Pickles and Tomatoes Get Canned
Sep 13th, 2009 by Matt
“I’m DONE with pickles.”
These were my co-author’s first words after she spent two near-full days of a splendid weekend cleaning, cutting, boiling, mixing, sealing, etc – in other words, canning - what is intended to be a two-year supply of staples here at the ranch.
A few days ago Amy made a special run to Thistledown Farm for the bulk supply. The purchase included (3) 10 pound bags of pickling cucumbers and (2) 30-pound lugs of roma tomatoes. Yes folks, almost 100 pounds of raw product.
The net end product of the pickles tallied 31 pint jars and 10 quart jars. For the Romas, 21 quarts total. Amy tells me this is about 1/2 of the tomatoes we’ll need for the 2-year goal, so another run will be undertaken soon.
While Amy sweated it out in the kitchen today, I worked the garden. I harvested a few things: (more) tomatillos, the last of our corn, and a couple handfuls of golden raspberries. The main effort was reseeding several rows of our winter garden that had failed, primarily due to our industrious free-ranging hens. An extra task today was implementing a short wire barrier to keep the chickens out.
My goodness–you two amaze me–what a goal–a two year supply of canned tomatoes. It makes my 25 lbs of Romas purchased yesterday at the farmers market seem really puny. I’m planning to freeze them tonight. No canning in this house. The pictures continue to bring a happy smile to my face. What a beautiful harvest time you are having.
Wow. I did 1 10-lb bag of vinegar pickles and that was enough for me. I was tempted — but did not succumb — to another bag when I went to Thistledown this weekend (and btw, they have smaller cukes at Lone Pine).
I’m now working my way through a lug of paste tomatoes, groaning and grumbling. ONE lug! I can’t even imagine what you’re doing.
Good luck with all of it! It looks absolutely amazing.
Very inspiring – had some fantastic romas in a salad last week with fresh mozzarella and local olive oil, you should give it a spin
Oooof, very impressive! And I bet it’ll give a taste of summer during the snowy/cold days. I’ve done some, but I still have much more canning to do.
Your golden raspberries look delicious.
The canned goods look great, what a chore they will taste wonderful this winter. Gardens are beautiful and lots of work, Wish I could have a taste, Mom
Wow, that looks delicious. Love those pickles.
Carl