Billy > wrote:
: In article >,
: "W. Baker" > wrote:

: > Billy > wrote:
: > : In article >,
: > : "W. Baker" > wrote:
: >
: > : > : > I use both tomatoes and the reconstituted juice as that is what my
: > : > : > original recipe caled for and it gave , for me, the right amount of
: > : > : > tomato and liquid. this works with both fresh and canned tomatoes.
: > : > : > Beign willing to use the canned gives one a longer season, particualy
: > : > : > up
: > : > : > north, when he ripe tomato seson is quite short adn the ones you can
: > : > : > buy
: > : > : > in the stores are nt worth it, canned are better.
: > : > : >
: > : > : > Wendy.
: > : >
: > : > : It sounds very reasonable, but, without trying to sound condescending,
: > : > : I
: > : > : only drink gazpacho during the summer. When the coolness, and the bite
: > : > : of the vinegar is refreshing. During the winter, like most people, I
: > : > : simply try to find the least insecticide ridden tomatoes that I can,
: > : > : and
: > : > : wait grudgingly for the next season. Otherwise, for sauces, and stews
: > : > : ect., I look for the cans of tomatoes that say no salt added.
: > : >
: > : > : You can start your seeds anytime now. Some tomatoes are determinants
: > : > : that are only meant to be grown in pots (Glacier, Koralik, etc.). Then
: > : > : be sure to set out some basil plants. Basil, and tomatoes, are right in
: > : > : there with sweet corn as one of the delights of summer.
: > : >
: > : > i summer intermitantly in the Northern Catskills of NY. It really is
: > : > zone
: > : > 4 on top of my hill. Last frost can be early June adn firsts frost can
: > : > be
: > : > in early Sept, but is often later, say mid to late Sept. I no longer do
: > : > much gardeningfor assorted reasons,
: >
: > : "just 3 tomato plants in a large tub on my deck and some flowers in
: > : boxes to cheer the place up. "
: > : -----
: >
: > : So you are a gardener. You can't be alone. Others there must garden
: > : also, so there must be a nursery, no? Where you can buy starter plants.
: >
: > : I often think that the perfume that come from the tomato vines is almost
: > : as pleasant as the tomato fruit itself. Chacun ? son g?ut, they say, but
: > : as good as a tomato is, it is even better with basil.
: >
: > : I never had much use for parsley, until I grew it, then it suddenly
: > : became a mainstay of the kitchen, especially with saut?ed mushrooms with
: > : shallots, or saut?ed snow peas, or carrots, or green beans. As a
: > : garnish, it can go on all sorts of baked dishes.
: >
: > : A little food for thought. Herb plants can be annual, biennial, or
: > : perennial. Perennial herbs, such as chives, lavender, oregano, thyme,
: > : overwinter well in the ground. In most areas simply wait until a few
: > : hard freezes and then cut back tall herbs to within 4 to 6 inches of the
: > : ground. In cold winter areas (USDA zones 3-5), add a 2- to 3-inch-thick
: > : layer of shredded bark mulch on top of the herbs for added protection.
: > : The bark will prevent the ground from freezing and thawing in winter,
: > : making it less likely the herb roots will heave out of the ground,
: > : desiccate, and die.
: >
: > : Happy gardening.
: >
: > : >
: > : > Local tomatoes don't show up until well into July from the garden markets
: > : > and the big farms are havign you pick'em end of season and canning
: > : > tomatoes right after labor Day. I love gazpacho and hate to limit it to
: > : > such a short season so make it once it is reasonably warm from the canned
: > : > tomatoes and do the same in the Fall. I used to start all kinds of thigs
: > : > from seed andin the early spring in NYC and bring them up in late May to
: > : > the Catskills and had variable success. Now, with no car and usin the
: > : > bus
: > : > to get up ad down, this ha become impossible.
: > : >
: > : > Wendy
: >
: > : "To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget
: > : ourselves."
: > : - Mahatma Gandhi
: >
: > Billy, I am 77, use a rolling walker and have adult wet macular
: > degeneration.
: Sorry to hear that, but we are old. Shit happens. Strangely, I hope I
: make it to 77. I'm 70 now. Yeah, I know, whenever we die, it is a major
: inconvenience. I presume you've taken all the supplements.

: > I am happy to have my fer deck plants and a botof basil
: > onmy windosill in the winter. I jsut look at the reat of my gardens going
: > to weed and seed adn try to remove the worst of the stinging nettles and
: > big tall weeds as I can a few at a time.

: You have stinging Nettles? Lucky you.
: <http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Urtica+dioica>

: > Of course there is a nursery.
: Easy, I didn't mean to get you all worked up.

: > Where do you think I get my 3 tomato plantsand flowers for my deck boxes?
: > If I could still garden on the ground I would gladly do it,but it isno
: > longer possible. I can't even drive anymore so have to get locals to take
: > me to town to the stores fora few bucks. Few neighbors near meso I only
: > go up every other week.
: >
: > Wendy

: I know. The worst part of getting old is the continuing humiliations of
: not being able to do what you used to be able to do. Hang on girl. Enjoy
: the smell of the trees, and the sounds of the birds. There is that old
: story about the guy who is chased of a cliff by a bear, but he catches a
: root sticking out of the cliff. Then he sees that there is a pack of
: wolves below him. He knows he is screwed, but then he sees a ripe
: strawberry in front of him, growing from the cliff. He takes the
: strawberry, eats it, and enjoys the taste. It's sort of the situation
: that we are all in.

: Enjoy the morning.

When I am in NYC, where I am primarily, I am very little handicapped. I
am able to walk fair distances, up to about 3 miles a day doing this and
that. I attend(and walk to, concerts quite regularly and am able to shop
and carry the packages home(hangig from the walker:-) the dity is a great
place to get old. If I need it, I can, not only get groceries relived or
evenordered by computer, but many restaurants will deliver food to my
door. One need' feel that old or limited in such a setting. It is in the
summer,when I go to the little house I have in the Catskills that all
these limitations loom laarge. In the city I can even get on and off
busses easily and for trips that would need the subway I niw cna use the
special service at public transit cost tom, of Access-A-Ride which picks
me up and delivers me whenever adn wherever I want to go.

I don't need symathy, but just want to exlain why just recommending that
someone garden more to get the benefit of all those vegetables is not
always possible. by the way, except for Calcium and vitamin D, I take no
supplements at all.

Wendy