In Calgary, August is the big getaway month for many families with kids. In fact, the city looks like a ghost town some days. However, in the backyard there is a riot of ripening activity on the vines and in the ground this month.

Grow what you need to make the best homemade pizza

"Are you the gal who left the free tomatoes outside your gate last week?"

My "Free – help yourself," sign last summer had invited everyone to take home gorgeous, fresh tomatoes, and I thought the man was stopping by to thank me.

Hamlet tomatoes don't come cheap, but store well

My daughter was the first to notice I paid $12.95 for Hamlet tomato seeds.

And as she looked over my shoulder at the price, I was embarrassed. I admitted I ordered them without price checking and I wondered: would these seeds really be worth three times the price of every other seed?