Would you eat these tomatoes?

[ahbee01]

We have volunteer cherry tomatoes growing out of out compost pile, would you eat them?
We have chicken manure in the pile along with kitchen scraps, leaves, grass and hay from our goats, and it is this years compost, from the spring clean outs!
They look so yummy, but I'm concerned about the manure, worried about e-coli! (SP.)
Thanks
Brenda

 

[patandchickens]

If it's from last spring, I'd certainly eat 'em (after washing) -- otoh if you are sincerely worried about it then you will probably feel better if you just feed 'em to the chickens, who will mightily appreciate 'em

Pat

 

[me&thegals]

Are the tomatoes touching the compost? If not, I can't see that there would be any concern. Either way, you would wash them well, right?

I don't know for certain, but it seems that E. coli would not be drawn up through the plant and into its fruit.

Also, unless your goats have been on a feedlot on grain feed and antibiotics, it seems unlikely they would have antibiotic-resistant E. coli, but I'm also not 100% certain of that...

 

[vfem]

I thought e coli was mainly from pigs and cows in unsanitary conditions. I also thought it had to manifest long periods in conditions. I wouldn't worry about it honestly... Just get some veggi wash (some grocery stores have it) and scrub and eat!

 

[Reinbeau]

I would absolutely eat them, just wash them - after all, you put compost on the garden and eat the produce, right? I'll bet they're delicious.

The E. coli stuff happens from contaminated irrigation water.

 

[beavis]

I don't know for certain, but it seems that E. coli would not be drawn up through the plant and into its fruit.

True! Bacteria cannot travel through a plant's xylem and phloem transport system.

Tomatoes sprouting out of a compost pile with the material you described pose no health risk of E. coli to the consumer.

 

[SKR8PN]

I'd eat'm till the juice ran out my ears.