Here are the first tomatoes of the season.

Yes, I realize it’s the end of August. It’s been a long cool summer here in Montana, and the tomatoes have only just now started getting ripe. Just in time to be swathed in plastic sheeting.

The romas are looking good — I planted two kinds, Borghese and Milano Plum, both from Seeds of Italy. They’re just starting to pink up, but I’m beginning to see homemade sauce and salsa in my future.

The Siberians are coming in nicely. I couldn’t remember the difference when I was planting between Perestroika and Grushovka, and from what I can tell, there isn’t much. Theyr’e both nice medium-sized early tomatoes, with a good sweet-acid balance. After three or four days in the bowl though, the ones I ate for lunch today were a little bit mealy.

Jaunne Flammé is probably my favorite tomato I grow. You can only just one in this pic — it’s the orange tomato hiding beneath the basil. They’re about the size of a large egg, grow in clusters, and taste wonderful.

The only real problem I’ve had with the tomatoes this year, aside from the weather, is the chickens. I’ve draped that bed in bird netting, but a couple of them have managed to sneak in underneath it somehow — and my first few ripe tomatoes had been cannibalized from the inside. Alas.

So, it was a late start, but looks like tomato season is here … and I’m eating ginormous bowls of tomato and cucumber salad for lunch these days …