I am disappointed, outraged, shocked and baffled by this; I have been waiting all summer for my own tomatoes to ripen so I can have a delicious, fresh BLT sandwich. Turns out, though, that I overfertilized and my own plants won't be producing much (huge bummer). So I figured I'd just swing by one of the produce stands that crop up all over the Madison area (Wisconsin) in the summer and splurge on a few delicious tomatoes grown by someone else around here. I tried on a couple of occasions, but had gotten out of work late and the ones I drive by were shut down for the day. But I was REALLY craving the BLT, so yesterday I ran out over lunch and stopped by a stand near work. I picked out a couple of tomatoes, peppers and a melon. Got home, made the bacon, got ready to slice the tomatoes, and spotted a sticker I had missed in my excitement. It said "Product of Canada, hothouse grown". My jaw dropped. My heart sunk. I sniffed the tomato and it smelled like nothing. I cut it open and it was as pale and spongy as a grocery store tomato in January. And as tasteless. Wow, I just can't believe that in August, in Wisconsin, at a FARM STAND, the tomatoes have been shipped from elsewhere. This was a little farm stand that a big farm just outside of Madison sets up every year. They have several. I have been to the main farm, I know it exists, and I have always been happy with the produce. But now, I just don't know what to think. I am sooooo disappointed. I haven't decided if I should go back over to the produce stand and give a note to the poor kid who sits there all day to give to the farm owner. Probably wouldn't change anything, but it might make me feel better.
