Hello!
We have been busy making pickles and salsas this week and planting the gardens -- Tiger Gardens North (our plots at Parkland College) and South (home), and we have harvested our first cucumber and our first red tomato! I'm naming our tomato Fantasia, as the resemblence is striking! They were harvested yesterday, on the Summer Solstice.
Every day gets shorter from here on out. It is Mother Nature's way of saying, "Get your work done outside so you can spend more time inside preserving this bounty I have provided for you."
The Summer Solstice really makes me think of the importance of canning, this year especially. Because after my experience last year at the end of the market season and I couldn't find a tomato at the grocery store made in the United States, I realized I needed to be more dilligent in 2024 about canning tomatoes especially and working hard all season to make sure we have plenty of canned goods in the pantry for winter. From November to May, you will be hard-pressed to find local produce in our grocery stores. So the majority of your canning needs to happen before November.
Everything is in season, and will be for the next several months. Now is the time to experiment with recipes to preserve this bountiful harvest so you can have a full pantry of locally-grown deliciousness all year long. For us, we will be canning tomatoes for the first time. Along with new recipes for all of our wonderful produce! Please visit our YouTube channel as I upload new videos every week on how to grow and preserve your own food. This week: crunchy pickles!
Enjoy these longer days and stop by and say "hi"! It's gonna be a scorcher tomorrow, but we'll be there! Now is the time to start stocking up on all your Tiger Gardens goodies.
Here’s our full list o’ products for tomorrow's market. New this week: Orange Marmalade! Only 4 jars available this week. Also, Tim’s State-Fair winning Salsa Verde! And, we have a Blackberry/Strawberry/Jalapeno jam.
Applesauce (1)
Blackberry Jam and Jelly
Blackberry-Lemon Jam
Blueberry Jam
Blueberry-Jalapeño Jam
Blueberry-Gran Marnier Jam
Blueberry-Lime Jelly
Blueberry Sauce
Britney Spears – sweet pickles
Dill pickles are back!!
Cardinal Heat
Illini Heat
Jalapeño Jam
Orange Marmalade (4)
Pineapple-Lemon-Raspberry Jam
Strawberry Jam (from Fruitful Vines in Sullivan, IL strawberries!)
Strawberry-Jalapeño Jam (from Fruitful Vines in Sullivan, IL strawberries!)
Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam (from Fruitful Vines in Sullivan, IL strawberries!)
OSU Cowboy Candy (candied jalapeños)
Timmy’s Chow-Chow Relish
Timmy’s Corn Relish – new batch!
Ketchup
BarBraQ Sauce (Sweet & Saucy Streisand Sauce)
MILD, MEDIUM, and HOT Salsas
Medium Strawberry- Jalapeño Salsa
Salsa Verde
Red Pepper Soup (2)
Veggie Soup
Velvetty Smooth Tomato Soup
Mrs. Wages Pasta Sauce
Mrs. Wages Chili Base
Slightly-Spicy Pizza Sauce
Zesty Zpaghetti Zauce
See you tomorrow,
Sue & Tim TigerTiger Gardens
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