Smithsonian Does Tomatoes
By Kira Hamman
Maybe because I live less than two hours from Washington, D.C., or maybe because I have two young, curious children, or maybe because I am just that kind of geek, I love the Smithsonian.
An entire empire devoted to creative ways to save things and educate people – what’s not to love?
Oh, and did I mention it’s all free?
So I was particularly thrilled this month when Smithsonian magazine featured a story by Arthur Allen, an inspiring journalist whose progressive street cred dates back to the El Salvador mess that I am barely old enough to remember. But the really thrilling part was that the story was about – that’s right – TOMATOES!
Allen’s article outlines the well-traveled territory of hybrids vs. heirlooms, supermarket vs. farm stand, Monsanto vs. Seeds Savers’ Exchange. But, being Arthur Allen, his version is more compelling and better written than most, and it’s worth a read. If you’d like to read it you can do so on the Smithsonian’s web site, which is predictably as wonderful as everything else they do.
