Tired of mealy, pale tomatoes that have been gassed and shipped from who-knows-where?  Yeah, me too.   So, we here at TakePart created a how-to series to help you capture the flavor of fresh tomatoes by canning them.   Using local produce reduces your carbon footprint by shortening the distance your food has to travel,  and canning allows you to enjoy those treats year round!

The following videos will provide a clear picture of the steps involved in canning tomatoes, (something I wish I had the first time around), however, we insist that you read the USDA home canning guidelines and follow the Tomato Queen’s definitive guide for safe and detailed directions and follow them closely.   It’s a fun and straightforward activity that you’ll quickly get the hang of, we just want you to be safe.   Trust us, you don’t want to get lazy and start messing around with Botulism.

takepart by donating food or lending a hand at a local food pantry and help bring an end to hunger.

Let’s get canning…

(VIDEOS AFTER JUMP!)

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Be on the lookout for both types of veggies...

Remember when tomatoes got linked to a salmonella outbreak? Turns out the real culprit may have been serrano jalapeño peppers.

The AP has more on the story.

In the meantime — now that vegetables are apparently trying to kill us — it’s time for some carbo-loading.

takepart by getting together with your friends to host a bake sale to benefit child cancer care patients at Cupcakes for a Cause

I got lox on a bagel this morning with no tomato and frankly it just wasn’t the same. Why oh why did the tomatoes have to get sketchy? Since mid April, there have been 228 reported cases of salmonellosis nationwide caused by Salmonella Saintpaul, an uncommon form of Salmonella. At least 25 hospitalizations have been reported. This week the sick-tomato saga has spread to six more states! Federal health officials acknowledged to lawmakers that they had yet to nail down major aspects of a food-safety plan released seven months ago.

A total of 228 people in 23 states, now including New York, have been reported sickened by salmonella-tainted tomatoes, Dr. David Acheson, associate commissioner for foods at the Food and Drug Administration,

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*U.S. Corn Crop Could Decrease by 10% Further Fueling the Great Ethanol Debate

*Uganda ‘happy’ about food crisis. Why? Because the president hopes the food crisis will prompt the removal of trade barriers, allowing countries like Uganda to profit from food surpluses.

* Tomatoes become scarce among local businesses in the US

* In the UK, Tories argue that Govt making world food price crisis worse “As food shortages take hold across the world we should be looking to optimise domestic production and relieve pressure on world markets,” says agriculture minister Jim Paice.

* The World Bank Group announced today it would support global efforts to overcome the global food crisis with a new $1.2 billion rapid financing facility to address immediate needs, including $200 million in grants targeted at the vulnerable in the world’s poorest countries.

*S. Korea looks to fresh start after beef crisis

*Cyclone-hit Myanmar has enough rice to feed its people, the ruling junta said on Wednesday, accusing foreign aid agencies of presenting a false picture of the devastation in the Irrawaddy delta rice bowl.

*The famine in Ethiopia this year is the worst to hit the country since 2003. Officials estimate Ethiopia needs 300,000 tonnes of food supplies to last until the next harvest, due in September. They are warning that tens of thousands of children could die unless help arrives soon. The World Food Programme says about £73 million is needed to feed children at risk of starvation.

takepart and lean what you can do with Oxfam America.

Related:

Global Food Crisis Update