Garden Fresh Tomatoes and Then Some
Maine has always been unpredictable when it comes to the growing season, and I am sure it is probably that way across the country. One year a certain vegetable will do amazing and the next, not so much. Or some will do great and, in that same season, another barely hangs on.
I’ve taken in all the successes and failures over the past years and was determined this year to get some tomatoes. We have been neglected far too long here. I decided to relocate my tomato garden, and we really did not know what would happen. But we knew what had not worked, so we thought, let’s give it a shot.
It paid off in spades.
It also taught us yet another lesson, which is don’t make assumptions.
One assumption was that we would not get much yield from these plants, so we planted them too close together. I now have six-foot-tall, very active, producing tomato plants. I am not complaining by any means, but it’s a jungle in there, much to my black lab’s delight. He goes out every day with me to see if any are ripe to pick and maybe pluck one or two for himself.
Meet Mr. Beau. He is the distinguished gentleman of the house and tomato officiant. His approach is quite dignified, and he can be rather selective when choosing his tomatoes.
The other assumption was that since we did not expect an abundance of tomatoes, we had no plan for what we would do with them other than eat them throughout the season here and there.
I now find myself trying to figure out ways to preserve these because I am determined to eat each and every one in some way, shape, or form.
With that being said, I am in no way giving preserving or canning advice because I am not an expert at all. But I am going to have tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, and whole peeled tomatoes to last me quite a while during winter.
The large tomatoes we have are growing in abundance and need a home for the winter. These will become canned whole peeled tomatoes.
The cherry tomatoes will be roasted and then cooked down into a sauce, as well as being used for stewed tomatoes.
I have yet to begin this preserving journey because they are still growing, but I am preparing for when the inevitable happens—and that is they all suddenly decide to ripen at the same time.
Jars are nestled in their crate, canning tools are on standby, all the necessary preserving additives are within easy reach, and the recipes I will be using for my sauce and stewed tomatoes are presently resting quietly in their space until needed.
And last but certainly not least, my harvesting companion is actively monitoring the situation.
