Your say | Maryland Gazette (HometownGlenBurnie.com)

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I grew up in Iowa where my uncles farmed, and though Dad had a regular job, he always had what he called "a little garden" consisting of a couple of acres of tomatoes and string beans and sweet corn.

Seeing the first yellow blooms in my 2 by 6 space here in the back yard, I so vividly recall my teeth popping the sun-warmed skin of a ripe, brilliantly red, just picked tomato, bursting with flavor. Yum!

ANN DIMARTINO

Linthicum

Other than driving a farm tractor when I was 9, I have had no training for growing my own produce and had no success when I tried to some years ago. I generally combine produce shopping with other errands to conserve fuel and time and use four different markets close to home to get local fresh produce.

The produce at the Glen Burnie Farmers' Market (now at Towne Center at Glen Burnie) always sparks my interest. When my schedule cannot match theirs, I find the selection at the Cromwell Giant great for getting variety in taste, color, and nutrition at whatever hour I can shop.

I stop at the Burwood Food Lion when I am passing that way and, if the timing is right, check out the offerings at Vince's outdoor market just south of the light at Maple and B&A Boulevard in Linthicum.

BARBARA SCANLON

Ferndale

What makes the tomatoes I grow so good? They cost less than the $5 per tomato that we paid yesterday at a local grocery store.

JOHN STEVENS

Ferndale

As a young kid, I always helped my father prepare the ground, plant, and, tend to many different kinds of vegetables on the family farm on New Cut Road.

What an adventure it was, but a lot of work. However, it always paid off in a summer long gift of delicious fruits and vegetables.

When I had children of my own, my wife and I shared the love of farming with them. Many hours were spent on the farm. Teaching the kids about farming was very rewarding.

PHIL UPTON

Glen Burnie Park

We have grown our own tomatoes, but now buy them at Pumphry's produce stand on Veterans' Highway.

The fresh newly grown produce is not picked early and stored for long periods, thereby preserving the freshness. Shipped produce has to be preserved and will lose flavor with time. Plus who knows what else is done by a commercial packing plant that must use pesticides and fertilizers to guarantee mass production since this is money to be made?

LINDA WOLFE

Severn

For the last several years, I have been growing my own tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers. This year I am trying strawberries also. I enjoy the flavor of my home grown vegetables and watching them grow.

As for corn, I find that Shillinger's Farm on New Cut Road has excellent corn. Boyer's over in Severn has outstanding peaches later in the summer.

Can't beat homegrown!

CARY CROSEN

Millersville

My wife and I are both retired and look forward to any seasonal fruit and vegetables. I start working and planting in March (just a small home garden).

First are peas, radishes, kale then string beans, tomatoes, squash, cucumber, peppers (hot and green) and one watermelon and one cantaloupe plant.

This is all done as weather permits. I also have a small strawberry patch that the grandchildren just love. We also make bread and butter pickles and peach preserves.

LANDIS THOMPSON

Pasadena

I generally don't visit the local produce stands. It's too hard to find a decent steak there.

KEN WILSON

Glen Burnie

Since we live on the Mountain Road peninsula, we normally buy our fresh fruit and vegetables at the little stand just past Lake Shore Elementary school.

His stuff is always the freshest and a good price as well. The reason his stuff is so good is that again, its fresh, we've never gotten anything that wasn't, and it all comes straight from the Eastern Shore.

JIM BILENKI JR.

PASADENA