And it is no wonder! In Japan, small farms lovingly produce vegetables just about year around in a climate much like that of coastal Virginia. Square watermelons, 50.00 cantalopes and other produce fresher and tastier than what we get here in the U.S. If you live in the suburbs, it is very likely that the produce you are eating in the evening was picked that morning on a small local farm. If you live in they city, your produce was probably picked the day before.

When was the last time you had such delectable produce? (Unless you have your own garden or have easy access to a farmer's market.)  How many tomatoes have you purchased in your life time that look beautiful and red and delicious only to be tasteless and mealy?  Or oranges...how about those bright colored oranges that are tasteless and juiceless on the insides.  And apples...well don't even get me started on apples...

Okay, well, I might as well say something abou apples...Were red and golden delicious apples delicious at one time? Maybe when we were children? They aren't now...or at least none of the ones I have had in the last dozen years. A couple of years ago, I went to a friend's house for a few days. She brought red delicious apples, I brought galas. She offered me one of her shiny read beauties and I not so politely declined. I offered her a slice of one of my gala apples and let's just say the rest of her red delicious apples ended up being fed to the birds.

So back to our children...we have tasteless veggies unless we smother them in cheese or deep fat fry them and then we wonder why they prefer twinkies to vegetables? I sure hope someone in the U.S. Agriculture Department is paying attention. Of course, as consumers, we have to stop buying the tasteless produce and demand yummy produce. Speaking of yummy, if you haven't tried pluots, you really should. They are a cross between plums and apricots and they are awesome!!!!