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Old May 6, 2006   #1
Earl
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Default CHOPTAG 2006 Spring Plant Share Meet

[Modifided version as thread in General Forum]

A better day couldn't have been asked for, cool, breezy and sunny. When we got there [me, Kathy, and Dad] shortly after noon, a few CHOPTAGgers were already there and they [Brian, Dave, and Jerry] helped us unload our stuff from the car's trunk. During the unloading several questions arose about where was the pulled pork. Saying, "Dang, I forgot it!" didn't work so I got the crock pot out from behind the front seat. I think they would have been just as happy to see an UPS man show up with it. Smile

After setting up our table we greeted old friends and introduced ourselves to the newcomers who will become old friends. Since we started CHOPTAG it has become obvious to me that tomato growers, at least 99.9% of them, are the best people on Earth. We now have several new, and I can tell deep to the bone, CHOPTAGers: David, Fred, Lisa, Michael, Neal, Sue, and Valeree. The only thing I regret is there wasn't enough time to spend more time with all of you guys.

Anyway, Neil and Heather arrived shortly after we did and we setup the food table and started the pork pulling. The aroma, man the aroma, it permeated the air and stomachs really started to rumble and grumble. We had 5 or 6 kinds of sauces plus some lip smacking homemade. The sidedishes everyone brought were delicious: baked beans, slaw, salads and etc. Man o man, we really pigged out. Smile

The pulled pork contest was declared a tie by everyone and that me and Neil had to do another showdown! Dang, I haven't even mentioned tomatoes. LOL.

The gang only managed to force 6-8 plants on me. But I did pretty good with those I took, getting rid of all of them. We had lots of plants left, Gary was auctioning them off at the last. That was a lot of fun, really. He's a real clown!

The thing is, Gary ended up not getting rid of any but taking three from Neil! Wait, I think Gary cajolled Jerry into taking one.

Of all the plants I took, I only messed up on two deliveries, some green garlic to Lisa [but Sue shared hers] and a Kimberly to Mark. Even after not getting his Kimberly, Mark gave me a small metal chest of drawers with film canisters to store my tomato seeds.

Please rememeber, everyone who got plants from me. They need to be hardened off in part shade/sun for a few days before planting.

Thanks everyone! You're great folks and you made our day. Looking forward to seeing you at the taste fest in Aug. Sorry for being so wordy.
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Old May 7, 2006   #2
valereee
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Hi, all! What a great gathering. I brought my dad, Gordon, and he is totally enamored of you all -- kept telling my mom (who had stayed in the car with her book, as she doesn't get around well) what a nice bunch of people you all were, how outgoing, how he couldn't wait for the tasting.

I had such a nice time, and enjoyed meeting you all so much. Please forgive me when, next time we meet, I introduce myself again as if I've never seen you before in my life. I try very hard to remember faces, but I am not very good at it.

The food was excellent! I tried both pulled pork recipes, and both were incredible. I wish I knew how to make pulled pork taste like that. And the rest of the spread was excellent -- I could have just sat down at the buffet and eaten all day. I was so sorry to miss Michael's cobbler, which was smelling SO good by the time we had to leave, but I had people showing up at my house for a cookout in the late afternoon.

I only got rid of four plants, and only managed that by begging Susan to take a Baker's Family Heirloom from me. So I ended up taking home more than I brought, plus of course the plants everyone so generously shared with my dad.

Gary did, too, get rid of at least one plant -- I took a Roma Rio Grande from him, and I think my Dad took one from him, too. Thank you, Gary, for your generosity. Thanks also to Susan, Earl, Jerry, and -- Fred, was that your Red Penna I took? -- for other lovelies, and of course for the ones given to my dad, which I can't remember. I know Earl gave him an Earl's Faux, and Jerry gave him several, and I think Susan gave him one and maybe Lisa and Gary. He had seven or eight.

Ooops, Lisa, I think I got your garlic! Sorry! Well, I'll put it to good use. I was thinking of making something out of it today for some friends who will be here for the afternoon. I was just going to do a search for recipes.

Can't wait until August!

Val
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Old May 7, 2006   #3
rsolinski
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Sorry I missed it! How about a CHOPTAG cookout in June/July? Hope there will be some pics up soon (hint).


Ray
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Old May 7, 2006   #4
valereee
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Okay, for those who got some of Earl's green garlic -- I made some soup tonight that was soooo good:

White Asparagus and Green Garlic Soup

Yield: 6 servings

* 2 T butter
* 1 bunch green garlic, washed thoroughly and roughly chopped
* 3 leeks, washed and roughly chopped
* 2 bunches white asparagus
* 1 cup white wine
* 6 cups clear vegetable stock
* 2 cups half-and-half
* 1/2 cup Fontina cheese, grated
* 2 sprigs fresh thyme
* 2 ounces chives, chopped

Heat butter on med-low until melted. Add green garlic in and cook 5 minutes. Add leeks and continue cooking until translucent, being careful not to brown ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Add white wine, set to simmer, and reduce until almost dry.

While wine is reducing, snap tops off asparagus and reserve. (Optional to produce smoother soup: peel asparagus stems.) Snap the rest of the asparagus into 1" pieces.

Add white asparagus pieces (not tips) and vegetable stock. Simmer until all ingredients are tender.

Add heavy cream and simmer for 10 more minutes. Do not allow to boil.

Purée in batches or use a stick blender to puree. If you prefer a smoother soup, strain. Return to saucepan and add asparagus tips and Fontina. Check seasoning, add salt if necessary, and finish with the fresh thyme. When asparagus tips are tender, pour soup into bowl and garnish with chopped chives.

Val
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Old May 7, 2006   #5
VGary
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Default CHOPTAG Plant Exchange

I can't think of a better time we have had at our CHOPTAG gatherings!
It is always good sharing time with our friends there and meeting new faces as well. I was pleased that Fred and Diane from English, IN were able to be there as well as Michael and his son and friend, Cathy and her son from Clarksville, IN: I had invited them.
The food was outstanding, the weather was wonderful, and the fellowship warm and endearing!
We left about 3:30 and drove back to Worthville which is close to Carollton.
Several folks gave me surplus plants and with mine added to them I stopped at HazelField Farm, a farm with a house more than 100 yearsold, in the county where some longtime friends live. They grow for Farmer's Market. I always share my tomato seed/seedlings with them because they earn their livelyhood working hard for a living. I took 54 varieties of seedlings from my private collection!
Teresa's daughter is getting married in two week at the farm. The Groom and his Groomen's were there involved in building an Outhouse! Quite the memorable Bachelor's Party I must say. It was the most beautiful necessary room I have ever seen. lol It sits on the side of a slooping hill with a beautiful pond below.
I was showered with fresh eggs from their flock of chickens and Homemade Herbal Soaps like they were preparing as wedding favors; it is all organic and made with olive oil. A friend of their's makes it for the Farmer's Market.
One of the girls came around collecting money and drawing something out an envelope -- I thought it was something for the groom. My slip had the name of a horse on it....would you believe I won the Jackpot as my horse won!
I arrived back home about 8:00 with my prized Kimberly(Thanks to Earl) about four feet tall; it was trimed back two feet already. It has the best looking tomatoes growing on it you ever saw! Can't be long before I will be sampling them! MMm!
This week I need to begin planning where and how I am going to plant all these tomatoes. The Nursery is making a place for me to grow out all the Kentucky Heirlooms and maybe a few more. My friend is taking me to get a truckload of Bunny Poo next Saturday. I am taking the guy some Heirloom Tomato Plants for his kindness; he said I could have all I want. It is like "gold" helping plants grow!
Thanks to all of you for making this such a good experience for our new attendees! Happy gardening to all!

Gary
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Old May 7, 2006   #6
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I agree Gary--it was quite a festive event. I arrived late and the first thing that struck me when I pulled into the park were the aromas wafting my way. I'll bet all those people attending the little league games there also had their stomachs doing flip flops (and were wondering what kind of fest has lots of tomato plants and such great food).

The food was great. Pork, slaw, pasta salads, other salads, desserts. The pork and beans must have been good because they were all gone. Mike's peach cobbler was great--cooked in cast iron pots with coals right on the lids of the pots.

I have to say that it was a very friendly and generous bunch. It was good to see familiar faces and great to meet new ones. Lots of good natured razzing between old-timers and helpful advice being dispensed. People nodding knowingly when names like Bully, Grub, Carolyn, Craig, Fusion, Mischka, Duane, Lee were mentioned. Snatches of conversation about potato leaf plants and indeterminates and grow lights and websites. We even foisted seven plants on a new grower who thinks that is a lot. Little does he know that he'll be growing 45 next year!

CHOPTAG is about tomatoes and it's about food. But above all it's about nice people with a common interest getting together.

Ken
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Old May 8, 2006   #7
JerryL
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Default 4 Pics

I think most everything has been said that can be said. A terrific turnout with terrific people.

So just a few pictures.

In my opinion the pulled pork winner was a no contest kind of thing. The winner was anyone who ate some. Thanks to Neil and Earl.



Michael’s Dutch Oven on the BBQ Peach Cobbler – AWESOME.

Michael eating pulled pork while he cooks.



Come an’ get it!



Oh Yah! There were tomato plants at the swap meet also.

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Old May 8, 2006   #8
Miss_Mudcat
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Hi All Y'all!

Thanks to everyone who makes CHOPTAG happen. I am so glad to have found you!

PLEASE, whomever made the broccoli salad, I MUST HAVE THE RECIPE!

Sue, thank you for sharing your green garlic with me. Earl, I didn't put in a request, but your wonderfully sweet wife wouldn't let me leave without any after I made a comment about it! Tell her THANKS!

I enjoyed meeting all of you. Cathy (Woodenzoo) didn't make it, so I brought home the Druzbas intended for her, and I picked up a few: GMG from Earl, Dr. C. from Valeree? and Granny Smith from Sue? (or did I get that backwards?), Black Plum from Mike and Big Rainbow (for Rain who is still talking about it daily) from Jerry. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!

Looking forward to August.

Lisa
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Old May 12, 2006   #9
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Hi guys!
Sorry it has taken me so long to post. I have been SO busy it's not even funny!!

Heather & I had a great time at the plant swap!!

You guys are a really nice bunch. We really enjoyed the food and the chatting. The park was really nice. I have to admit that this was my first "BBQ Competition" that I have entered and I have a sneaking suspicion that who ever declared it a tie had alterior motives on their mind. :wink: I am also wondering if there will EVER be a winner declared too!!

But honestly, I really enjoy preparing BBQ'd stuff and as long as you enjoyed the Pulled Pork, that is all that is important to me.

The tomatoes.

I have to say a HUGE Thank You to everyone who gave me plants. I also know that if I ever have anything that I want sold, all I have to do is give Gary a ring!! I think he must have been a used car salesman in a previous life!! He even had my wife accepting plants and she isn't the one who wants to grow them, she just wants to EAT them!! I got there with 9 varieties and came home with 23!!!!!

Oh yeah, here is the description of the Lampa Alladina and the Kasachstan Kleine plants that I took to the swap:

Lampa Alladina is probably Yellow Japanese Trifele but who can prove it. Yellow pear shape from Russia. I got it from Sweden so you're not likely to find much about it here yet.

Kasachstan Kleine is a pink oblate tomato that I got from Germany, don't know more about it than that. Good one, very vigorous.

This is how the person who sent the seed to me described them. If you would like to know who the seed was from PM me or e-mail me. I have not posted their name publicly out of respect to them.

You guys are a great bunch.

I am looking forward to August.

Thanks again,
Neil
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Old May 12, 2006   #10
Earl
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Jerry, nice pictures. The ones I took didn't turn out very good.

If anyone's interested in my pulled pork recipe, here's how I cooked it.

I used an electric bullet type smoker [they're very easy to use] and smoked the meat [two 7 lb. pork butts] for 5-6 hours between 220 and 240; Make sure the pork is at room temperature and dry by wiping it with paper towels. Then sprinkle sort of liberally with Lawry's Salt and pepper and place on grill rack with smoker heated and smoking.

After 5-6 hours take the meat out of the smoker, put it in a pan with high sides and cover the pan tightly with foil and finish cooking overnight in the kitchen oven at 230 estimating it would be about 205 degrees, which is what pulled pork should be cooked to so it pulls right. I cooked the meat for a total of 16 hours.

The next morning at 6 a.m. I remove meat from oven. Most of the fat will be rendered, pour liquid into a fat skimmer and remove fat, then return juice to meat container so liquid can be incorporated back into meat when pulled/cut up.

It really is simple. Oh yeah. The wood I used to smoke it with was about 90% pecan and cherry. Will try to answer any questions if anyone has any so feel free to ask.
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Old May 13, 2006   #11
matermama
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Default JUst Maaaaaaaavelous Daaaaliiing

I had a grand time!!!!!!! Being new to Ohio i don't have any friends, but i feel i made some at the choptag.
I m so excited to get my new maters in the ground.Thanks Earl for your aunt gerties ,lester and brandywine.I hope i got that right, next time i will have to write it all down.
Gary im so glad you invited me, and thank you for your maters, very generous . Can't wait to see them all fruit.
I think we might have made another victim of mater mania with my dauhter,YES!! she is taking good care of hers ,she was given , by some of you folks. I believe she got a few from Neil
Ms-mudcat great to see the face that matches the name.
I wish we could have stayed longer ,but we had a house to paint and my Dh was leaving for Mexico on SUnday.
Let me know if anyone is interseted in Fall manure, i can get you some Llama manure , i can bring it to the tasting in August. It is great stuff, no weeds. no smell, and no bugs.
LMK
thanks to all
best wishes
sue
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Old May 14, 2006   #12
valereee
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Sue, I'd LOVE some manure! I am building several new beds right now and am doing it lasagna style -- just a layer of whatever is available whenever it's available -- and manure is always welcome.

Val
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