For the past two days, I've been canning tomatoes. Today I canned 5 quarts and 12 pints. I did 11 quarts yesterday. Last week, I canned 10 quarts. I love preserving our fresh garden tomatoes and these are sensational in the winter.
Just look at all these canned tomatoes!
I call these jars "red gold" or "liquid sunshine." That's because there is nothing better in the wintertime than opening a jar of these tomatoes. Worth way more than gold.
Because the tomatoes are grown in the PeeDee region of our state, they are the tastiest I've ever had. Must be something in the soil that makes them so delicious. When we lived in the Low Country, people would rave about John's Island tomatoes. But Leo and I thought they had no flavor. Whenever we visited Leo's mother here at the Crossroads in the summer, we would take home boxes of PeeDee tomatoes. And we never left the Crossroads without having a good ole 'mater sandwich.
Here are some tomatoes that I didn't get around to canning today.
And there are probably that many more waiting to be picked in the garden! We are so surprised that we have so many tomatoes. It has been an incredibly hot and dry June this year. Thank heavens Leo installed a drip watering system this spring. It saved our tomato plants.
Did I tell you that we planted 56 tomato plants? Most of them are Celebrities. We didn't plant those last year, but Leo came home from the feed store with a whole flat of them this spring. We will definitely plant them again next year. They are very disease resistant and have that ole timey tomato taste even though they are not heirlooms. The rest of our plants are Better Boys and Lemon Boys. I wish I had planted more Lemon Boys because they have the best, intense tomato flavor of any I've ever tasted. And they are yellow. They are beautiful when mixed with some reds when making a Caprese salad.
You do know Leo and I are newbies to gardening, don't you? Last year was the first year we've ever had a garden. We try to garden as naturally as possible. When we planted the tomatoes, we put a shovelful of compost into the hole. We've used no pesticides or herbicides this year. We have fertilized the tomatoes with Miracle Grow for Tomatoes twice. And now we have this.
As I said earlier, must be the soil!
And the eggplant is ready and the okra is blooming!
Obviously we have a lot more experience now and recommend reading how to choose the best tomato plants and how to grow your own tomatoes.
And if you happen to plant 50+ tomato plants like we did and you're wondering what to make with all of your tomatoes. Here are a few popular tomato recipes we both love!
Michelle@Que Bella
Wow... those tomatoes look so delicious, I wish I could pluck them right out of my monitor! Great photos of the canned tomatoes!
Babs
Oh my gosh, Jane. 56 tomato plants? No wonder you have canned so much. We used to have a bout 8 or 10 plants but only put out 4 this year. I like Celebrity too and Better Boy. This year we also planted Mortgage Lifter and Goliath.
We plant a lot of green and banana peppers. I like to freeze those for use in the winter. They're so easy just seed them, chop and put in a baggie. and freeze. No blanching required.
Hope you have a great 4th and I have an idea you'll be in the kitchen canning. lol
Have a great weekend,
Babs
Kim
I just love all the colors throughout your lovely home Jane.
Have a wonderful 4th!
xoxo,
Kim
Sherry @ No Minimalist Here
Jane, There is not much better than a home grown tomato! We planted a garden last year and the deer ate every single thing. Our hoa does not allow fences so I guess no more gardens for us. Thanks for joining the party this week and enjoy those delicious tomatoes.
xo,
Sherry
Barbara Smith
Did you have a pressure canner or just the water bath? I have the canner and jars and tomatoes but didn't get to can any. Better Boy was our best tasting and celebrity. They have all gone to waste this year. Both parents are sick and I have been in NC with them.
marianne
They look so delicious. I don't have a vegetable garden but I grew up with my parents always having a beautiful one. There is nothing better than eating a tomato right off of the vine. You should be so proud of your garden!
Marianne 🙂
Karie
Oh, those bottled tomatoes looks beautiful. Such a great feeling of accomplishment. . I love canning. I have done it for years. Great job. Thanks for sharing. Karie
Kitchen Witch
Lucky duck! I've got salsa to make with our tomatoes, but I've been dragging my feet about it. Today will have to be the day before the go bad. My mom says I'll be glad for it in the winter time, too ; )
Rosie @ Dogs and Grandkids
I did not plant anything this year; just too many back issues going on. I googled Windham's Crossroads; we are practically neighbors. I am just up the road in Lancaster.
PAUL NELSON
I agree about Johns Island maters they seem to be tasteless... Yall's garden really looks good you should be proud... I also planted lemon boy and planted about 100 mater plants.... I planted alot of country taste,big beef and parks beefy boy.. all did well but as I told yall this year with da heat I had a whiteflie problem also... Been picking okra for a month and my jalapeno's are doing fantastic along with my melons and onions... happy growing
Miss Char
I love canning tomatoes too and yours look beautiful. Its always such a pleasure to go to the pantry and grab a jar of homemade tomatoes for a pot of chili on a cold winter day. Thanks for sharing and happy canning.
Carol Samsel
Oh MY! I can only wish to get enough tomatoes to can this year . Our cold ...extremely long and extremely wet spring has reeked havick on my tomatoes.
Kelsie
Awesome looking crop...I am so jealous of all those cans...We lost much of ours because the irrigation to the melons was shut of early and sadly means our tomatoes and peppers back there got no water...But we did pick what we could and canned a batch of salsa...which was so good it is almost gone already lol...
We do have a few more later planted bushes in the front garden just coming in...come fall I think I will be planting quite a few more plants so I can make some of that Red Gold also.
Keep up the great work...You obviously have found the right formula for your garden.
Blessings Kelsie
Holley
I can't believe you're newbies to this! What a harvest! Your canned tomatoes look scrumptious! Next year try a purple tomato variety. They seem to have more flavor to me.
Joani
WOW....56 plants! I had one early girl and two cherry tomatoes and I thought I was in heaven. There were tomatoes everywhere. I gave to the neighbors, office, cleaning lady and they are about done here in Arizona as it gets too HOT. I want to try the lemon boys next year if I can find them in my area. Thanks for sharing. I had eggplant but a squirrel got them!
Dawn
The tomatoes are beautiful. Are they stewed, or crushed? I always can our own tomatoes too, normally crushed, we use them in everything. I have it down to how many pints I need to get us through the year. I also make my own spaghetti sauce from our tomatoes. My family is now spoiled and will not eat store bought. I have never heard of Lemon Boy tomatoes maybe they are not available in my neck of the woods. If you have the time could you post the process used in canning your tomatoes and if you add any special ingredients into the mix. I love to hear how other peoples process to see it there is anything unique:)