Jun 6

Jun 6 First, Last & (Hopefully) Always

As I write this, I am witnessing my first tomato in the garden this season and the last can of tomatoes from last year's garden. It's bittersweet.

My first year of gardening, I'll admit, my yield of edibles was pretty dismal. I was new to EVERYTHING. I got a few tomatoes, but I don't think any of them arrived until late September and I only got a few. My peppers shriveled practically after they started producing. It seemed that I did not have much of a green thumb. But, I kept at it and was determined. If some things didn't work, I'd try different things next year. Different tomatoes, different peppers, different techniques, different everything.

Fast forward a couple of years and I was SWIMMING in produce. Last year, I sent the following email:

Dear friends/neighbors,
It has become apparent that my lettuce plants are threatening to take over the back yard. (I believe they are plotting a coup of some sort and are in talks with Putin on next steps as we speak.) Even my husband, who pretty much eats salad for dinner every night, has had to admit defeat and can no longer consume as much as this garden produces....
I am hoping that, as you read this, you're thinking, "OH, I only WISH I could eat more fresh salad." If that's the case, boy are you in luck! We're running a special on lettuce this week.. All you can eat for FREE! And that's not all......We deliver too!!!
I'll be picking some in the next day or so and would be happy to deliver some garden fresh, organically grown lettuce this week....right to your doorstep!
Signed,
The Overzealous Gardener

My overabundance of lettuce....taking over the garden.

I also had an abundance of tomatoes. I had thought about canning for a while, but it seemed so complicated and dangerous. What if I poisoned people with my poorly canned tomatoes? But, I was left with no choice. Yes, I could have made sauce and frozen it, or called on my neighbors again, but I decided to take the plunge and try canning. You can see from these photos, why it seemed necessary.

Thinking of trying canning? The good news is that tomatoes are acidic, so you can use a large pot, hot water, lemon juice and only minimal canning materials for hot water canning method. So, no need to spend money on a pressure canner if you're not sure you're ready to take the long-term plunge.

I'm reluctant to repost canning instructions, since there are so many out there already. For tips and techniques for canning, check out simplycanning.com. Despite the use of "Comic Sans" font on this one, this site from pickyourown.com may serve useful in getting started.

Being able to enjoy summer tomatoes in the dead of winter for sauces, soups and chili is amazing and well worth the effort to can your garden goods at their peak. My favorites for canning were my San Marzano tomatoes. They are great for sauces.

This year, I may even can some of the peak-season fruits and veggies I get from farmer's markets - just to capture the flavors when they're at their best.

Hmmm...What should I do with that last can of tomatoes? Let me know in the comments.