The First Tomatoes

Not so long a go a couple with a mule and hens lived in this old house; whilst we have had to knock the mule shed down, so far the chicken coop remains (see photo) and the quality of the soil is a living reminder of those past times when the world went slower and people didn’t so much choose to live in a natural way but simply lived the only way they knew.

The first tiny tomatoes have appeared on the plants under the plum tree in our new garden. They had been languishing in pots on our tiny, sweltering apartment terrace so I took the opportunity of the last waning moon to transplant them. We haven’t moved into the house yet so the tomatoes go many, many days without water but they seem to be thriving in the rich soil there.

The occupants of the house and their animals are long gone but the legacy of their rich soil remains. I wonder if, digging the light, dark brown soil, I will be able to tap into some of their innate and earthly wisdom?