Dave - I don't cook often but when I do - I do it well!!! My sauce is very simple. And everyone that has ever tasted it says it is the best they had. I am not bragging here. The trick was passed down to me by my great grandmother. In the past, I used Tutta Rose Crushed Tomatoes with Basil. And did nothing more than add some salt, pepper, basil and meat. And still made a better sauce than anyone. Now, with using my own tomatoes, I used the same princeples. But since I couldn't can the tomatoes with basil, I added alot of basil. Some salt and Pepper. And added meat. I took a meatball recipe from the "Soprano's Cookbook" but used half ground beef and half pork for the meatballs. I swear by this. The meatballs are so much better. My mom does all beef. And her meatballs are so heavy. The ground pork lightens them up a bit and gives the sauce a better flavor. I also added a few links of browned italian sausage. So on that note - yes, I did cook for an army but I froze several quarts. And with fresh tomatoes, I don't think I could have made a better sauce. I am not sure how I can do this with less tomatoes, cook it for a few hours and still get the same flavor, but I am going to experiment this winter. I'll keep you posted!!!

I don't know... what time do you start yours? Back in the days when I had a big veggie garden I would start them in January under lights, back in the utility room corner. By the time it was time to plant them outside, they would be 12 to 18 inches tall. Always had a GREAT crop. Moni

Yeah I'm in Canada so it's not late in the growing season for us. ;) This might actually be a blessing in diguise since when I went to get more seedlings I decided to branch out, variety-wise. So now I've added another tomato growing location and am experimenting with Sweet 100, Sweet Million, Ultra Girl and Better Boy. I know they may seem like a bunch of boring old hybrids to you tomato veterans but it's plenty of adventure for a novice like me. Thanks for the help folks and I'll be sure to keep you posted on my progress (threat or promise??). Love this forum.

It would be interesting to hear of the responses that you've had. At first glance one would summize that bacterial speck is your problem but after seeing the damage on the unripe tomato I'm more inclined to think that you have a stink bug problem. Stink bugs feed in different ways. Often they will just probe a tomato to get a drink. Other times they will pump digestive juices into the fruit with one mouthpart while sucking out digested material with the other. You might have to get some expert help since neither problem is as easy to control. The catfacing and even BER go away with time.