right now

right now

Jul 8, 2011

Tomatoes and Dunk Tanks!

That pretty much sums up my day.

I started the day with saucing 27 lbs of tomatoes.  They have been collecting on the counter for 2-3 days, and were in danger of rolling off to the floor soon.  Hard to believe that just a week ago I was anxiously awaiting my 2011 harvest total to break the 50 lb mark, and as of today I'm over 98 lbs!  Sure, I had lots of lettuce and peas, but the pounds don't really start stacking up until the tomatoes start coming in for me, since normally I don't grow any heavy squashes.  Hopefully this year that will be different since I am trying zucchini and pumpkins.


A tip for anyone looking for a BIG bowl for cheap - I purchased a new oil pan for just a couple dollars last year and it works fantastic for this stuff.  It makes a great garbage heap for processing, too.



Today was another picnic day for hubby's squadron.  He was nice enough to take the kids with him while he set up over at the park, so I was able to prep all the tomatoes and get the sauce going in the crock pot and clean up without kids underfoot.  Just as I was finishing cleaning up I got a text message from him that he was going to put Loch in the dunk tank over there.  ???  That was my cue as a mom to get my butt over there a.s.a.p.!

As I walked across the grass towards them, I could hear the kids shrieking with glee... this is what I walked in on... (sorry for excessive video, but grandma likes it!)

Finnegan


Lochlann


more Finn


I can't even begin to describe how hot and muggy it is here.  There was intermittent storms the whole time we were there, the whole past week actually.  We've been getting anywhere from 1-2 inches a day for a week, and the mosquitoes are getting nasty!



Hubby actually took this photo of Loch before I got there, I love it!



When it was time to leave, hubby had to stay and tear down the event in the pouring rain!



We are back at home, it's still in the 90's at 7:30 as I write this, and I am starting to stress working in the garden.  It's been neglected due to the daily thunder, lightning and downpours and things are getting really out of hand out there.  This morning the heat index was 92 at 7 am already due to the humidity, so it doesn't even work to get up early anymore.  I think there will be a break in the rain on Sunday, so I'm going to have to psych myself up to get at least 2 hours of work done out there on Sunday.

The sauce has just finished up in the pressure cooker, and I'm excited to report that this is my first foray into pressure cooking with meat!


Heirloom Tomato Sauce with Peppers, Onions, Garlic, Basil, Oregano, and Italian Sausage!

Spending yet another happenin' Friday night with my canner :)

22 comments:

  1. ooh, those tomatoes and your sauce jars are simply gorgeous! and what a cute little "fishface." ;)

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  2. Your boys looked like they were enjoying themselves getting dunked. Who wouldn't in that kind of heat?
    Ohhh that sauce looks good.

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  3. What a day! How well your post demonstrates what's true for so many gardeners. You garden with the left hand, while leading the rest of life with the right hand. Thanks for the encouraging post.

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  4. Wow, you are really getting more than your share of the rain now. It wouldn't be so bad save for those darn skeeters and humidity! Hopefully your garden isn't all drowned out and you can do some damage control.

    At least the kids got to get wet and hubby too in a different way of sorts at least!

    Congrats on the sauce WITH meat! You will really appreciate it soon enough! You will almost feel like you are cheating just opening 'a can'. But we know the good truth in it! Yeah!!!

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  5. Well, it looks like you are getting a lot of tomatoes despite the blight!

    Loved the videos of the kids in the dunking tank! When my children were growing up the PTA would have a spring carnival at the school every year. The school principal would be the one in the dunking tank! Boy the kids loved that!

    I feel for you with the weather. Our miserable weather broke here last night with some much needed rain and cooler temps. I just don't know how you can stand all of that heat & humidity.

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  6. For all the troubles you had, you sure have a bumper crop---hooray!!!! And great job on canning. (as if there were the slightest doubt!)
    You're amazing!!

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  7. Now I'm defiantly on the next train,plane, 3 wheeled old lady bicycle that will get me to those bottles of tomatoes,pepper's and AND SAUSAGE,I will leave a note ,telling you who stole them. jk

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  8. I hate water. Moreover, I hate going under water so to get over my fears, I put myself in a dunk tank at school...and promptly broke three toes when I caught them on the edge of the plexiglass when the seat released and my feet flew up.

    I still don't like water.

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  9. Dmarie, wasn't that photo cute? I can't believe hubby caught that, when I tried to take one later all I got was fuzzy bubbles in the pic!
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    Sparkless, half the time they weren't even waiting to get dunked, they just jumped off LOL
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    Jody, you are right, it's such a balancing act! Of course it helped that hubby got the kids out of my hair in the morning while I was making my tomato sauce mess :)
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    APG, the weather is pretty traumatic right now, but is also the reason why I am finding time for canning, I can't do any outside chores! I'm pretty excited about having my very own "convenience foods", but healthy ones :)

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  10. Robin, I don't! I really am miserable in this heat and humidity, and I think it shows to my poor family LOL. I am so thankful my tomatoes produced earlier than in other years!
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    Sue, thank you! If it wasn't for the weather keeping me indoors, I'm not sure if I would have tackled the canner this early LOL!
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    Judy, train, plane or old lady bicycle - I'll put you to work LOL!
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    Ribbit, that would have scarred me for life too!

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  11. We could use a tank like that in the back yard. It has everything the kids could possibly want for fun! But it's cold again this morning; no one would volunteer.

    I remember gardening in the south. I actually started going to work at 4:30 am because by 10 I was fainting. I'm a terrible heat wimp now. You're a tough chickie!

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  12. That tomato sauce looks wonderful! I hope I get to make some this year.
    I'm surprised the kids (and adults, too) weren't fighting over who got to be in the dunk tank. I think that would have been the best part!

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  13. Great post!! Loved the under water picture, and the video of the dunk tank. So hard to garden and take care of the family and everything they need. Great job on your canning. I haven't pressure canned for a few years, and would have to make sure I still had everything in one place! Last year was the first year that I made pasta sauce, and we just loved it! Yea, it sorta felt like I was cheating when I just boiled some pasta, and opened up a jar. Ahhh, really made a difference some nights!
    ~~Lori

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  14. How exciting Erin! Pressure cookers have always scared me for some reason. I know there are several safeties built into them but I can't help but think that it might explode. That tomato sauce look YUMMMMMMY!

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  15. work camp --OMG I'm in trouble now lol

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  16. Wow, you have a great harvest there and your sauce looks great. Please leave us a newbies a post/link on how you can your sauce. Glad your son had a great time in the dunking tank, the photos are adorable and he'll always remember that event.

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  17. I'm so jealous that you have tomatoes already. But then I think about your heat and I'm no longer jealous. You keep your early tomatoes and heat, I'll enjoy a cooler summer up here!

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  18. Erin, You sure manage to pack a lot into your days! It's great that you already have so many tomatoes ready for sauce. I've been putting squash into the freezer, but the big part of the tomato harvest in my yard is a couple of weeks away. Glad to see that your kids had such a fun day! I always enjoy the updates.

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  19. Those beans you sent have come up. :) YAY!!

    That sauce will surely hit the spot in the coming months, you go with your bad self!

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  20. Stefaneener, I would work outside that early but it's just as nasty here then LOL plus everything is wet and "skeetery"!
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    Patty, I know you'll make some, even if you gobble it up right away!
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    Dirt Lover, I really am in love with the pressure canner, no more worries about acidity, not to mention that I can actually DO it - my steam canner wouldn't even heat up on my stove LOL
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    Thomas, if you could see and hold the All-American all your fears would go right out the window!

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  21. rmgales, I use the USDA online pdf guide extensively, they have pressure canning times and instructions for pretty much everything!
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    Kaytee, I think I would gladly give up some veggies for the weather being tolerable enough to actually get out and enjoy my garden
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    agwh, it only looks that way! I run out, get the veggies in the heat and retreat!
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    Kelly, glad those beans came up quickly!

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  22. So many beautiful tomatoes! Wow. That dunk tank is awesome! The kids must of had so much fun! That can sauce looks amazing.

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