Part 6/8:
A recurring theme is disappointment with the year’s garden yield, despite having the largest garden to date. Many plants have underperformed, with tomatoes and eggplants not reaching the desired size or maturity. The narrator reflects humorously on the contrast between the size of plants and their produce, noting the poor tomato harvest compared to expectations.
Roma tomatoes, in particular, are identified as ripening slowly or falling short of the bounty hoped for. Some ripe tomatoes are gathered and weighed—around five to eight pounds—yet the overall harvest falls short of previous years. The effort of pulling up the plants reveals roots that are hardy but also difficult to extract, symbolizing the struggles faced this season.