Those of you that have been around for awhile know that every year I anxiously await the ripening of my favorite tomato Big Rainbow. It is a bicolor heirloom slicer that gets huge, is prone to splitting and cat facing and is just down right ugly most times. But I have grown it religiously for almost three decades with my original seeds coming from Seed Savers Exchange way back in the beginning.
They are indeed ugly most times until you taste it! My favorite way to eat them other than standing in the middle of my garden with the warm sweet juice dripping off my chin is the traditional southern tomato sandwich. Just soft white bread as fresh as possible, mayo and a big thick slice of tomato and a sprinkle of salt. Heavenly on a BLT.
As most of you know Tennessee has gotten record rainfall in many places with ensuing flooding with both loss of life and property. I have received several wellness check emails and yes we are both fine. I am feeling the love people! Please keep those less than fortunate in your prayers.
I have been canning green beans and doing lots of dehydrating and freezing. I still have 2 plantings of green beans to go. The ones I just picked are having some foliage issues from excess moisture so hoping to at the least get one more picking off those bushes before they are composted.
Picking lots of basil and freezing basil bombs.
Peppers are rolling in also. Just traditional bells.
Blackberries and a few blueberries are ripening despite the rain.
Okra slowed down with all the cloudiness. Hoping now that the sun has returned it will pick up again.
We are a bit soggy but resilient and ever thankful as always.
I have put O Wise One to work shelling more peas. They are loving the rain and heat and are still blooming to beat the band.
A couple tips on harvesting with heavy rains like this if your tomatoes are even close to ripe and you know there is a big rain imminent pick them and allow them to complete their ripening on a table or porch. They will absorb moisture faster than the skin can accommodate the moisture and they crack.
Same thing with fruits if they are ripe pick them if possible prior to rain. The less moisture they absorb the less has to be cooked out if making sauce in the case of tomatoes or dehydrating in the case of drying fruits or even making jam. The more water the more difficult to set gel stage.
Blessings from The Holler
The Canned Quilter
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