We Have Tomatoes!

This year has been rather different in the tomato area. I started my seeds several weeks earlier hoping that would make harvest time a good while before I could expect frost. Well, they didn't grow. I mean, I had seedlings pop up and they looked wonderful, but they didn't mature much past tiny little 2-3 inch sprouts. Weeks went by and they weren't amounting to much. I started a few more seeds of other varieties wondering if it had been too cold indoors for the first batch to thrive? They didn't do so swell, either. This was the first year I tried using starter potting soil and peat pots, and I decided I did not like it at all. (Last year I used Jiffy pellets and I had a 65/66 success rate with my tomato plants!) We made efforts to save them, and gave them extra care by getting a mini greenhouse for better warmth and sunlight. Although it was nice having them out of my dining room, they didn't thrive out there like I thought they would. Aaron thought it was a hopeless cause and was ready to throw them out, but I wasn't about to give up and just waste all that work. I mean, what if....? In the back of my mind though, I wondered if he was right. But I insisted we plant them anyway because we had the extra garden space. Maybe rain and real dirt would do them good! A week after transplanting our itty-bitties (the one tall, most hardy plant was scrawny, but stood 6-7 inches), we discovered most of them had withered and died. Oh well. We did try. I had enough stew tomatoes and pizza sauce left from last year that we'd be fine. But it was sad. 

Fast forward and add some rain, and something happened where it looked like a few of our plants might survive! They didn't take off, but they were definitely growing. We at least had recognizable plants and didn't have to search for green amongst the cages! It was a dry summer so we used a sprinkler in the evening, but nothing does a garden well quite like a good rain. After one such downpour, the tomatoes exploded. If you look at the picture above, I'd say you can take me literally! Only that was more because we didn't do a good job pruning or training them to stay in the cages. :/

My one wish was to have enough tomatoes to make a batch of ketchup, since that was the one product we didn't have enough of to supply us another year. 

Mid-September, the same time of year we were picking tomatoes last season, we brought in our first fruits! Obviously our plan to have some ready in August didn't work, but there has been much celebrating with every handful, bowl full, or 5-gallon bucket full we bring in! WE HAVE TOMATOES!!!!! I've been freezing them so I'd have enough for a decent batch of ketchup, that way I wouldn't have to make it twice since it's a bit more time consuming. We recently opened our last quart of 2015 ketchup, and today I process the delicious red fruit for this year's batch! 

We prayed for rain and asked God to give us a good harvest, and not only has He heard and answered, but he has given us so much more than we dreamed of. And the vines are still loaded. I can't tell you how excited and thankful I am. My wish has been granted. 

Now to do my part and get that ketchup made!