This has been a pretty difficult year for summer vegetables, except for the beans, even as the Mexican bean beetles (and their larvae) have decimated the leaves.
I've harvested (and we've eaten) more beans than I'd like -- OK, I shouldn't be complaining as they're the essence of local veggies, after all. I've harvested some squash, and amazingly, the Black Tula tomatoes have been the backbone of what I've roasted and frozen. They've been decent fresh (similar to Cherokee Purple), but without heat, sweetness hasn't rounded out their flavor profiles, so roasting for sauce is the best use.
The hybrid tomato varieties that I received "free" have languished, too, and are succumbing to late blight now as well. They look like supermarket tomatoes -- and maybe would have been tasty given sun and warmth (which they didn't receive).
They're "ripening" on the counter as I'm harvesting ahead of late blight fruit damage -- the question is always about whether "green" tomatoes or those that are counter ripe are tasty enough to roast and freeze (my favorite way to preserve tomatoes).
I've harvested (and we've eaten) more beans than I'd like -- OK, I shouldn't be complaining as they're the essence of local veggies, after all. I've harvested some squash, and amazingly, the Black Tula tomatoes have been the backbone of what I've roasted and frozen. They've been decent fresh (similar to Cherokee Purple), but without heat, sweetness hasn't rounded out their flavor profiles, so roasting for sauce is the best use.
The hybrid tomato varieties that I received "free" have languished, too, and are succumbing to late blight now as well. They look like supermarket tomatoes -- and maybe would have been tasty given sun and warmth (which they didn't receive).
They're "ripening" on the counter as I'm harvesting ahead of late blight fruit damage -- the question is always about whether "green" tomatoes or those that are counter ripe are tasty enough to roast and freeze (my favorite way to preserve tomatoes).