Haylift Gardens

Last weekend my friends and I visited Haylift Gardens in Mosier, Oregon.  Haylift Gardens grows mostly organic heirloom tomatoes but also a delicious variety of other organic vegetables and fruits.  You will find their AMAZING tomatoes on the “Heirloom Pie” at Double Mountain Brewery in Hood River or you can visit the Mosier Farmers Market on Sundays from 4-7pm.

My obsession with tomatoes began as a child, visiting my Grandparents house in Cupertino, CA in the summers.  My grandpa loved to garden… and he grew the BIGGEST, most perfect tomatoes.  Sweet, juicy, and weighed the size of my age 7 head.  I would pick them off the vine, sprinkle them with salt and eat them just like an apple (all day long.)  This year I grew about 14 tomato plants ranging from chocolate cherries, sweet 100’s, and other various heirlooms.  I love to slice them up with cucumbers, make spicy/sweet salsa using the cherry tomatoes and my new 2013 summer fav is cottage cheese & tomato with salt and pepper.

So as you can probably understand, I was SO excited to visit this farm.  We incorporated a Willie Nelson concert and camped out at the farm, enjoyed Bloody Mary’s and a delicious breakfast in the morning, helped the owners, Bay and Mike harvest for the market that evening and Double Mountain, then made our way back to Portland.  Obviously, not without stopping at my favorite Hood River winery, Marchese Vineyards for a quick tasting.

This was a splendid weekend.

**note all photos taken with my iphone.