The Farmer's Secret to Growing Tomatoes in Winter

The trees are bare, the ground is frozen, and if you want the best and freshest ingredients, where are do you go? Well, there is someone growing tomatoes in the winter! If you understand the science of cooking and you want the freshest ingredients even when they're out of season, then you're in the right place to learn.

In my search for the best tomatoes you can possibly grow in the winter, I found the answer at Sunburst Tomatoes in Momeyer, North Carolina. These tomatoes are grown indoors, even in the worst of weather. Tim Bass, owner of Sunburst tomatoes explains how he grows big, beautiful, deep red tomatoes indoors without pesticides.

The plants are grown in coconut fiber bags with a drip irrigation system that is controlled by a computer. The heat and air circulation are also controlled by a system that allows the plants to grow upward on a string. The tomatoes are always picked from the bottom, leaves removed, and the string lowered to allow for more growth.

Insects are controlled with predator bugs, "good bugs to eat the bad bugs" says Tim Bass. This is a natural way to avoid pesticides. Tim uses other natural methods to pollinate his tomato plants, purchasing a bee hive every six weeks or so. The bees do what comes naturally to them, and helps out their human farmer friends.

If you will take the time to look, you will realize that the best and freshest produce comes from within 100 miles of where you live. As you grow in your understanding of the science of cooking, you will seek out fresher ingredients. The best ingredients haven't been sprayed with wax, gassed, or bounced around in transit and in the end, all your kitchen creations will taste better. Find a local farmer that grows tomatoes or other fresh produce and you'll improve the nutritional quality of the food you eat and help your local farmer at the same time.