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,250	Grub, Make an honest woman of her. She's done enough to give you get a bad case of the big head. I figure you ought to be hitched for life. Besides, where else are you going to find someone as apt to put up with your peccadillos. Fusion

February 13, 2006	#12
cdntomato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Kingston, Ontario Posts: 554	Are you sure she'll have him? :wink: Jennifer, single by choice

February 13, 2006	#13
Grub Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 2,722	Modern Grubette She's a modern-thinking tomato partner who considers we're as good as hitched. And having a scary strike-rate in the courts, she should know. Thankfullly,I don't think she'll ever lay claim to the seeds viles. But I might have exciting news for you in the not-too-distant future. Stay tuned in Days of Our Tomato Lives...like seeds germinating in flat, so are the days of our tomato lives. Grub, who had Golden Monarch for breakfast and will shift to Livingston's Favorites for lunch then conclude with a large ripe Polish in the afternooon for our daily post-work caprese

February 13, 2006	#15
Grub Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 2,722	Tomato Order Hi Larry, I'm glad you appreciate it. The thinking is: Golden Monarch's big, yellow, slightly tangy and deliciously smooth juicy slices are easy to demolish on toast before work. None too acidy. Reflectiive of the first warm hues of morning light. A comfort tomato. A good honest red about 6-8oz, Livingston's Favorites slice up nicely and fit inside a long white roll fresh from the baker near my office. Leg ham, mustard, or corned beef and pickles may accompany this red. But its flavor still comes through loud and clear, singing the chorus: hoomegrown, homegrown, homegrown. Then a huge fruity, juicy pink to fiinish the afternoon, like a port or a sauterne, the iciing on the cake, with more complexity (really like these Polish). Some EVOO, basil, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. A few bland crackers to let the tomato talk. Polish is singing heirloom tunes. One can't just thrown those treasures down in any order. It's a science, I tell you :wink: