What did you do in the garden today?

[CedarLane]

I'm still trying to figure out what varieties work best for my family. In the past we've only really used tomatoes as slicers for raw eating or BLTs or whatever. So beefsteaks are a must. We also make salsa every year. I like cherry tomatoes occasionally for salads but I always end up with buckets of them and I might eat only a couple of salads all summer (something I'm trying to improve!). The rest just go to waste as my chickens aren't really fans. I *really* want to make and can my own tomato sauce. But I never seem to get enough tomatoes at the right time to do it. Last year I was saving tomatoes in the fridge but by the time I had enough to try to make sauce, many were moldy. I ended up losing the whole harvest.

I core and wash my tomatoes (if you aren't going to put them through a food mil or Victorio strainer, etc., you should scald them to take the skins off) then cut them into chunks. I put them in ice cream buckets or gallon freezer bags. When I'm ready to can tomato juice or sauce, I take them out of the freezer to process. If you are just going to can juice, they don't need to be completely thawed before putting them in the kettle. For thicker tomato or spaghetti sauce, it works better to thaw and drain off the "clear" liquid--otherwise it will take longer to cook down.

You can wash your cherry tomatoes and freeze (strain). They will work fine for tomato juice.

Edited to add: I wouldn't to this to make salsa. I always use fresh tomatoes for salsa.

 

[Badchickenpun]

I core and wash my tomatoes (if you aren't going to put them through a food mil or Victorio strainer, etc., you should scald them to take the skins off) then cut them into chunks. I put them in ice cream buckets or gallon freezer bags. When I'm ready to can tomato juice or sauce, I take them out of the freezer to process. If you are just going to can juice, they don't need to be completely thawed before putting them in the kettle. For thicker tomato or spaghetti sauce, it works better to thaw and drain off the "clear" liquid--otherwise it will take longer to cook down.

You can wash your cherry tomatoes and freeze (strain). They will work fine for tomato juice.

Edited to add: I wouldn't to this to make salsa. I always use fresh tomatoes for salsa.

I just learned the dipping with the strainer technique for removing excess liquid it was a god-send. I tried to explain it to my mom, over the phone... I need to send her a video.

 

[Sally PB]

^^WOW! What a great idea!

Thanks for sharing this!

A few more exclamation points!!!!

 

[Badchickenpun]

^^WOW! What a great idea!

Thanks for sharing this!

A few more exclamation points!!!!

It worked so well for me last year, I used it for my salsa, pasta sauce and even my "thin" tomato sauce (tomato juice).
I think I removed a quarter of the volume with this method.

 

[chickengr]

I planted almond trees. still have no internet.

my photovoltaics arrived.

 

[Sammster]

I just learned the dipping with the strainer technique for removing excess liquid it was a god-send. I tried to explain it to my mom, over the phone... I need to send her a video.

this is awesome!!

 

[Badchickenpun]

this is awesome!!

Tip is to not PRESS it in, just set the strainer on top and it will slowly settle in and the liquid will find it's way into the space.

 

[CNJ]

I like cherry tomatoes occasionally for salads but I always end up with buckets of them and I might eat only a couple of salads all summer (something I'm trying to improve!).

My local super market only sell tasteless grape type tomatoes. The label says," Imported from Mexico." The wild local cherry tomatoes that sprout in my yard taste better.

I never tried the exotic new types of cherry tomatoes like Brad's Atomic Grape, Blue Berry, Black Cherry, Tim's Taste of Paradise, Princess Yum Yum, Sweet Heart Cherry, Sun Gold and Sun Sugar.

I have been snacking on 5 local cherry tomato plants daily, and none of the cherry tomatoes reach my kitchen. I wish I had buckets full of Sun Gold, although I have never tried them,

This is the first year that I found out about the new types of exotic tomatoes and I have been trying to grow them, but some mad scientist created a stunting virus, so I can't grow heirloom type of tomatoes in my area. I can only grow the ones that have a resistance to this virus and I have to find them myself.................

If the most disease resistant cherry tomato Princess Yum Yum fail, it will be the end of my world as we know it.............

 

[Sammster]

I like cherry tomatoes occasionally for salads but I always end up with buckets of them and I might eat only a couple of salads all summer (something I'm trying to improve!). The rest just go to waste as my chickens aren't really fans.

I recently ran across this video - that shows you how to make "sundried" tomatoes from all those cherry tomatoes

 

[5 Points Wingfeather]

My local super market only sell tasteless grape type tomatoes. The label says," Imported from Mexico." The wild local cherry tomatoes that sprout in my yard taste better.

I never tried the exotic new types of cherry tomatoes like Brad's Atomic Grape, Blue Berry, Black Cherry, Tim's Taste of Paradise, Princess Yum Yum, Sweet Heart Cherry, Sun Gold and Sun Sugar.

I have been snacking on 5 local cherry tomato plants daily, and none of the cherry tomatoes reach my kitchen. I wish I had buckets full of Sun Gold, although I have never tried them,

This is the first year that I found out about the new types of exotic tomatoes and I have been trying to grow them, but some mad scientist created a stunting virus, so I can't grow heirloom type of tomatoes in my area. I can only grow the ones that have a resistance to this virus and I have to find them myself.................

If the most disease resistant cherry tomato Princess Yum Yum fail, it will be the end of my world as we know it.............

I ordered SunGold this year. I think I only got 10 seeds so I have to make it count! Haha. I do plan on propagating the “suckers” though (if they have them) and making more plants