Soon To Be A Tomato

by Connie Handscomb

Title

Soon To Be A Tomato

Artist

Connie Handscomb

Medium

Photograph - Photography - Fine Art

Description

At whatever stage you are, there are always higher stages.
~ Rudolf Steiner
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Tomato
Lycospersicum esculentum

The word tomato originated from the ancient Mexican word, tomatol. The tomato itself originated in South America, and in the 16th century, it was called the Peruvian Apple as botanists believed its early cultivation was in Peru. It grows wild (the Lycopersicum cerasiforme) in Peru, the Antilles, and Texas. We know them as cherry tomatoes. It is from these that the tomato we know today was hybridized, although today the cherry tomato has become very popular in its original form.

The Spanish and Portuguese brought it to Europe in the early 1600's. In the 18th century, the French grew it as an ornamental plant; believing it to be a powerful aphrodisiac, they called it the pomme d'amour [the Love Apple] and it became a symbol of lust. In Old German, it was known as the Paradies apfel (Paradise apple) as folkore suggests it was the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. Eventually, it grew throughout the Mediterranean.

The tomato is eaten as a food, raw or cooked; it is used commercially in a variety of food products. It is composed primarily of water : 90%; nutritionally, there are traces of Vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, and Vitamin C. South Asian Hindu yogis believed tomatoes to have a calming effect when eaten.

In the garden, tomatoes do not like to be near fennel, kohlrabi or other brassicas. The growth of potatoes will be stunted if tomatoes are grown near them.

Source:
Glorious Harvest: An Illustrated Guide To Vegetables, Fruits, Grains & Herbs [Bianchini; Corbetta]
Country Wisdom [R. Richardson]
Fruits & Nuts In Symbolism & Celebration [M.Reed]

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Before the tomato becomes a red orb, it first has a flower on the stem ... like this one.

Uploaded

September 20th, 2015

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