Before i read any other replies, let me say my piece.

I work and spend every year to have a nice productive tomato garden. I
started out with 4 plants. They didn't do that well , but it was
enough for us 3. Then the next year the 4 plants went crazy and we had
extras and would take them to nieghbors and friends. I will skip to
where i have 12 plants now that make enough fruit for us, our friends,
relatives, and i even send them to my family plus take some to the
post office personel. The extra digging, dirt working, hauling,
edging, conditioning, watering, etc. is all a labor of love. In the
spring when i have that "chore" to do, i am happy. It's a feeding the
soul type thing for me. After the plants are in the ground, i mulch
and all i do the rest of the hot hot year is water and pick tomatoes.
I don't give any to anyone who i know doesn't appreciate them. One
good honest look at there faces and in the eyes will let you know who
that is. After that, they can ask if they want some. I understand
wanting to plant a big garden and share the harvest and have everyone
love you for it, but sometimes people just don't give a darn about
others' produce or they would have gardens of thier own.

I wouldnt expect those who aren't fond of your produce to like your
gift baskets. If you have gotten to where no one wants them anymore,
cut down on your plants next year.



On Wed, 2 Jul 2003 13:10:06 -0500, "jfrost"
wrote:

I have recently become more firm in my opinion about
how to handle my extra produce, and thought I would
pass my humble rantings on.......

Recently I have been feeling very much like the ant in the
"Ant & the Grasshopper" story. In the past, I have picked loads
of Bell Peppers, hot peppers, cherry tomatoes, & salad tomatoes
out of the garden and gave it away in plastic grocery bags.
It always irritated me that when i gave away my extra produce
to friends& others, that it wasn't valued as much as it probably
should have been, but they hadn't done hard labor
to produce it so how could i expect them to fully empathize.

I have worked through years of summers, even when the heat index is
over 110deg. loaded 100's of full pickups of gravel/ mulch/ compost
weeds etc/etc/etc/ plus all the other labor & monies for organic amendments
it takes to keep it managed, {& I don't have a working back/ feet/ or
knees
anymore} while the Grasshoppers were inside reading books in 65deg
air-cond.

When I ask why they don't just want to plant a tomato, some will honestly
say they don't want to go to the trouble.

So here is my solution........

It's all in the packaging !!! I no longer will throw stuff in a plastic bag
& hand
it to anyone like they are doing Me! a Favor.

Instead I will now give it away Only as my Thanks You's to people.
It will have a proper presentation, in wicker baskets with raffita,
ribbons & bows & lovely custom printed "Thank You" labels, & maybe special
recipes;
essentially it will now be given as if it is a $40-$60 mail order gift
basket
whenever I have a need to give someone a Thank You.

I bought a tall wicker laundry basket at Wal-M. that I will keep in my
mudroom,
I also went to the local Thrift Stores & bought bunches of baskets that
have been
sitting there for years for about 50cents ea. The Laundry basket is a
perfect place
to store the assortment of small baskets, & whenever I need to make a
basket;
I just choose the size I need, go to the garden and pick whatever is
harvestable.

since I have flowers in the garden, I also bought a collection of the glass
vases
that the thrift store has for 25cents, and use them for my Flower-vase
Thank-Yous.

anyway, I like this new approach, it make me feel less resentful of all the
hard work,
and I enjoy being able to give something nice as a Thank You.

well, thanks for listening!