False Economy!

[Colorado_west]

Jack, I hope you got rain. We have been getting rain here yesterday and today. Can't say a lot but good rains for here. I manged my mile between rains and it looks like we are in for more of this storm. Can't work out side. Been sewing.

I got in to that site today okay. But it has been locking up my computer. That is scary site what I read. I got signed in.

[JackE]

Hello, Lila --

I really feel sorry for all the younger people on that forum who have a-fib - many under fifty with very severe cases. You and I should count our blessings that we made it this far with good health. I'll turn 75 on Wednesday - 4 years behind you.

No rain at all and none expected for us - a slight chance for a shower north of us, but a little shower won't help us any. We are locked in an historic, severe drought and the forecast just calls for more of the same. No more irrigation water for the garden - it's all over for this year.

My tomatoes had set fruit and it looked like a great season, but they won't last a week without water. It's sandy soil that drains quickly and they have been irrigated every other day, with weekly liquid fertilizer, so they have very shallow roots - which is always true here. They've had no need to put down deeper roots and they will perish very quickly over the next few days.

Another grower still has sweet corn and potatoes - he has an irrigation well. I depend on a pond.

The main worry now is fire. We're surrounded by bone-dry pine trees and dead weeds and grass. Our house and outbuildings are all wooden. There are fires all around here and I'm pretty worried with this south wind blowing 24/7 and all the fire crews tied-up elsewhere.

We had a little practice drill yesterday to decide what we'll throw in the vehicles if we have to leave quickly - financial and legal records, a few cloths, medicines.

Jack

[Colorado_west]

I am sorry, Jack. It is unfair as some places get more rain then they need and others none. But I know that is the way it is. Here you have to water. It cost me $277 this year for water for the season. Freeze warning out for Tuesday night.

Any way you can mow/make a fire break around your place? Up where I have a cabin one guy came in and bulldozed one around his DIL's place. They told him he could not go in the area and he did any way. Pinon and cedar up there.

Tomatoes are the number one seller if like here. So many people it seems really do not cook. My daughter says she has TV dinners and I know they eat boughten sandwiches some times. I did some too not sandwiches but TV dinners but no more as too much fat and salt. Also they cut the food content . My daughter is working and carrying to load as husband is COPD. I understand that. She trys to have a couple of tomato plants, squash and such. No room for a garden . She lives in North east CO. Up in the Fort Collins area. Both boys here on the western slope. Daughter drive like to Denver to work. I do not know how she stands it.

Yes, I guess I would have things packed and ready to go. I have a bag packed in case I have to go to hospital again. I hope never. My son made me promise to tell if I was sick even if I would not tell the doctor. Maybe I should hang the bag by the back door with sign on it what it is. ?

[platys]

Originally Posted by tam91

J<snip>

Now, if I get a good harvest, I just may have to mail you a sampling. You must become a convert! Haha.

Anyone here ever mailed tomatoes? How do you pack them?

I have mailed tomatoes, twice. First, get a priority mail fixed rate box. I usually get one of the medium size, that opens like a regular box. It'll be much cheaper to ship 2 days with it.

Next, line it with a plastic bag, keeping the handles up and out of the box.

Now, you do not want to mail ripe tomatoes. Pick the tomatoes just as they start to blush. I wrapped each one in tissue - not a ton, just enough to provide a bit of padding. Now, pack the box TIGHT. Use extra tissue paper to make sure nothing is going to move at all. Then, tie closed the plastic bag - you'll probably have some gaps on top, but no big deal.

Finally, tape it all up, and mail it right away. By the time they get to your destination, they'll be well on their way to ripe, and hopefully in one piece. My mom, sister and grandma have all insisted that despite their early picking, they taste wonderful.

[tam91]

Great, thank you. I figured they shouldn't be really ripe, but sound lilke I should pick them even sooner than I thought.

I wouldn't have thought of packing them tight - I'd be afraid the post office would use their elephant to squish them. Perhaps the tissue is enough protection. I was thinking of lots of those infernal packing peanuts...

Well my best friend in Florida wants some, and I may just have to send Jack a few to add him to our pack of heirloom addicts.

Jack - I hope you are doing ok, and that the fires are staying away.

[JackE]

WE GOT SOME RAIN!!! the Lord has watered His garden with a good line of thunderstorms that just passed through. I won't know how much until morning, but it's substantial - maybe an inch!

Jack

[JackE]

It's 4:00 AM, the front has passed, and I just went down and checked the lake level - UP 2 INCHES! That's enough water to give me several heavy waterings, depending on the evaporation rate - even if we don't get any more rain. I shouldn't need to water at all for a week or so.

The rain was confined to a small area of eastern Texas - but this time we got it! There's a chance for some more over the weekend. The guys at church wanted to come over yesterday with a big track hoe (this is pine timber country and they have heavy equipment of all kinds), tear the pump out, dig a hole in the lake bottom and lower the pump. Something told me not to do that! Now our pump is still in place and we've got some water.

I made a mistake last winter. I broke-up new land, because we're clean-fallowing the old plots for nematodes. I didn't move the drip system and just installed sprinklers. Sprinklers waste lots of water, encourage weeds and are very inefficient. If it hadn't been so windy, we would probably be having severe fungus/bacterial problems as well. Tomatoes don't like to sprinkled - and I KNEW that! Live and learn.

Tam (I think you told me your name and I forgot - is it Carol?), don't you grow any regular hybrids and offer your customers a choice? Yesterday, completely tasteless WalMart tomatoes were $2.48 a pound!

Fire worries are over - at least for now.

Jack

[tam91]

Jack, I'm so glad you got some rain. My name is Tracy.

I don't have any customers, except friends and aquaintances, who I give free tomatoes to. After tasting the heirlooms, I don't have much desire for hybrids - except a couple. I love Sungold and Lemon Boy is very reliable. I'm also growing Big Beef (can't remember if that's a hybrid, but I think so), and Brandy Boy - a hybrid that tasted similar to an heirloom.

Here, heirloom tomatoes are the "in thing" - people want them.

You might also be thinking of Carol - Wi-Sunflower - she sells at farmers markets.

[JackE]

Yeah, that's right - I got y'all confused. Carol from Wisconsin. Tracy from Illinois. I'll keep that straight.

Jack

[Colorado_west]

That is good news, Jack. Hope you get more rain.

[JackE]

There's a slight chance in the days ahead. But we got enough last night for awhile. I don't think the drought is broken, though. That won't happen until the jet stream slips south a bit - and that all depends on water temps in the Pacific ocean.

Jack

[Colorado_west]

Been rainy and stormy here today. I went to city and it looked like some areas off were getting it. Got a sprinke here after I got back. But it looks like we could gets some yet tonight.