It is day 27 of the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders issued by Wake County, North Carolina. My Dad and I finally succumbed to the forces of evil.  We crossed over to the dark side.  We became renegades.  Outlaws.  With our masks on, disinfectant wipes stashed in the side compartment of the car door, and armed with 4 ounces of hand sanitizer in a pump bottle, we climbed into my trusty Ford Edge to ride like the wind down I-40, and 440, (and 87, Alternate 85, US-64E, etc… the DOT is changing the highway and interstate numbers).

Why would we “break the law” and leave our house during the COVID-19 pandemic stay-at-home order?  We did nothing wrong …at least we didn’t given our interpretation of “essential travel”.  The rule from the governor directs people to “stay at home except to visit essential businesses, to exercise outdoors or to help a family member”.  I was fulfilling a need that was essential (food) that would allow for exercise outdoors (well, it’s not all THAT far from Uncle Pete’s house to the garden, but every step counts!) and I was helping a family member (Dad!)

If you have ever lived in the south, with a man who was “southern raised”, and you plan to eat during July and August, you would KNOW that having a continuous source of fresh tomatoes is critical!  Essential, to be more correct, under the terms of the law.

So, back to our mission. Dad and me. The twenty-first century Smokey and the Bandit. Pedal to the….., well maybe halfway to the floorboard (I certainly didn’t want to risk a ticket for which I could have been slapped with multiple violations!)  We embarked on a 108 mile round trip journey to pick up three Mountain Spring tomato plants.  Our destination? Nashville, North Carolina.  The Original Nashville. Uncle Pete and Aunt Edith’s house, to be precise.

It it perhaps stretching things a bit….the essential travel to Nashville for food….because technically the tomato plants are not food and are not producing food yet….but this summer they will be!  And who knows how long this shut down will last… But Uncle Pete’s Mountain Spring plants are extra special.  The seed are ordered in the winter from the Amish Country.  They are painstakingly placed in carefully prepared trays (have you ever seen how tiny tomato seeds are??) for germination in Uncle Pete’s backyard greenhouse.  Aunt Edith helps oversee weeks of TLC,  frequent watering,  and careful temperature monitoring of the tiny plants.  Uncle Pete transplants the seedlings as they grow larger.  They are slowly introduced to the full outside elements as the days grow longer, ensuring they are finally hearty enough to be relocated to their permanent spot in the garden. 

Dad chose three fine specimens, with the guidance of Aunt Edith.  Uncle Pete through with a generous insurance policy and said “if you have any trouble with these, you can get some more!”  I carefully transported the precious cargo from outside of their greenhouse to my car, and secured the box in a warm, safe spot for the little plant’s journey to their new home.

Back in Cary, in about 3 weeks time, the larger plants will be gently moved to a secure fenced-in area safe from hungry predators, with plenty of bright sun, and sturdy tomato cages to support their limbs as they grow.  There, they will be lovingly cared for by my very capable Dad.  And, after many days of hot summer sun, warm nights, and gentle rain or sprinkles from the hose, they will (fingers crossed) produce a generous amount of beautiful firm, red fruits with mild flavor-  what the Mountain Spring Hybrid is known for! 

These are the kind of tomatoes that are perfectly suited to be sliced and slid between two pieces of Wonder Bread and mayo, with bacon and lettuce if you like.  You see, just like masks & hand sanitizer during this time of COVID-19, ……for a Southerner, tomatoes in the summer ARE essential! 

(I’m simply doing my part to help a family member.)