Arkansas Maters

[BarryBobPosthole]

Went in search of some maters to can this weekend and it was almost a total bust. Everyone's maters are late here this year and even at the roadside fruit stand all you find is those Texas maters with the stickers on them. Finally found a small stand that my cousin owns that had some from Warren, Arkansas that are larrupin, but too dang expensive to buy enough to can large quantities. I don't understand how a damned mealy tomato can be shipped all the way from Mexico and south Texas and still be cheaper than a friggin homegrown one in Oklahoma or Arkansas. Makes about as much sense as gas prices, which are back up to $3.30 a gallon after a brief ride at $2.99.

BKB

[Chicken Dinner]

There's nothing better than a fresh, local, vine-ripened tomato. There's just about nothing worse than everything else. Even the the hydroponics at the market. They look good and usually arent' too mealy, but they have no flavor whatsoever. I was ordering a sub yesterday and when the girl slapped this pink-assed thing they called a tomato I had to tell her to take if off. I'd rather do without. This is actually first time in years I haven't grown my own. Between getting busy in May and having issues with some sort of leaf rot, I decided to give my soil a rest this year. I did have three volunteers pop up in the past few weeks and I just popped some cages around them yesterday. Maybe I'll get a few maters come Sept/Oct. Who knows.

[Buckrub]

Warren, AR tomatoes are worth whatever they charge. They have to pay the Mexicans SOMETHING.

[BarryBobPosthole]

I'm disgusted with myself for not having a garden two years in a row. I put in some tomato plants that Keith gave me a week or so ago in hopes of having a few in the early fall but my garden spot has been neglected. My winter project this year is to completely redo my garden area and bring in a bunch of cow dookey to compost over the winter. If I don't get another lazy streak in me and fish all the time I should be in good shape next year. I also plan to overwinter some peppers in some pots this winter. Last time I did that I grew enough peppers to dry and make a grind that I still use. That was the year Cliffie almost did himself in on my peppers.

BKB

[Trav]

I'm disgusted with myself for not having a garden two years in a row. I put in some tomato plants that Keith gave me a week or so ago in hopes of having a few in the early fall but my garden spot has been neglected. My winter project this year is to completely redo my garden area and bring in a bunch of cow dookey to compost over the winter. If I don't get another lazy streak in me and fish all the time I should be in good shape next year. I also plan to overwinter some peppers in some pots this winter. Last time I did that I grew enough peppers to dry and make a grind that I still use. That was the year Cliffie almost did himself in on my peppers.

BKB

I am not sure if it was the peppers or the Juicy Fruit.

[Buckrub]

I have a garden. Never needs watering, everything is always fresh and tastes great, looks great. It's arranged for me by employees at Kroger.

[Big Muddy]

I have a garden. Never needs watering, everything is always fresh and tastes great, looks great. It's arranged for me by employees at Kroger.



Do you know why they're so green and fresh???



The Jolly Green Giant sneaks in at night and pees on them. ;)

[Buckrub]

That's silly.

Jolly Green Giant can't sneak nowhere.

[Chicken Dinner]

Veggies don't grow at the market just like meat doesn't come shrink wrapped. My garden is never big enough to make it realy work. However, there's nothing more satisfying than growing your own.:D

[Thumper]

Back in the day ... I grew my own AND rolled my own! ;)

[BarryBobPosthole]

I'm searching for a good farmer's market around here. Nowadays, you stop at a roadside fruit and vegetable stand or go to a farmer's market and you see the same stuff that was grown 1000 miles from here that you see in the supermarket. Its tough to find locally grown stuff any more because there's no way they can compete on price with the cost subsidized crap they have on the shelves in the stores. And I don't know why, but I won't eat a Texas tomato. Just won't do it. You could play baseball with them and they taste like sawdust. Just like peanuts from there taste like gopher dust.

BKB

BKB

[Chicken Dinner]

I've been on the waiting list for a "crop share" here at work for just the same reason. (I didn't do it when the kdis were younger as it was hard to get them to try new stuff and I hate wasting food.) You pay a flat fee and you get a set share of whatever is ripe that week. The nice thing about doing it through work is that they drop if off on Wednesday's and you don't have to go pick it up. A side benefit (or curse) is that it makes you stretch your cooking skills because you're going to get stuff you wouldn't normally buy. Like, the heck do you do with swiss chard?

[BarryBobPosthole]

I think you make it like any other greens. Boil the shit out of it, put a strip of bacon in the pot with it, and eat it with some good hot sauce.

BKB

All this talk about food made me go get my last bag of Papa John's Bowled peanuts out of the freezer and throw 'em in a pot to heat 'em up. they sure is good.

[Big Muddy]

Since yall were talking maters, yall made me hongree furr some.

Dropped by our little local mater pusher and bought a few pounds....he picks 'em straight outta the field in Arkieland, and brings 'em back to his little veggie/fruit stand....I told him that his price isn't high enough for a good profit at only $1.00 per pound....he said he picks 'em free from kinfolks, so I guess he's doing okay, since he's only outta gas money.

BLT's with some thick-sliced Wright's bacon is on the menu for tonite.

[Chicken Dinner]

Man, I just had some left over Spicey Catfish from my favorite Thai place. Good stuff and setting up in the fridge for a few days did not make it any less spicey. Hooboy!

[BarryBobPosthole]

I have pretty much switched over to Wright's bacon too Eddie, even though its owned by the antichrist (Tyson Foods). They package their stuff better and I like the product better too. Try the Applewood Smoked kind some time. And the Steakhouse one is dang good too.
I've always bought JC Potter pork products before but I've about converted over to Wrights totally for bacon.

BKB

[Big Muddy]

Chick, that sounds good, too....but, I'm sorta burnt out on catfish, right now....ran yo-yos and noodles at Chicot all weekend, and caught prolly 50 pounds of beautiful channel cats....we cooked up a BIG batch of fillets and whole fish, too, each night, so I need some maters and healthy veggies for a change of diet, and to clean out my pipes, if you know what I mean. ;)

[Big Muddy]

Phole, actually my wifey got me started on the Wright's brand....and, yes, the Steakhouse cut is to die for!!!

[LJ3]

You guys make fun of my yuppiness but I get some slammin farmers market goods. Real farmers market goods. Bacon that is slaughtered less than 10 miles away. Beef, roasts, produces, maters, you name it. Shit is phenomenally good!

[Thumper]

We have a huge farmer's market close to the house. It's almost the only place Lynn buys her fruit and veggies. We go every Sunday morning like clockwork and she stocks up for the week.

[Buckrub]

Slaughtered bacon. I'll swan.

[Big Muddy]

Well, I just slaughtered about a pound of Wright's bacon on my BLT's....does that count??? ;)

Actually, I somewhat lied....I forgot to pick up the lettuce, this morning, so we just had BT's for supper. ;)

[BarryBobPosthole]

Try adding a slice of baby swiss to your BLT next time. Bacon and swiss goes together like peas and carrots.
BKB

[Buckrub]

The only commercially available bacon better than Tyson/Wrights is Petit Jean.

[LJ3]

Bite me William! Farm made sausage, country ham, veggies of all kinds, homemade goodies. One dude sell a homemade bloody mary mix that is to DIE for.

[Buckrub]

I don't disagree.

Note I said "commercially available"...........