The area where I live used to grow just about everything from Tobacco to Wheat. Farms all had a few Pigs, plenty of Hens and Ducks, and of course a Vineyard.
These days Sunflowers and Maize are just about the only crops. Gone are the farmyard fowl, and gone are the vineyards. Agriculturally, it's a very different place to how it was 47 years ago when I first moved here.
Yesterday I noticed the above field as I was whizzing by in the Compact Royce, and as I couldn't quite figure what the crop was; I just had to stop to investigate.
The area planted is made-up of three fields, probably making about 8 hectares; and the crop turned out to be TOMATOES. That's a lot of Tomatoes.
I've never seen Tomatoes grown like this before in our region. I imagine they are the Italian 'Roma' variety for making purée, or passata, or maybe even for canning whole. I didn't even know there was a Tomato processing factory in the area; maybe it's brand new! It'll be interesting to see how they're harvested; all at one go, or by hand individually.
I wonder if we'll start to see others in the area following suite? I told my neighbour José about it, it'll be interesting to see if he grows them next year; he's usually at the forefront of innovation. We'll see.
I shall report on this again at a later date.
We once grew such fields of tomatoes near the Dead Sea. We would pick it with our hands with the help of some employees.
ReplyDeleteI imagine that fields like this, of Tomatoes, are grown further south; but I've never seen them here before. I expect there's a new processing factory around.
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DeleteDoes that mean you are sorted for tomatoes if your crop fails.
ReplyDeleteMost of my plants look OK, but strangely it's the Roma plants that are looking bad. I think we'll have a reasonable crop. Next year I shall grow them elsewhere.
DeletePity it isn't tobacco. I used to like French tobacco, now all I can get is the bland stuff.
ReplyDeleteI smoked untipped Gauloises for many years. Thank goodness I had the sense to give them up about 20 years ago. I rather miss them, even now.
DeleteI think farmers have their ear to what's going on. Much of Italy was in lockdown and certain shortfalls are expected in harvests this year. Here, despite there normally being left just as grazing, farmers have gone all out on wheat, potatoes, maize, beans, cabbage and root crops. Dairy farmers have planted winter feed where as they'd normally just buy it in. My neighbour, some 50 years farming, said they are expecting shortages in ordinary food and spikes in feed prices.
ReplyDeleteIncidentally have you seen the news from Dijon? Chechen gangs openly running around with fully automatic weapons. Open borders has a lot to answer for in the distribution of weapons to criminals!
Farmers are often quick to respond to certain situations. Perhaps this is related to Italy's problems; who knows.
DeleteYes, this time it's the Chechens who are causing trouble. Like so many other nationals, they arrive in a safe European country then behave as if they own the place. I hope the cops round them up and send them home; there are only about 40 troublemakers.
Farmer responding to current situation. Ro beat me to it. I look forward to reading more about the progress of the field and harvest in the coming weeks.
ReplyDeleteI'm interested to see if they just send in a harvester, and gather the whole lot in one go. I imagine they will.
DeleteAfter the war, many Italians came to live in this area and many were gardeners and nurserymen. We had many greenhouses, one after the other, filled with every fruit, vegetable and flower you can think of including tomatoes. When they are fully grown and fruiting, I would think the smell as you walk past the field will be delicious !!! ( and I’m sure you will be able to scrump a few that have fallen if yours don’t do so well 🤣😂🤣 XXXX
ReplyDeleteI suspect there'll be a lot of scrumping going on. Luckily I have my own supply, even if the Roma don't do too well.
DeleteMaybe there is a point to Roma tomatoes but I don't know what it is. You were seriously edgy here if you smoked Gauloises.
ReplyDeleteRoma is the favourite processing tomato. All those Italian sauces, purées, etc, are made with them.
DeleteI did about 50 years service to the French tobacco industry; I loved my Gauloises.
Don't know about "edgy", Andrew. Maybe being French gave Gauloises their "chic". All I know is that they stink. No, make that "aroma" My credentials? When I was a child, teenager and beyond, my father used to smoke Gauloises. His other favourites were Roth-Haendle. The two brands as bad as each other if not worse.
DeleteU
Grown outside and sun like you get Cro - they will be delicious.
ReplyDeleteI grow Roma mostly for sun-drying and sauces. All the others are for salads and mixed conserves.
DeleteThat's marvellous, Cro. Hope some of those sun kissed tomatoes will make their way here. I won't dwell on it lest I burst into tears of sorrow but what is on offer in England is, how shall I put it, watery. Still, what's imagination for if not to employ it as to what a tomato can taste like.
ReplyDeleteU
Those cotton wool tomatoes improve a bit when cooked, but I know exactly what you mean.
DeleteThe farmers around here grow corn, soybeans, and wheat. However, with the epidemic, more and more people are going back to having gardens and growing their own this year. I had to wait weeks to get my seeds because of the backlog.
ReplyDeletePlease keep us updated on the tomato farm. I think that is wonderful to have acres of toms.
DeleteI wonder if it could be the beginning of a whole new attitude towards farming? Instead of leaving their land cropless, and relying on handouts from Brussels, maybe they'll all start growing things again, that we can EAT.
DeleteWhen i worked on a farm many years ago, it was just small enough that most machinery was too big, and just large enough that manual labour could be overwhelmed.
ReplyDeleteThe farmer did use a machine to plant the tomatoes. He had similar looking hills and an attachment that would dig out a hole. I started just after he had the holes dug and sat on the back of a sort of trailer where i took the tomato seedlings and dropped them in the hole. I didn't have time to cover over with dirt and tamp. He rigged the trailer part before me with a ramp, so the seedlings would make their way forward as i took them and placed them in the hole.
I'm sure the tomatoes they're growing in those fields are determinate, Cro. That way, you can harvest all at once, which is fine if you are machine harvesting.
I expect you're right. A big machine will arrive one day, and there'll be nothing left. A while yet.
DeleteI buy a brand of chopped Roma's. How the world changes.
ReplyDeleteGood news this is to everyone out there with different health challenges, as I know there are still a lot of people suffering from different health issues and are therefore looking for solutions. I bring you Good news. There is a man called Dr Emmanuel a herbal practitioner who helped cure me from HSV (2), i had suffered from this diseases for the past 5 years and i have spent so much money trying to survive from it. I got my healing by taking the herbal medicine Dr Emmanuel sent to me to drink for about 14 days . 3 days after completion of the dosage, I went for a medical checkup and I was tested free from HSV. all thanks to God for leading me to Dr Emmanuel who was able to cure me completely from this deadly diseases, I’m sharing this so that other people can know of this great healer called Dr Emmanuel because I got to know him through elizabeth who he cured from HIV. I was made to understand that he can cure several other deadly diseases and infections. Don’t die in ignorance or silent and don’t let that illness take your life. Contact Dr Emmanuel through his email traditionalherbalhealingcentre@gmail.com You can also whatsapp/call him on:+2348140033827 .He cure all forms of disease {1}HIV/AIDS {2}DIABETES {3}EPILEPSY {4} BLOOD CANCER {5} HPV {6} BRAIN TUMOR {7} HEPATITIS {8}COPD{9} SICKLE AND ANAEMIA.etc Be kind enough to share as you received.
ReplyDelete