http://www.raisingbakersfield.com/home/Blog/jbaldwin/28374 What do BLTs, summer salad and fresh salsa have in common? They all have tomatoes! And unfortunately, due to several salmonella cases in the West, tomatoes are off limits right now. I am really having a hard time with this. I was planning to make a big batch of my favorite summer salad this weekend, but it just won't be the same without tomatoes. My mouth is watering right now thinking of the juicy fruits, marinated in oil and vinegar, with salt and pepper and oregano and other spices. I hope this gets cleared up fast. This was my first year NOT planting my own tomatoes at home! What do BLTs, summer salad and fresh salsa have in common? They all have tomatoes! And unfortunately, due to several salmonella cases in the West, tomatoes are off limits right now. I am really having a hard time with this. I was planning to make a big batch of my favorite summer salad this weekend, but it just won't be the same without tomatoes. My mouth is watering right now thinking of the juicy fruits, marinated in oil and vinegar, with salt and pepper and oregano and other spices. I hope this gets cleared up fast. This was my first year NOT planting my own tomatoes at home! en-us <p>Just head over to Murray Family Farms! I got a gigantic beef steak tomato there last week.</p> http://www.raisingbakersfield.com/home/Blog/jbaldwin/28374/#c_256301 http://www.raisingbakersfield.com/home/Blog/jbaldwin/28374/#c_256301 <p>Just head over to Murray Family Farms! I got a gigantic beef steak tomato there last week.</p> <p>Oh, that's a great idea. It's a little far to drive for a tomato, but hopefully worth it. Or, this gives me an idea: I could hit up the farmer's market Saturday morning at the Monkey Wards parking lot! (now called Golden State Mall or something like that)</p> <br /> http://www.raisingbakersfield.com/home/Blog/jbaldwin/28374/#c_256305 http://www.raisingbakersfield.com/home/Blog/jbaldwin/28374/#c_256305 <p>Oh, that's a great idea. It's a little far to drive for a tomato, but hopefully worth it. Or, this gives me an idea: I could hit up the farmer's market Saturday morning at the Monkey Wards parking lot! (now called Golden State Mall or something like that)</p> <br /> <p>Yeah you could also pick up some other fruits and veggies, not just&nbsp;a tomato to make it a little more worth it. I'm lucky because we're fairly close. The farmer's market is a good idea too.</p> http://www.raisingbakersfield.com/home/Blog/jbaldwin/28374/#c_256310 http://www.raisingbakersfield.com/home/Blog/jbaldwin/28374/#c_256310 <p>Yeah you could also pick up some other fruits and veggies, not just&nbsp;a tomato to make it a little more worth it. I'm lucky because we're fairly close. The farmer's market is a good idea too.</p> <p><span style="color: #0000ff">My MIL&nbsp;has&nbsp;just raved about the&nbsp;abundant harvest boxes of&nbsp;fruit they&nbsp;have gotten too....I do know they have all organically&nbsp;grown and local&nbsp;items only&nbsp;- not sure about tomatoes though.&nbsp; Murray Farms is a little drive, but, well worth&nbsp;it!&nbsp; Go early in the morning (especially now that it's so hot!) and you'll come&nbsp;home&nbsp;with a lot of nice items.&nbsp; There are also the local growers markets too - wasting less gas and quicker to get back home!&nbsp;&nbsp;;)&nbsp; </span>&nbsp;</p> http://www.raisingbakersfield.com/home/Blog/jbaldwin/28374/#c_257415 http://www.raisingbakersfield.com/home/Blog/jbaldwin/28374/#c_257415 <p><span style="color: #0000ff">My MIL&nbsp;has&nbsp;just raved about the&nbsp;abundant harvest boxes of&nbsp;fruit they&nbsp;have gotten too....I do know they have all organically&nbsp;grown and local&nbsp;items only&nbsp;- not sure about tomatoes though.&nbsp; Murray Farms is a little drive, but, well worth&nbsp;it!&nbsp; Go early in the morning (especially now that it's so hot!) and you'll come&nbsp;home&nbsp;with a lot of nice items.&nbsp; There are also the local growers markets too - wasting less gas and quicker to get back home!&nbsp;&nbsp;;)&nbsp; </span>&nbsp;</p> <p>I ended up going to the farmer's market on F Street Saturday morning and buying five huge tomatoes, two beautiful cucumbers, and a purple onion from Tesch Farms (located here in Bakersfield). My salad turned out wonderful, although the vegetables cost me $10. It was worth it this time, but I'm a Food Maxx girl and I'm used to buying cheap produce. I'm glad i went though!</p> <br /> http://www.raisingbakersfield.com/home/Blog/jbaldwin/28374/#c_257469 http://www.raisingbakersfield.com/home/Blog/jbaldwin/28374/#c_257469 <p>I ended up going to the farmer's market on F Street Saturday morning and buying five huge tomatoes, two beautiful cucumbers, and a purple onion from Tesch Farms (located here in Bakersfield). My salad turned out wonderful, although the vegetables cost me $10. It was worth it this time, but I'm a Food Maxx girl and I'm used to buying cheap produce. I'm glad i went though!</p> <br />