CHOPTAG Plant Swap a big success!!!

[Earl]

If you consider how much fun we all had eating super food and talking heirloom tomatoes! I promised myself before I left home that I'd not bring home any plants. But those slick talkers loaded me up with a whole tray of goodies.

I won't try to name all the different types of food we had, but let me tell you, CHOPTAGers caaaaaan cook! I wish everyone at Tomatoville could have been there to share with us. One note about the food. If Duane grows tomatoes like he can cook [and wife] then I'll really looking forward to tasting his harvest at the taste fest this year. :-)

It was great seeing old friends again and meeting new ones. A few of us had a discussion [and laughter] about when CHOPTAG got started way back when. About how leery we were of getting together with "people" we only knew from the Internet. But as we've bravely discovered, 99 percent of tomato growers are great people.

I think CHOPTAG President JerryL has decided on when we're to hold the late summer taste fest. Maybe he'll make a post soon, giving everyone a lot of time to plan for the event.

[Tom_Ato]

Thanks to everyone for the plants and food. It was a great afternoon, and the weather was perfect too. I didn't get plants started this year, and so I'm quite grateful for the instant garden. I'm also going to give a few plants to a guy who just grows Better Boys, but has never experienced an heirloom. He's opening a coffee shop in Newtown and has several gardens in the back; he's going to get a Carbon and a couple other plants from YRB and ToeKnee. We'll convert people one at a time!

Everyone was in high spirits and there really is a sense of comraderie at CHOPTAG events. The food was fantastic, from Earl's pulled pork to Duane's salmon spread and everything in between. Lots of good sauces, dips, peperonata, and spiral baked ham. Desserts included brownies and pineapple/coconut cake. I even ate some canned Andes Horn tomatoes that Earl brought. My mouth is watering again.

Ken

[tootaloo]

Yes I am still excited about the plants and people who grow them. Thanks for including me as a fellow grower. The food was just a bonus to the day.AS the saying goes. Some things are priceless. And the day I had WAS. Susan

[Lee]

Great to hear it was such a sucess, but after meeting you guys a couple of years
ago, I knew it would be! Here's hoping you all have great growing seasons and
more maters than you know what to do with!

Lee

[rsolinski]

Sorry I missed out (but my waistline isn't )...Too many things going on as usual..kids,soccer games, art fairs,...I didn't have any plants to share since my extras were gobbled up by neighbors. I will keep up with the date for the taste fest...here's to a great growing season!

Cheers,
Ray

[Earl]

A couple of pictures.

[seymour_man]

I had a great time meeting everyone. You folks sure made Cindy and I feel welcomed.

Earl's BBQ was great.

I swore I wasn't going to bring plants home only because I grow in containers and dont have space. But I couldn't resist and actually regret not grabbing a few more.

I actually went back to grab a Wes and Levino I had seen earlier but some scoundrel beat me to it.

Thanks again everyone.

Duane

[VGary]

As always, I enjoyed being in the presence of all you good folks! Such heart and generosity can not be matched, but I guess that is the good about tomato growers!
All good wishes to each of you for a bountiful year of tomatoes.
Looking forward to seeing you in August for the Tasting!
Peace and blessings to each of you.
Gary


Pepperonata

4 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, halved and finely sliced
2 red bell peppers, cut into strips
2 green bell peppers, cut into strips
2 yellow bell peppers, cut into strips
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 14oz cans chopped tomatoes, drained
2 tbsp of fresh or dried herbs, I used Dried Basil and Italian Seasonings
2 tbsp chopped pitted black olives
salt and pepper
Heat oil in large frying pan. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes,
stirring until just beginning to color. Add bell peppers and garlic to the
pan and cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and cilantro and season
with salt and pepper. Cover the pan and cook the vegetables gently for
about 30 minutes or until the mixture is dry. Stir in the pitted black
olives and serve.

This makes about four servings and can be used as a spread on breads, over pasta with Parmesan Cheese, or over your favorite meats/fish.


North Carolina BBQ Sauce (Vinegar Base)

1 cup good apple cider vinegar
1 cup of white vinegar
1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon of sugar
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon fresh Black Pepper
2 teaspoons of Cayenne Pepper
1 tablespoon of Tabasco Sauce


Mix all the dry ingredients together and then place them into an empty jar. Pour the vinegar leaving enough space so that you can shake/mix the together. It is good to leave on the counter and shake time to time as the flavor develops. If too strong for you taste, you may weaken it by adding a bit of water to it. This a traditional BBQ Sauce made and enjoyed by many in the Carolina’s and it is particularly good on Pulled Pork. It may also be used on cooked greens as well.

[Miss_Mudcat]

I'm so glad the weather cooperated for y'all. I was very sad to miss it, but I did so enjoy the day home with hubby and children just relaxing for a change of pace.

I look forward to seeing y'all in August with lots of tomatoes!

[JerryL]

Sorry I haven’t posted in this thread until now but I left town right after the plant swap. I was so embarrassed by some of the other plants brought I thought I would hide by leaving town.

Thanks to everyone that came and shame on you if you didn’t. You missed a great time.

As usual the plants, food and people were great.

If you haven’t seen it yet I posted a thread for the Taste Fest. Check it out and PUT THE DATE ON YOUR CALENDAR!!!!!!!!

[Tom_Ato]

No need to be embarrassed Jerry; all those big plants were little once too!

Anybody know where Cherokee Purple can be purchased in the CHOPTAG area?

Ken

[Toe Knee]

Originally Posted by Tom_Ato

Thanks to everyone for the plants and food. It was a great afternoon, and the weather was perfect too. I didn't get plants started this year, and so I'm quite grateful for the instant garden. I'm also going to give a few plants to a guy who just grows Better Boys, but has never experienced an heirloom. He's opening a coffee shop in Newtown and has several gardens in the back; he's going to get a Carbon and a couple other plants from YRB and ToeKnee. We'll convert people one at a time!

Everyone was in high spirits and there really is a sense of comraderie at CHOPTAG events. The food was fantastic, from Earl's pulled pork to Duane's salmon spread and everything in between. Lots of good sauces, dips, peperonata, and spiral baked ham. Desserts included brownies and pineapple/coconut cake. I even ate some canned Andes Horn tomatoes that Earl brought. My mouth is watering again.

Ken

Right On, Tom Ato! We are VERY happy to be accessories to the conversion to REAL food. We love getting people to try things. When we sell, the skeptical "Jetstar-wanters" often get a free Chocolate Stripe or Yellow Red Butt (YRB) and we'll say, you know where to find us next year. This year at our sales we had people come back for the third and fourth year. We consider this to be a very honorable way to make our living- getting people back in touch with a relationship of people, fascinating changeable plants, sun, rain and the seasons.

I really think this will be one of the main vocations in the Kingdom of Heaven. People who are so at peace and so connected with life and earth and growth, that their main pursuit is exchanging ideas and plants and strategies of these blessed living gifts.

So Tom Ato, bring em on in, one at a time. There is plenty of room in the Kingdom!

Toe Knee

[Toe Knee]

Oh, yeah, Tom Ato, we still have a few CP left. PM me and we can work out how to give you some. I sent 6 plants in our 3.5" pots to Washington DC last week in a flat rate Priority box for $8.95, and they got there in beautiful shape in two days. That is cheaper than gas from the north side of 275 to the south side and back. Anyway, PM me and we can get something going.
Toe

[coronabarb]

VGary, I copied and posted your recipes in the Harvest Time section so others will see them. Thanks for sharing.