Q: How can we stretch out the tomato season and keep our green tomatoes from turning red?
A: You can’t completely stop Mother Nature. However, you can slow her down a little. Some people wrap green tomatoes in newspaper and store them in a cool, dark place. Keeping them away from light can keep them from turning red so quickly.
Many years ago, a farm wife told me she stretched out her tomato season by putting green tomatoes on a bed sheet spread on the floor in a spare room. By keeping the lights dim and running a ceiling fan on low to keep the air moving, she slowed down how fast the tomatoes turned red well into winter.
Otherwise, you could start freezing them as they ripen. It’s less work than canning and you can do it in small batches. The easiest way is to drop some tomatoes in boiling water for a couple of minutes, then move them into ice water to quick-chill them. Pull off the skins and cut out the cores, then freeze them whole in freezer bags. Or cook them into batches of tomato sauce and freeze that.
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