Monday, August 16, 2010

We Are Being Invaded!!!

I think this cute, little guy is the Captain of the Tomato Army!
Kind of a cute little guy, isn't he? Last year we lost pretty much ALL of our tomatoes to some sort of blight. I think that I maybe ate 3 or 4 the whole year. This year it is unreal! Our plants are well over Brian's head and they are dripping with fruit. We are so thankful. I have already begun the canning process. Thanks to a tip from my dear friend, Ang, from Eclectic Culture Farms, it is so easy.
I freeze the tomatoes as they get ripe and then on canning day, I thaw, peel, heat and can! This way I do the canning on the day I want to and the freeze/thaw makes the skins peel off easily!
All these tomatoes in all these pictures are from 2 or 3 days! Brian goes out after work and comes back with baskets of tomatoes.
We grew some funky Zapotec tomatoes this year. The minute I took the first bite I was immediately reminded of my childhood and eating tomatoes out of my Papap's garden. He was the cutest little Italian guy with an adorable thick accent. He used to grow tomatoes on a tiny plot behind his house in the city. I don't think I have tasted a tomato like that in years!
Aren't they the funniest shape?
I think I am in Tomato Heaven. The funny thing is, I am the only one in the house who loves to eat them raw and whole. Luke does like the cherry tomatoes, but otherwise they are all mine. Well, I do share with neighbors and my mom ;-)
One hundred and seventy-two tomatoes in the pile below. Just from tonight's pickin'!

7 comments:

Regan Family Farm said...

Wow wee! (Is that a word?) I just told the kiddos today, we might as well pull all the tomato plants~not much fruit, and if there is any, they're green. Another bust for a tomato crop. I'm so glad for you that you are getting so many!!! What perfect weather for canning them, too!
XOXO
Kathy

Farmgirl Cyn said...

I must stop by for a bitty taste of your Zapotec tomatoes! We all love tomatoes here...wish I'd have planted more!

Wanting What I Have said...

Michelle,
This is amazing. WoW!

Cranberry Morning said...

I love your tomato shots! I've gotta go out to the garden today and gather tomatoes. We've got some that are just barely staying ahead of the blight and others that seem to be avoiding it altogether, thankfully. I always freeze Romas just as they are, but can the others. Love to open a jar of tomatoes and smell that great tomatoey fragrance!! 'tomatoey??'

Unknown said...

YUM! I just got done taking a batch of my tomato vege juice out of the canner.

Anonymous said...

I would so be in heaven there with all of those home grown tomatoes! Especially all of those wonderful Roma tomatoes as they are my favorite. Such beautiful produce! Good job!

Stacie, A Firefighter's Wife said...

That's insane! I would be totally overwhelmed at the thought of processing all those tomatoes!