Here is our list of Tomatoes planted in 2009:

 

From Columbia County Master Gardener's Plant Sale
Roma - 3
Tumbler - 2
Viva Italia
Peron
Giant Valentine
Supersun Cherry Hybrid
Black from Tula
Itailian Giant Beefsteak
Chocolate Cherry
Cherry Roma
Healthkick

 

From Portland Farmers Market by PSU
Carbon
Sungold
Bloody Butcher

 

From Tualatin Valley Garden Club plant sale
Riesentraube
Stupice
Brandywine - 4" pot
Sweet Pea Current
Giant Belgium
Brandywine - gallon
Beefsteak - gallon

 

Other places:
Lemon Boy
Yellow Brandywine - 2

 

So far we have gotten tomatoes from: Tumbler, Sungold, Sweet Pea Current and Lemon Boy

 

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Here is the 2008 list:

 

sungold
black from tula
yellow brandywine
brandywine
lemon boy
early girl
oregon spring
juliet
roma
black krimm
cherise orange
beefsteak
tiny tiger
Willamette

 

I found that I had no records from 2007, but spring 2007 was a really rough time. I forgive myself.

 

 

Both my dad and my father in law need prayers. Dad has bone cancer (third bought of cancer.) FIL has to have a kidney transplant as a result of Goodpastures Syndrome.

 

 

I've also been saying prayers for the soldier from Idaho. It was hard to see him in the video, my nephews are the same age.

Good Bye to Frank McCourt. I really enjoyed the two books I have read. Ironically I bought two of his books this morning at Powells.

 

 

 

At the end of June we made a trip out to Dundee for some more wine tasting. We discovered that this is a great time to taste wines, plus we discovered a new place to eat, two new (to us) wineries and a nice place to stay.

 

We stayed at Wine County Cottage. It is located walking distance (ok it is a good walk) from Stoller Vineyards. It was a nice quiet house with really nice features. I do recommend them. Here is their link:
http://www.winecountrycottage.net

 

First we went to Stoller. We were just there over Memorial Day. We love their Pinot Noirs. They have a JV (Junior Vines) and SV (Senior Vines). Both are very good.
http://www.stollervineyards.com/

 

Then we went to White Rose, which is only a short drive away. We had our wine club shipment to pick up. They have great pinot noirs. Their cellar club is a great deal too.
http://www.whiterosewines.com/

 

There is also a new winery called Dreamcatcher that they were sampling at White Rose. It is a woody spicy Pinot, they will do well in the future.

 

The next day we had lunch at a new restaurant in Dundee called Farm to Fork. It is part of the new Inn at Red Hills. They had soups and sandwiches that were very tasty.
http://www.innatredhills.com/

 

We then went to Four Graces. I will be honest. We found tasting passes at the cottage, so we thought that we would give the winery a try. They had a beautiful tasting room and some very good pinot noirs. They also have a tasty pinot blanc and pinot gris. They are on the north end of Dundee.
http://www.thefourgraces.com/

 

Our last stop was at DePonte Cellars. We have been driving by this winery for over five years now and keep saying we should try them. We shouldn’t have waited so long! It was so good! I can hardly wait to go back. Their Clay Hill was really a wonderful wine. The others are good too.
http://www.depontecellars.com

 

Our cherry tree is very productive this year, and the birds seem to have missed it. We got a good harvest, and I started my annual jam and jelly making.

 

I am finding that certain pectins work better with certain fruit. I like MCP for dry pectin and Certo for liquid. I tried Ball dry pectin but I didn't have luck with it.

 

This is my little cheat sheet for preserving:

 

Blackberry Jelly     6 pints     MCP

Cherry Jam           3 lbs        MCP

Raspberry Jelly     5 pints     Certo (2 packs)

Salsa Jam            16 oz Jar  Certo (2 packs)

Grape Jelly          3 lbs         Certo

Pepper Jelly         1 lb          MCP

 

Major hint - don't mess with your recipe, don't half or double. Dont mess with the sugar or subsitute a different pectin in a recipe (follow the recipe in the box.)