Tomato Total - Midsummer
We ended up with 12 cups of nice thick tomato sauce. I used up 2 cups today in our Mr.Bentos, but the rest will get canned. So, that's really 10 cups of tomato sauce, OR 2.5 quarts, OR 5 pints.
Now the question comes - was it worth it?
Well, financially, probably not. Not including the cost of the jars (which I will be using for years so I'm not counting them), this little project cost $4.4 per pint of sauce. Plus time and effort - and I still have to can the suckers!
However, in terms of feeling good about not using lots of energy to get the sauce here, I feel good. I don't know how to measure my making sauce (gas stove and tomato farmer driving in tomatoes) against industrial tomato farming, packing, canning, etc.
I think when I (someday!) have my own garden, it will be much more financially sound to can my own tomato sauce. Really, what I'd need to do is get a whole bushel of tomatoes at the end of the season. Last year while apple picking with cupide430 and the other BPAL girlies, I saw half bushels for like $12. So, I still may do this again, but not from the farmer's market proper. I think this kind of thing is best done in bulk.
Then again, I don't recall eating *that much* tomato sauce last winter!
Ah, who cares! Ultimately, I'd like more because I've inherited my mother's Depression Era food-paper goods hoarding sensibility. I need to feel like I can feed an army at no notice. It's my nature ;)
So, I'll do this again but will try and find a better source for bulk tomatoes until I can produce my own.
I didn't get around to doing any pickles this weekend, maybe next.
OH! BTW at the market today? Edamame!!! And LIMA BEANS! I didn't get any limas today though. Wednesday or next week. Today I got the goods for stirfry (YUM) and bread and eggs. I like us to have a sweet in the afternoon and mine are better for us than storebought. I still have frozen cherries that I picked and pitted. I think I'll do a chocolate-cherry bread pudding.
N.
Now the question comes - was it worth it?
Well, financially, probably not. Not including the cost of the jars (which I will be using for years so I'm not counting them), this little project cost $4.4 per pint of sauce. Plus time and effort - and I still have to can the suckers!
However, in terms of feeling good about not using lots of energy to get the sauce here, I feel good. I don't know how to measure my making sauce (gas stove and tomato farmer driving in tomatoes) against industrial tomato farming, packing, canning, etc.
I think when I (someday!) have my own garden, it will be much more financially sound to can my own tomato sauce. Really, what I'd need to do is get a whole bushel of tomatoes at the end of the season. Last year while apple picking with cupide430 and the other BPAL girlies, I saw half bushels for like $12. So, I still may do this again, but not from the farmer's market proper. I think this kind of thing is best done in bulk.
Then again, I don't recall eating *that much* tomato sauce last winter!
Ah, who cares! Ultimately, I'd like more because I've inherited my mother's Depression Era food-paper goods hoarding sensibility. I need to feel like I can feed an army at no notice. It's my nature ;)
So, I'll do this again but will try and find a better source for bulk tomatoes until I can produce my own.
I didn't get around to doing any pickles this weekend, maybe next.
OH! BTW at the market today? Edamame!!! And LIMA BEANS! I didn't get any limas today though. Wednesday or next week. Today I got the goods for stirfry (YUM) and bread and eggs. I like us to have a sweet in the afternoon and mine are better for us than storebought. I still have frozen cherries that I picked and pitted. I think I'll do a chocolate-cherry bread pudding.
N.