The Organic Gardening Community invites YOU!

camochef
Blooming

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Posts: 171

What am I to do with all these tomatoes? Jul 27, 2015 12:20:32 GMT -5

Post by camochef on Jul 27, 2015 12:20:32 GMT -5

The past two weeks or so, I've been picking tomatoes like crazy. Usually over 50/day. I've been giving them to friends and neighbors, (along with blueberries, beans, squash, cucumbers and other veggies), but they are beginning to hide when they see me coming.
This has been a very wet season the past 2 months or so and everything is growing like crazy. Tomatoes are doing especially well. then too summer squash and zucchini are also. Rattlesnake beans, have been exceptional. Producing more and better tasting beans than all my other varieties combined. (Blue Lake, Provider, Maxibel, Crockett, and an assortment of black, brown, pink, yellow, red, and multi-colored beans). But, this is about tomatoes.
Besides my 15 favorite varieties this year, I also grew 12 varieties from Darlene of some of her favorites. About 3 plants of each variety. Right now, they're producing lots of large ripe tomatoes. Of my favorites, the best tasting have been:
Pink:
     German Johnson-Benton Strain
     Brandywine-Glicks
     Barlow Jap
     Pink Sweet
     Earl's Faux
     Cowlick's Brandywine
     Purple Dog Creek
     Sandul Moldovan

Dark:
     Barlow's Best Black, (a German Johnson-Benton Strain P.L. Black cross)
     Cherokee Purple
     Bear Creek
     Dana's Dusky Rose
Red:
     Brandywine-Red
     Tarasenko6
     Mt Fresh-plus

From Darlene's seed:
Pink:
     Rebel Yell
     McKinley
     Weisnicht's Ukrainian
     Turkey
     Dester

Dark:
      Not Purple Strawberry
    Pink Berkley Tie Dye
      Margaret Curtain

Red:
     Texwine
     Dixiewine
     Mountain Fresh-F-1
     Red Penna.

All listings are in order by taste in each category. Rebel Yell and Not Purple Strawberry are the best from Darlene. My favorites are a little more difficult to categorize by taste alone, currently I'd have to rank the 4 darks over the 4-5 favorite pinks, but they are all subject to change as the season progresses and tastes may change. By the end of the season, other factors will be considered also, such as production, disease resistance, etc.
Right now, I'd have to say Rebel Yell is #1, followed closely by German Johnson - Benton Strain, Barlow Jap and Brandywine-Glicks for the Pinks; and Barlow's Best Black, Cherokee Purple, and Bear Creek pretty well tied with Not Purple Strawberry among the Dark tomatoes
Brandywine-Red has no competition among the reds this season.

Guess I'm gonna have to break out the Victorio strainer and the large stockpots.
Enjoy!
Camo

tbird Stately Oak Zone 6a (formerly Zone 5) Chicago Posts: 2,165	What am I to do with all these tomatoes? Jul 27, 2015 12:24:30 GMT -5 Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by tbird on Jul 27, 2015 12:24:30 GMT -5 send some to me!

desertwoman
Stately Oak

Posts: 16,574

What am I to do with all these tomatoes? Jul 27, 2015 12:26:59 GMT -5 tbird likes this

Post by desertwoman on Jul 27, 2015 12:26:59 GMT -5

If you need a quick, easy way that doesn't require a whole lot of time, this is what I do when I am inundated...
just freeze them whole and bag them up.

In the winter, I can then pull out how ever many I might need to make whatever.
If you want a peeled tomato, run under hot water and the skins slip right off.

Northern New Mexico 7000' desert plateau
Zone 7a (formerly Zone 5, then 6a, 6b)
Posting since 2005

Mumsey Stately Oak Posting since 2002. In the land of corn and pigs, where the smell of pigs is MONEY! Posts: 18,529	What am I to do with all these tomatoes? Jul 27, 2015 14:50:59 GMT -5 tbird likes this Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by Mumsey on Jul 27, 2015 14:50:59 GMT -5 And you can grind them up, skin and all in the blender, put in quart zippie bags and freeze for chili and other soups. Add some zucchini to this mixture, and an onion or two. Great soup stuff!
	East Central Iowa, Zone 4-5

Mumsey Stately Oak Posting since 2002. In the land of corn and pigs, where the smell of pigs is MONEY! Posts: 18,529	What am I to do with all these tomatoes? Jul 28, 2015 8:24:32 GMT -5 Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by Mumsey on Jul 28, 2015 8:24:32 GMT -5 Same for fresh peaches. Don't wash, wrap individually in foil. 9 fit in a quart zippie bag. Skins peel of in hot water! I will never can another peach.
	East Central Iowa, Zone 4-5

James Stately Oak Hang on and spur! Posts: 4,399	What am I to do with all these tomatoes? Jul 28, 2015 8:29:10 GMT -5 Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by James on Jul 28, 2015 8:29:10 GMT -5 Do you do any home canning? You can make tomato juice and bottle it for use later. Look for the Ball Blue Book of home preserving. Also if you have a county extension service, check with them.
	Northern Utah Zone 5 at 5000 ft elevation.

brownrexx
Stately Oak

Southeastern PA, Zone 6b

Posts: 7,780

What am I to do with all these tomatoes? Jul 28, 2015 8:47:56 GMT -5

Post by brownrexx on Jul 28, 2015 8:47:56 GMT -5

camochef if you only got a couple of tomatoes from each plant you would still be overwhelmed! You are growing a lot of plants!

I also freeze some whole and some chopped tomatoes and I take my excess to the local Independent Living Home where my Dad used to live. The residents really appreciate them.

I know that some local food pantries love fresh produce so maybe you could call one of them.

I know how you feel, I just hate to compost beautiful tomatoes. My chickens also love them so they get a few too.

desertwoman
Stately Oak

Posts: 16,574

What am I to do with all these tomatoes? Jul 28, 2015 10:01:38 GMT -5

Post by desertwoman on Jul 28, 2015 10:01:38 GMT -5

Jul 28, 2015 8:24:32 GMT -5 Mumsey said:

Same for fresh peaches. Don't wash, wrap individually in foil. 9 fit in a quart zippie bag. Skins peel of in hot water! I will never can another peach.

Mumsey you had mentioned this years ago and I tried it. Love it!! Quick and easy. It's the way I now process my peaches.

Northern New Mexico 7000' desert plateau
Zone 7a (formerly Zone 5, then 6a, 6b)
Posting since 2005

brownrexx
Stately Oak

Southeastern PA, Zone 6b

Posts: 7,780

What am I to do with all these tomatoes? Jul 28, 2015 10:27:48 GMT -5

Post by brownrexx on Jul 28, 2015 10:27:48 GMT -5

I remember this suggestion too and I never tried it. It's peach season now so maybe I will pick up a few for a winter treat. I wonder if the foil is necessary or if just freezing in Zip Locs like tomatoes would work. I may try it.

Mumsey Stately Oak Posting since 2002. In the land of corn and pigs, where the smell of pigs is MONEY! Posts: 18,529	What am I to do with all these tomatoes? Jul 28, 2015 11:27:40 GMT -5 Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by Mumsey on Jul 28, 2015 11:27:40 GMT -5 Don't know. I think the skins are a little more fragile than tomatoes. I got some out last night for peach crisp, they were great and they have been in the freezer nearly a year! I think the foil helps protect them.
	East Central Iowa, Zone 4-5

camochef
Blooming

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Posts: 171

What am I to do with all these tomatoes? Jul 28, 2015 13:41:39 GMT -5

Post by camochef on Jul 28, 2015 13:41:39 GMT -5

Guy's,
I appreciate your suggestions, but...I would need a huge walk in freezer. Today, I took more than two bushels of tomatoes to my friend in Hanover. He's been getting about that many from me at least once/week. Says he needs to make 36 more quarts of sauce to get through the coming year.
I have 60 some-odd tomato plants out in the garden ranging from 5-10 foot high and at peak production right now. I was being very modest when I said I was picking 50 or more/day, its closer to 260 going by what I picked this morning after returning from the doctors. Thank goodness Bob is still accepting them to make sauce. I have 7 large baskets full in the kitchen right now, and I could pick more from the gardens yet.
I really wasn't complaining about my dilemma, just reporting on my ranking by taste. This is still a lot better than when I used to grow between 350-750 tomato plants each year. Must admit, it's a lot easier dealing with Spinach and other greens. They shrink to almost nothing when you microwave them.
Great gardening year here! Not just for tomatoes, but also beans, especially rattlesnake beans, summer squash, cucumbers,etc. Will be planting fall gardens this coming week. Winter squash, pumpkins and gourds are already producing like crazy.
enjoy!
Camo

Mumsey
Stately Oak

Posting since 2002. In the land of corn and pigs, where the smell of pigs is MONEY!

Posts: 18,529

What am I to do with all these tomatoes? Jul 28, 2015 13:55:33 GMT -5 restless likes this

Post by Mumsey on Jul 28, 2015 13:55:33 GMT -5

Gotcha beat Camo! I picked 360 of something the other day, but it wasn't tomatoes. It was green beans. Don't know why I was standing there counting as I picked, just curious I guess! Plus, it's 25 for me, 1 for The Princess.....she patiently waits her turn! (rofl)

East Central Iowa, Zone 4-5

camochef
Blooming

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Posts: 171

What am I to do with all these tomatoes? Jul 29, 2015 7:22:19 GMT -5

Post by camochef on Jul 29, 2015 7:22:19 GMT -5

Jul 28, 2015 13:55:33 GMT -5 Mumsey said:

Gotcha beat Camo! I picked 360 of something the other day, but it wasn't tomatoes. It was green beans. Don't know why I was standing there counting as I picked, just curious I guess! Plus, it's 25 for me, 1 for The Princess.....she patiently waits her turn!

Mumsey congratulations!
While I never counted green beans...I did weigh them. 8 1/2lbs of rattlesnake beans one day, and just over 10 lbs two days later.
Enjoy!
Camo

ahntjudy
Stately Oak

Posts: 4,750

What am I to do with all these tomatoes? Jul 29, 2015 7:54:49 GMT -5

Post by ahntjudy on Jul 29, 2015 7:54:49 GMT -5

"Creamy Tomato Soup"

Melt 3 Tbls butter in a pot
Add 2 tsp flour, stir and brown slightly
Add 2 cups tomatoes (crushed, diced, whole, whatever)
Cook a few minutes and add
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
pepper
3 C milk
Heat thoroughly, but do not boil"

The above is a 'cut and paste' I saved from the old OG forum.
This was a recipe posted by Daisy Dew/Browngorker.
It's good!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For some reason, no idea why, I have more than one of this recipe in my 'folder'...

One is as above...
The other calls for:
Same everything else but...
"2 C milk
1 C grated Parmesan cheese
Season with basil, oregano, whatever warms your soul, and heat thoroughly, but do not boil. Then enjoy with crusty bread and a smile."

(I have never made it with the Parmesan)...

I garden ~~~ Therefore I am

OG Member since 2002 ~~~ Southeastern PA ~~~ Zone 7a

brownrexx Stately Oak Southeastern PA, Zone 6b Posts: 7,780	What am I to do with all these tomatoes? Jul 29, 2015 11:58:34 GMT -5 Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by brownrexx on Jul 29, 2015 11:58:34 GMT -5 Since I have plenty of tomatoes, I think that I will give this a try. I don't like the idea of parmesan but I may start with 2 cups of milk and then add more if it does not seem thick enough.