The commercial pickers are done and the fields have been opened up for the locals to come in and pick. Saturday JR was gone all day and Dustin was working so KaShondra, Derek, Erica and I went to pick. Tomatoes are $1.00 for a 5-gallon bucket all-you-can-pick. I cannot grow them for that!
The tomato plants weren't as tall this year nor the tomatoes as large
but they were beautiful and plentiful!
There were so many they were rotting on the vines.
They were also very easy to pick. Each row is covered with black plastic before they plant
and poles with strings are strung through the rows to guide the plants as they grow.
That makes for some good picking!
Every couple rows there is a drive way so you can drive your vehicle right close to where
you are picking at. We were glad Kyle let us use his truck because we picked 14 buckets full!
Once home from the fields we set them in air conditioned conditions until Monday
when the processing began....
First we washed and rinsed all the chemicals and sprays off of them.
Then we sliced them and cooked them just a bit...
...before running them through the Victorio Strainer
and out comes fresh tomato juice!
Into the jars
and then to the canner. I like to tuck a couple rags around the middle one
to keep the jars from jarring each other too much.
After rapidly boiling them for twenty minutes they are ready to come out.
Here is a fresh batch of salsa being made.
This family's philosophy is "the hotter the better" (with the exception of myself)!
So we add extra hot peppers and if not hot enough we top it off with red pepper.
What a pleasant feeling to hear the jars "ting" as they seal up!
What a blessing to have our stock for another year plus being able to bless
friends and neighbors with fresh tomatoes.
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