What Did You Do Today?

[Eric Krewson]

I planted my greens garden last Friday evening with perfect conditions for planting, I had this Monday evening; this is some kind of record for me. These are sprouting turnip plants, turnip seeds germinate quicker than the kale or collards.

[Pat B]

Today, Marcia and I took our yearly trip to the NC farmers market over near Asheville. We bought two 25# boxes of Roma tomatoes, $10 each and 6 bell peppers, $1 for all, some garlic and we had Vidalia onions at home.

 
First thing I did is bring a large pot of water to a light boil and drop tomatoes into it until their skin splits. Then I take them out of the hot water and drop in cold water to stop the cooking. Now I cut off the connection ens and remove the peel then cut into chunks.
 While prepping the tomatoes I chop onions, bell peppers, garlic and place in a large pot with olive oil, salt and pepper. After these veg saute for a few minutes I start adding the chopped tomatoes. After adding the tomatoes I add about a tablespoon of sugar, something my Mom thought me to help cut some acidity. When the pot of tomatoes cooks down by 1/3 I turn it off, cover and let it cool slowly.
Tomorrow I will bag the cooked tomatoes in freezer bags for use later this year.

[Eric Krewson]

I like to stockpile food as well; we have an Amish community 45 miles away. I can't grow some things in quantity like corn nearly as cheaply as I can buy perfect ears of very good corn from the Amish for $3 to $4 for a dozen ears.

I have grown a garden almost every year for the last 55 years. It surprises me now with food prices going out the roof that so few of the people who have a back yard they could grow a garden in don't. I have 4 1/2 acres but 4 1/4 of those acres are thick woods, I only have a strip 30' ft wide and 60' long that is level enough to grow a garden on, even that piece of ground has some slope to it but it terraced itself with repeated tilling over the years to be almost flat.