Last night I got the first call of the tomato stake season. What the caller thought he said was: “I’m a volunteer worker for blah blah blah who is running for election to the blah blah blah, and we wondered if we might put one of his/her signs in your yard?”

What I heard him say was: “I’m a distributor of free tomato stakes, nice straight cedar ones, with one end pre-sharpened. OK if we install one in your front yard?”

Yes, yes! I never say no to these suppliers of no-charge plant supports. A person can never have too many. They come with a square piece of cardboard that has many uses in the garden or garage. The best ones even have little cross arms that are very handy for stringing up peas or string beans.

Although the “free stakes” season only lasts a couple of months, the supply seems endless. I harvest one from my front yard and soon a car will pull up and plant me a brand new one.

Only in America!

Art Hagberg, Federal Way