Washingtonians

[Illia]

Just one thing I gotta mention - I have a big greenhouse, my growing season is from starting indoors in Feb til the first serious/hard frost, anywhere from Oct-Dec. Between then my temps are 70-95 degrees, big difference. So, I'm able to grow just about any tomato which may not work well for you at all if you have no protection for it.

I've tried most of these tomatoes before I had a greenhouse just simply outdoors, and, umm, out of over 70 plants I got ONE ripe tomato. I'm sure most of you live in better summers than I do though and will be better off, but, I always recommend a greenhouse, coldframe, hoophouse, whatever you can work with. It really is worth it.

 

[FirewifeJess]

Just one thing I gotta mention - I have a big greenhouse, my growing season is from starting indoors in Feb til the first serious/hard frost, anywhere from Oct-Dec. Between then my temps are 70-95 degrees, big difference. So, I'm able to grow just about any tomato which may not work well for you at all if you have no protection for it.

I've tried most of these tomatoes before I had a greenhouse just simply outdoors, and, umm, out of over 70 plants I got ONE ripe tomato. I'm sure most of you live in better summers than I do though and will be better off, but, I always recommend a greenhouse, coldframe, hoophouse, whatever you can work with. It really is worth it.

We have crappy summers here too. Granted, you live in total vampire-land so we aren't quite as bad, but I'm so close to Seattle that the summers just aren't hot; warmish is the best we get. I will have to remember to install me some of those hoop things I've seen (I could easily fit 4 large hoop beds (maybe 4'x8' each) in our existing garden bed. I think it's about 20x20'

 

[Ogress]

It's about time lol!!

Colored tomatoes are THE BEST. There is NO boring red tomato that beats them. Especially green tomatoes and orange tomatoes, oh my goodness. Some orange varieties out there literally taste like candy-sweet tangerines, some greens are just indescribably amazing. Oh and purples. Never enough purples.

This fall I plan to have a ton of seeds available to sell, because man do I love opening more people up to heirloom colored tomatoes. The oldest variety of tomato out there is in fact not red.

You know when one is ripe by how soft it feels. Also, after a while you just know. For example I had a variety last year that supposedly gave striped pink tomatoes, well, I got tomatoes of all kinds of colors and yet still knew when they were ripe. Colors like green, yellow, and white will go from a firm and opaque fruit to a slight give to the press, and the color will be more translucent. Also, some whites and yellows will have a green tinge at the base when unripe. Green tomatoes are ripe when the green color turns a more golden brownish green, and they're softer to the touch.

I ordered a 6X8 ($215 in the Gardners Supply catalog, and you can search for coupon condes to get an additional 15 or 20% off) greenhouse last week in hopes of growing some tomatoes to ripeness. I had so many wonderful heirlooms the past 2 summers, loaded with green tomatoes, and then they freeze. My friend had a wonderful black one, t was not as large as my russian variety, and it was much sweeter. She can't remember what it was.

my dog kennel/ banty coop was supposed to be my greenhouse. It worked wonderfully last summer until Augsut when those little cochins discovered they can fly! They ate everything! They even hopped from the benches to the hanging baskets!

 

[Ogress]

I would LOVE LOVE LOVE (and be forever indebted to you for) a gluten free RECIPE. Right now we just found the Bob's Red Mill GF pizza dough mix and while it was tasty, I don't want to have to pay for that every time I want pizza. I was so happy the kids ate all their pizza too! We also can't have dairy or soy (yeah, tell me about it!

) so the pizza had no cheese but it was still yummy with bacon, homemade sauce in our new Vitamix (DH bought it for me as a surprise a few days ago!!!), and olives. YUM.

Have you ever been to Cash and Carry? I was there last week, and they had a big bag of Bobs Red Mill Gluten Free all purpose for $24 (on maybe $29). It looked to be a 25 pound bag, though I am not sure. I need to use up all my little bags before I get that!

 

[Hinotori]

We're talking about getting a big green house. We have plenty of room for it, just there is other things that need the money spent on them first. I'd love to try some nice heirloom tomatoes then.


My Mom is allergic to wheat, so we've had a severe issue finding stuff she can eat. She can't handle any of Xantham gum or Guar gum they use in much of the gluten free stuff, so she's had no relief buying that stuff. She now has some mix of sweet rice flour, tapioca flour, sweet potato flour, and glutinous rice flour (texture, not actual gluten) that she's had good success making all sorts of stuff with. Biscuits, cookies, and pizza and pie crusts. She was experimenting and found out the sweet potato flour makes a very good breading recently. It doesn't take much and fries nice and crisp, stays on the food and doesn't burn. The only unfortunate thing is she can't get the sweet potato or glutinous rice flour down where she is, and they don't carry the super fine sweet rice flour that isn't gritty either. So I get a big shopping list to go buy at H-Mart before I go visit.

 

[Teva]

WOOHOO Kate the peahen is nesting!! I noticed she went missing 2 days ago and my neighbor hadn't called to tell me she was visiting. Will (Peacock) has been calling for her constantly (he has a broken wing, so doesn't follow her anymore - there are terriors roaming around the neighbor's place)......anyway, I saw Kate today roaming through my yard looking for her red feed bowl - she was soaking wet, so I know she hasn't been roosting in the shed! I wish I knew where her nest was (I have about 4 acres of just woods), and I hope they stay safe. I haven't had any problems with critters since I've started collecting fowl the beginning of March. I am so excited to see little peafowl running around here soon! OOOOH - Now I REALLY need to finish my big coop and cover up the pen!

 

[ByN8ureHomstead]

Quote: I would love the recipe also. My wife just found out that she has developed a wheat allergy.

 

[Sudsy Chick]

Live near Tumwater? Like free lavender? Not my ad - but would jump on it if I was closer!

http://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/zip/3033016406.html

 

[Sudsy Chick]

WOOHOO Kate the peahen is nesting!! I noticed she went missing 2 days ago and my neighbor hadn't called to tell me she was visiting. Will (Peacock) has been calling for her constantly (he has a broken wing, so doesn't follow her anymore - there are terriors roaming around the neighbor's place)......anyway, I saw Kate today roaming through my yard looking for her red feed bowl - she was soaking wet, so I know she hasn't been roosting in the shed! I wish I knew where her nest was (I have about 4 acres of just woods), and I hope they stay safe. I haven't had any problems with critters since I've started collecting fowl the beginning of March. I am so excited to see little peafowl running around here soon! OOOOH - Now I REALLY need to finish my big coop and cover up the pen!

She is sooo pretty! Hope you find her nest

 

[Illia]

I gotta say, it is nice hearing there are so many fellow WA people also with Wheat issues. I don't have any, but the rest of my family does. Sadly we don't do much actual "from scratch" cooking though, even though I personally love it, it's always buying packaged mixes or pre-made GF things these days. Still, gotta say, I am WAAY more addicted to GF Pizza Crust than boring 'ol white Pizza Crust.