Monday, May 3, 2010

Lots of Tomatoes!

This year one of my daughters suggested we can tomatoes since she heard that the white coating on the inside of commercially canned tomatoes leaches bad stuff into the food. So, instead of putting in 4 tomato plants, I set out 10. I grew these from seed starting in March. There are 5 little San Marzanos and 5 Big Boys. This may be a big, and I do mean big, mistake. Stay tuned.


Meanwhile, I discovered that my cute little strawberry plants are really covered in blossoms. Last year there were only a few. This is now their second spring, so maybe they have decided to stay. The rhubarb plant is doing nicely as well. It will get to grow undisturbed for probably another 2 years. I have excellent will power so far, but I do love a rhubarb pie.

8 comments:

  1. Wow! You're going to have a lot of tomatoes! Are you prepared for how you'll preserve them?

    I am growing TWO plants. Just enough for nice salads and a few slices in the sandwich. One beefsteak and one Italian plum tomato (they are so GOOD when cooked).

    Best of luck!

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  2. Ufda! Well, I buy maybe two or at the most three cans of tomatoes every year, so I doubt I'm in serious danger of BPA (that's what the various websites say the white coating may leach into the food). I just chop up fresh organic tomatoes from Glut or Whole Foods or the farmers market. My favorite pasta recipes don't call for anything that comes in a can with a white lining.

    Also, you can FREEZE tomatoes just fine....here's a link on that:
    http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/ciqtomatoes.shtml

    good luck with your bumper crop of tomatoes! perhaps the daughter who raised the warning about the white coating would be delighted to help out at canning time. :)

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  3. Yes, as I said, it was #1 daughter's idea to can tomatoes this year, so I'm going to hold her to it! Luckily (or unluckily), I have done this before so I know what we're in for - a steamy kitchen once a week in August through September. Maybe it will be fun and we'll be glad to remember the days of summer canning (I hope). Maj. Reader

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  4. To Xtreme: I've tried freezing tomatoes and it does work well. But there's no room in my refrigerator freezer and I don't want to buy a freezer (yet) ;-)

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  5. I'm going to buy one of those upsidedown tomato things tmw. eeek

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  6. Ha! I've heard a lot of people talk about those, but you're the first one who says they're going to get one. Let me know how well it works! Maj. Reader

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  7. P.S. I think you posted that photo of your rhubarb just to show off! It looks very healthy compared to my sickly little crown. I'm giving mine a year to buck its ideas up and then I'm moving it to another part of the garden.

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  8. Peggy, not really (grin). Your mom sent me two rhubarb crowns and this is the survivor that I wanted her to see. Hope it lasts! Maj. Reader

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