the kongdan foundation

You know that you are a little obsessive with your gardening activities when you plan for only sixteen trays of tomatoes, and you have enough beefsteak for another tray… that you now have seventeen trays. I know I know but. You plant the seeds you must transplant and grow. A tradition going back to the beginning of time.

Well, it’s a family thing. You may have heard of Bambino’s Italian Restaurant. It’s a family thing. My grandparents brought over seeds from Italy when they emigrated to America in 1907-8. They settled in South Dartmouth, on Cape Cod in Massachusetts. They were truck farmers. It was said my Italian grandmother grew the best Roma tomatoes and the best sauce far and wide. Her recipes were passed down to my mother and sister, Mary Faucett, who used these traditional recipes in what was to become Bambino’s. Mary is my sister. Some of you may have eaten there before. Well… back to the tomatoes. Why seventeen trays you ask?

Well, I have finally finished repotting my tomatoes and it just came to seventeen trays. For Maryann they are as follows:

1. Two trays Heirloom red cherry tomato                                                   30 plants    30 labels
2. One tray Cherry Baby hybrid tomato                                                       15 plants     15 labels
3. One tray 6 FM Golden Delight/9Golden Treat                                      15 plants     15 labels
4. Two trays FM Roma tomatoes                                                                     30 plants    30 labels
5. Four trays San Marzano tomatoes                                                            60 plants    60 labels
6. Two trays Burpee Brandywine tomatoes                                                30 plants    30 labels
7. Three FM Beefsteak tomatoes                                                                     45 plants    45 labels
8. Seed geek Cherokee purple tomatoes                                                       30 plants     30 labels

17 trays                    255 plants              255 labels

All the plants have been transplanted and ready to be cared for… for the next month. I give almost all of them away for plants sales in Springfield. These plants as well as many others I grow go to the following on the dates below:

• The Kongdan Foundation plant booth at Planet Unity on Saturday, April 19th.
• Master Gardeners plant sale the following Saturday on April 26th.
• The Hillbilly Garden Club plant sale on the same day and location as Master Gardeners on April, 26th.
• The Woodland Heights annual DIRT DAY event on Saturday, May 17th in Lafayette Park at 202 East Atlantic from 10am to 2pm. I donate plants here every year for the Master Gardner plant booth at Dirt Days…

Note: FYI… Bambino’s on Delmar under re-construction. It will be awesome when it opens later in 2025.  A few plants will go to my sister Mary and I. Otherwise they are donated to for the above plant sales.