When June is midway into July and the air outside is so hot and sticky only near-freezing iced tea will quench the thirst, I go in search of the perfect sandwich tomato.

While many Southerners look to a sliced red beauty, mayonnaise and white bread to ease that craving, I have to go with the Yankee standby of a BLT.

Raised by transplants from Wisconsin, I learned early on that bacon and lettuce (and toast, not plain bread) plus a garden-fresh ‘mater do a sandwich make.

I never liked mayonnaise that much, but honey mustard or Dijon works just fine instead.

I missed last Friday’s kickoff to the Farmers Market because I was getting an early start on the day’s paper down at the newspaper office, so I headed out Tuesday afternoon to the train station to check out the indoor version of the weekly summer market.

Surrounding the comings and goings of Amtrak passengers, the walls of the station were lined with vendors and tables filled with vegetables and baked goods. There was plenty to see and buy, but no ripe tomatoes were to be found.

I did come across a wealth of huge green tomatoes, plump and ready for breading and some hot frying oil, at the Douglas family’s table though.

When asked why there were no ripe tomatoes, Bobby Douglas explained the cold weather this spring had pushed the crop back. The green tomatoes and the other brightly colored vegetables at the family’s table weren’t really his though, he explained. They are the products of his grandsons’ labors, he said, proudly pointing to the two youngsters working the table, bagging produce and making change for customers.

Owen Douglas, 12, and brother Dawson Douglas, 7, were doing a lively business as we watched. I decided to buy some cucumbers, since cucumbers and onions make a good summer salad, and although I like to eat fried green tomatoes, I’m not crazy about doing the actual frying.

Besides, it was their riper cousins I wanted today.

After finding no more tomatoes of any kind among the other tables at the train station, I stopped at Clois Wilson’s table to buy some corn. Fresh corn on the cob is another summer staple, as far as I’m concerned.

Wilson echoed Bobby Douglas’ take on the scarcity of tomatoes so far this summer.

“Come back next week though, and there’ll be some,” he said, as he bagged the corn. I added an onion from his table for the cucumber salad.

Yellow squash was also readily available, so I threw in a sack of those, too.

One reason I’m missing tomatoes is this is the first summer in awhile that I haven’t had a few growing in the yard.

Last year I had some in pots on my back deck, and although the plants never amounted to much, they did produce some mighty tasty sandwich makers while they lasted.

This year, between moving and the deep shade that blankets my new yard and house most of the day, I skipped the planting and just waited for farmers market time.

But years ago, when I was the Douglas boys’ age, I was out in the hot sun working with my mother tending long rows of tomatoes, corn, potatoes, squash and all the other vegetables that I still enjoy eating so much this time of year.

While the BLT will have to wait, I’m going to make a pan of cornbread and enjoy the rest of my haul from the train station.

But next week, I’ll be back to resume my search.

Rachel Eide is editor/general manager of The Daily Leader. Contact her at rachel.eide@dailyleader.com.