Tons of Tomatoes!

Here is a picture of the tomatoes I have gotten out of my organic garden. I planted a variety from better boy to early girls, cherry, etc. As you can tell there are many sizes but all taste so yummy. There is nothing like homegrown tomatoes. The taste again is so much better than the store bought. I think I have about 12 tomato plants growing with all producing just wonderfully. I have frozen some for winter stews and soups. Tomatoes thaw mushy so you can't slice them or put them in salads. I also plan on making sauces to freeze. I have done the water bath method and the canning however freezing is easier and less time consuming. To freeze them I wash them in my hand one by one with running water then I blot them dry with a towel. I then slice off the top and any bruises or blemishes cut them in quarter use my vacuum packaging machine label them then put them in the freezer. They will last 6 months. I have a lot of tomato season to go so I will have a good supply for winter and don't forget you can also freeze green tomatoes. Process as above only slice in thin layers do not quarter. Take each green tomato slice dip each side in cornmeal lay on a flat pan and freeze. Once frozen store by layering one on top the other leaving a 1/2 space in plastic container or freezer bag and you can use a vacuum sealer. I love my sealer it's so easy and wonderful for vacuum sealing which makes food last longer. I also have frozen many snap beans from my garden.

Now I am waiting for my fall garden. Currently I have planted a row of peas, green beans, butterhead lettuce, carrots and beets. With everything I have learned I am looking forward to next spring. I plan on adding strawberries to the mix. Before I close for the night I have to say I never knew how important bee's were to the production of our food till I planted a garden. In order for watermelon, cantaloupe, squash, cucumbers and more to produce a good crop bee's must pollenate each flower that blooms on the stems. So the next time you see a bee or it lands near you think twice before you swat the insect that feeds you. It's amazing what you learn about life when you least expect it. Keep learning it truly is fuel for the brain. Till next time blessings to all and remember to offer a smile to everyone you pass today even if they don't smile back you did a good thing. Knowing that is all that matters. :0)

My first Homegrown Organic Cantaloupe!

Well it took a bit of time but I finally grew my first organic homegrown cantaloupe. It smells absolutely amazing compared to store bought. It's not one of the larger melons it weighs 2 lbs 11 oz. but the size is actually due to the lack of rain. Cantaloupes are very hard to grown. They are susceptible to so many diseases and they like being watered using a drip method. They also have to be raised off the ground with a can or a flat rock so they don't rot while growing. I did not know how sensitive cantaloupes really were until I grew them. I lost about 5 plants in the process each had a softball size melon attached but I still have about 10 melons growing. What I really found fascinating when they mature they just detach from the stem. Unlike watermelon they let you know when they're ripe. I will be digging into this little guy this weekend.