Selenga held a tomato in her hand.
Red. Round. Not heavy, but not light either.
She bit into it. A little sour. A little sweet. Juice dripped down her chin.
“Mom, where does this come from?”
“From the store.”
“But before the store?”
“From a farmer.”
“And before that?”
Her mom laughed. “From the ground.”
“It grows in the ground?”
“First a seed. Then a sprout. Then a tomato.”
Let's Try It
“Can I grow one too?”
"Let's find out."
Mom brought a pot. They filled it with soil. They made a small hole in the middle. They dropped in a tomato seed. They covered it with dirt.
“What now?” asked Selenga.
“We water it. We wait. We put it in the sun.”
“How long until it grows?”
“Maybe ten days. Maybe two weeks.”
Selenga looked at the pot. "That's a long time."
"Yes. But it's worth it."
The Waiting Game
Every morning, Selenga checked the pot.
Day one: Nothing. Day two: Nothing. Day three: Nothing.
"Mom, it's not working."
“Be patient.”
Day four: Nothing. Day five: A tiny crack in the soil.
"MOM! SOMETHING'S HAPPENING!"
Mom came over. She looked. She smiled.
“A sprout is coming up.”
Watch It Grow
The sprout appeared. Small. Green. Two tiny leaves.
Selenga watched every day. She watered it every day.
It grew taller. The stem got longer. More leaves appeared. Then came a flower—yellow and small.
“A flower?” Selenga was surprised. “Tomatoes have flowers?”
“They do. The flower turns into the tomato.”
The First Tomato
One day Selenga went to the balcony.
A tiny green ball. Where the yellow flower used to be.
“Mom! A tomato!”
Weeks passed. It turned from green to yellow. From yellow to orange. From orange to red.
Selenga picked it. She twisted it off the plant.
She took a bite.
Her eyes closed.
“This tastes better,” she said.
“Why?”
"Because it's mine."
“Because you grew it.”
Selenga thought about it. The waiting was long. But the tomato was real.
Questions Kids Ask
**Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable?** Botanically, it's a fruit because it grows from a flower and has seeds. But in the kitchen, we use it like a vegetable.
**Is it hard to grow tomatoes at home?** Not at all! A pot, soil, sunlight, and water are all you need. Tomatoes are one of the easiest plants to grow.
For Parents
After reading this story, plant a real tomato seed with your child. This is the best way to bring the story to life. Take photos as your plant grows. Your child will remember this forever.