I got Sherri’s celery all canned up and can just taste cream of celery soup, celery in poultry dressing, celery in stews. Yum!
Yesterday was a tomato day as I had four crates and a couple of buckets and baskets full of tomatoes we picked ahead of the freeze.
I did diced tomatoes (without skins) first. Then, while they were processing in the water bath canner, I got busy and cut up a roasting pan full to roast in the oven. I love doing this to make my tomato sauce quickly and with extra savory flavor. It separates the tomatoes, which still have skins and seeds, from the broth. That way, when I dip out the tomatoes, leaving the broth, the sauce, processed in my blender with some garlic, is already thick, with no cooking down needed. Then I can the broth, which is different from tomato juice as it’s primarily clear. I use that as a soup base and it’s very good that way!
I went out during my break and fed our wild turkeys, which are starting to hang around. They’re from our old wild hen’s breeding with our domestic tom. Some are greyish, as the tom was a Slate Gray. There is a large flock. We’ve counted about 24 of them. The bad winter we had three years ago killed off a whole lot of deer and wild turkeys. So, we are feeding them, trying to lure them closer to the buildings for winter feeding. It’s exciting to have turkeys back after being gone so long!
On Monday, I went out to the Wolf Garden and picked two rows of our Seneca Round Nose flour corn. There were some of the longest cobs we’d ever grown! This was despite our crazy weather that drowned out several other corn patches. I love it to grind for cornmeal, and we also sneak a few “green” cobs to roast for corn on the cob. It has very big kernels, so you sure get your money’s worth there. Yesterday, Will went out and picked the rest of the patch. Now we have crates of corn to be husked and roped up in the house. Not only are the ropes of corn beautiful, hanging there, but are a sign of bounty. We’re so grateful!
— Jackie
Your tomatoes look so good! My garden is done for the season, but I have quite a few bags of tomatoes frozen to can up when I have a little more free time. I am planning to make another batch of hominy next week and the black walnuts are falling like crazy and I plan to get them picked up and hulled so they can begin drying before I crack them and pick the nuts this winter. There is really not much “down” time in gardening life, lol. I hope your knees are not giving you much trouble. Sending prayers for a blessed week.
We won’t even talk about the knees. Lol. I’m canning like mad as the tomatoes are trying to go off, even as we speak. Thanks for your prayers. They sure help! Our two dozen, first crop black walnuts are still hanging on the tree but I’m sure they’ll fall soon. I can’t wait!
What a harvest you are having!!! I love all your pictures. You are so blessed to have so many tomatoes to pick on and get so much to can.
We are truly blessed! I’m trying to get up as many as I can before they go bad. I’ve given away about all I can find people to use them. Still so many|!!
Our garden has been put to bed for a while. Still have a few home grown taters to consume but I will miss them.
Speaking of taters – you getting close to digging yours?
Originally I was *not* going to plant any paste tomatoes next year (due to the unbeknownst to me use of Miracle Grow for Tomatoes by the better half). But changed my mind – decided I will be up front and center re: don’t spray my paste tomatoes.
Your rain has barely reached my area but this weekend’s rain looks promising.
I too enjoy feeding the turkeys – I’ll be loading up my first garbage can with ear corn (some of which I shuck). The wildlife (turkeys, deer, squirrels, blue jays) won’t eat corn until it gets so cold. Will take two (weekly) visits to the person who stores it to fill up both cans. As I have a feeling we might be in for a harder winter, I am considering hauling some 5 gallon pails to pick a bit more. A grain farmer is in our circle who lets us pick at no charge.
I used to glean the neighbor’s corn field too, back when they used corn pickers instead of combines. At the ends of the rows, there were always a lot of ears, just laying there. I loved it! We’re digging potatoes when my son, Bill, comes over on Saturday, as well as our carrots and cabbages to get up. I couldn’t survive without our paste tomatoes!!!
A farmer friend from my Dad’s childhood used to pick corn on the cob and we could load up from the crib. He stopped doing it and a friend of my sibling lets us pick. It was easier to load from the crib lol.
Not much in return for gleaning corn fields picked by a combine. Wildlife must find some kernels as well as soybeans as I do see them out in the harvested fields. Saw a few deer as well as two coyotes in a field the other day. They weren’t close per se but close enough to see each other.
Just wondering how long you canned the tomato juice left over from pulling the whole tomatoes out to make your thick sauce. And did you use a pressure canner or a hot water bath
I use a water bath canner and just put the tomato broth (not tomato juice. It’s more watery looking) right in with the tomato sauce, which I processed for 35 minutes, even though tomato juice doesn’t need that long a processing. It was just easier to do it all at once.
Lucky you with all the tomatoes. Mine were a big flop this year so have been buying the cans of salt free tomatoes at the store so I can make the salsa we like. We’re a small family so I’ll get enough cans to make do. Hope you get a break soon and can watch those turkeys.
Can you get #10 cans of tomatoes at your stores? The price is usually a lot better than the smaller cans. It’s so hard when a crop fails, isn’t it? And they do, from time to time, unfortunately. Especially with crazy weather.
Jackie- how long do you roast the tomatoes as we want to try this method next year?
I roast them at 350 degrees for about 3 hours, checking to make sure none of the top ones are burning.
Thanks much, Jackie!
Rain is here and very needed. It also gives us time to watch our youngest grandchild now 7 months old. He’s learning “a lot”. With an infant you have to slow down to their “rhythm”. Projects go on hold. I’m not sure what he weighs but he’s a squirmer and hard on our old backs. It’s fun to see his look of amazement as he interacts with this world. We should all be so happy. He gets food, shelter, warmth and love. My thoughts go out to those children who aren’t so fortunate.
I hear you, Everett. I pray for all the innocents every single night. Aren’t the grandchildren precious! I don’t get to see ours as often as I would like but am thrilled every time I do get to visit them.
Wow! How productive you are even with the rain. I cooked my tomatos whole, ran them through my old fashioned‘applesauce’ strainer. Saving the liquid to can as base for soups .Fresh Salsa the skins and seeds. Pulp makes the Best sauce for canning. Your Seneca corn looks great for fresh eating and cornmeal. Finally getting some cold nights. So covered the paste tomato plants and harvest the cabbage s .last of cucumbers.Garden is basically put to bed for the season Even got all my garlic in. Still have tomatoes to sauce . Enjoy the rainy weather- inside and steaming with the canning.
Yep, I’m doing big batches every day as they go bad so fast indoors. It’s too cold at night to keep them out on the porch, where they’d last longer. We’re close to being done in the gardens but all the tomatoes, cukes, melons, peppers, etc. are all in.