I don't know about you.. but one of my favorite things to eat in the summer is homegrown tomatoes. Like these, sliced just right... all you need is a little salt and pepper and a fork!
Ricky "picks" the garden every evening... right now... mostly tomatoes and okra... he loves fried okra... Ricky "picks"... I wash...
dry and wipe off... then sort... the okra gets refrigerated in a "green bag" until we have a "mess enough to cook"...
The tomatoes get set aside in an open cardboard box to continue to ripen...
and after Donna's comment below, about freezing tomatoes... I had to show you this photo... when we get too many ripened, and we've given some to everyone on our list... I freeze them whole by laying on a baking sheet in the freezer, then pop them individually into freezer bags... for use later... when tomatoes are out of season... great for use in cooking anything calling for canned tomatoes!
and this past weekend... it was time to harvest the potatoes...
This is about 150-pounds of Irish Potatoes... Ricky's favorite...
He was quite proud of these big fellas... so he measured them...
and he photographed them... so he could show the boys at work... and now they're laying out to dry for a few days... then they'll be put into burlap feed sacks and stored under the house till it comes time to eat...My Ricky... he's a pretty darn good farmer... amongst other things...
down here in French Lique...
What a big green thumb he has. My okra is teeny still (plants I mean) and nary a tomato yet. Did you know that you can take a ripe tomato and place it whole and unpeeled in a freezer bag and pop it in the freezer? It will keep and be ready when you want it with all its goodness and flavor. An old timer told me about this and after gardening for many years, I didn't know this.
ReplyDeleteAmen sister!! Mmmmm now you've made me hungry. Seriously, I hear ya though. I love them good and cold on a sandwich too.
ReplyDeleteI don't even like tomatoes much, I know, strange, but those look really good! Have you ever sprinkled them with a little sugar? My mom used to do that. : )
ReplyDeletemacey
Ummm, Dixie..these look really good. I love fried okra, too..don't eat it much anymore..fried foods, ya know.... but I still love 'em.
ReplyDeleteOur tomatoes are still little and green as a goard. Gosh, even a lot of my flowers haven't bloomed yet.
greets from Ireland :) Ive really enjoy finding your page :) I felt a real taste of southerness :) ,,and spent half an hour trying to register with mister linky to no avail , kept ask me for an url ? couldnt see where i was going wrong ha ha anyhoos hope you have a wonderful day what ever you are doing :) Kittibee
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing better than a fresh tomato right out of the garden. We had some from mom's tomato plants the other night - sheer ambrosia! Love okra too, can't quite get that much "southern" into DH lol. Kathy
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing like a fresh ripe tomato.
ReplyDeleteEverything looks great - - - but those potatoes are calling my name!
ReplyDelete:-)
Dear Miss Dixie- those tomatoes made my mouth water and it is 6:30 in the morning. I could even eat them for breakfast!
ReplyDeleteI have learned what not to do next year (God willing and the creek doesn't rise) for my tomatoes. I planted too few plants and too many varieties. I just want LOTS of plain old juicy big tomatoes.
Live and learn,
Laura
Fresh vegetables are so beautiful. Everytime I see fresh tomatoes I think I have never had a fried green tomatoe. It always sounds so good.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the tomato thing. The only two things that money can't buy is true love and homegrown tomatoes.
ReplyDeleteWe have been disappointed in ours this year. Not as tasty and the skin is a little tough.
He should be proud of those jewels. Looks like he knows his way around the garden for sure.
Wish he could give us some advice.
Been mowing every morning and lucky enough to dodge the chiggers, well until yesterday they found me.
Enjoy today,
Candy
It may be July before we have tomatoes from our vines! Fried okra is one our guilty pleasures--but it never makes it to the table. Someone eats it as it is draining--same thing with fried squash! Enjoy the fruits of your labor!
ReplyDeleteYou are making my mouth water; I love fresh tomatoes. There's nothing like them. There are days I so wish I had a huge garden, but with the 100 degree heat, maybe not. I'll just wish I was eating a fresh tomatoe. Happy Friday, Theresa
ReplyDeleteGreat Farmin' Rickey!
ReplyDeleteThanks Dixie, Now I am hungry :-O
I like mated with salt or a hunk of parmesan (Spelling?) cheese
Oh, yum ,irish potatoes ... & those tomatoes, I'm going to have to have a chat with mine to 'hurry up'. TTFN ~Marydon
ReplyDeleteDixie, this post makes me wanna come see you in person! Your farm sounds lovely! And, Ricky sounds like a keeper! My dad, rest his soul, was an avid gardener in the summer..and my mom at 76 still plants a small one herself as a widower. She just told me this morning she had my brother install a barbwire fence around her garden because the deer ate nearly all of it last year. While we were on the phone, a deer was up under her peach tree on the hill standing on it's hind legs to try and get a peach. Go figure.. :) Love the post today! :) ~CC Catherine
ReplyDeleteThat's one thing I yearn for--home grown tomatoes.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could grow veggies like that. I have a couple of plants in some pots but they just don't do very well in pots.
ReplyDeleteI do love those green bags though!
Dixie, I would LUV to have a garden full of all of this bounty, but since I'm too lazy to deal with all of the trouble, I have to rely on the Farmers Market. We haven't had any fresh tomatoes yet this season, but after seeing your pix, I am definitely going to go out and look for a farmer with some good ones! My favorite summer food! You have such a beautiful bounty of garden vegetables. I'm impressed! laurie
ReplyDeleteI love fried okra. I like the tomatoes with onions on top of okra after frying. I would love to have your vegetables as pretty as they are.
ReplyDeleteHey Dixie! I'm back from vacation and getting caught up on all of my favorite blogs! lol
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to start getting some goodies out of our garden! Your goodies look great! We haven't ever done the okra. Not sure if we like it or not. I've only ever had it breaded at a buffet. hehehe Our garden is looking good but when we came back something has ate the tops off of our bananna peppers!%$#@# They didn't eat the peppers but my husband says he don't think the plants will make it!%$#@% We have a fence around the garden to keep the deer out and there are no tracks inside so we aren't sure what happened? Bugs???
I didn't know that you could freeze tomatoes. I am going to have to give that a try!
Hugs,
Angela