SEPTEMBER 2011

Childcare survey PG 2

Pieces of our Past PG 3

Stellar Student PG 4

Book Nook PG 5

Nonprofit Listing PG 6

Calendar of Events PG 7

CatalystCatalystTHE COMMUNITY

Photo by Richard Worth, © Worth Photo

Welcome to the first edition of The Community Catalyst! Wehope you come to love it. It’s about you, your neighbors, thepeople you love, the people around you, the people of yourcommunity. It’s an opportunity for non-profits to reach out tothe communities without expense, to notify the community ofservices, events and needs.

Our intent is to communicate, organize and gather the com-munity together. In these times it becomes even more impor-tant to have a strong sense of community, to reach out to helpeach other, to have an open forum, to dream of a better tomor-row for ourselves, our children, and our grandchildren.

We have many strengths. We still have a rural environment.We live in a beautiful area. We have many good people thatshow up when others are in need. We have huge potential. We

have challenges as well, that will require leadership, vision andparticipation in and from the community. We need to planwhat our future will look like, and how to maintain our ruralenvironment while meeting these challenges. We have good people serving on nonprofit boards that keepthe spirit of our rural life alive. Many of our nonprofits provideso much good to our community, but each is struggling to sur-vive. The focus of this magazine is to promote the continuingefforts of these nonprofits, to emphasis the community spirit, tocreate collaboration among the nonprofits and our citizens tostrengthen the community. Our focus is to help bring opportunities, education, communi-

cation and a better quality of life to the community. Only astrong community can bring these things about. Your voice is

essential, your actions even more so. So dream with your eyeswide open, of what you’d like to see in five and ten years,because from these dreams comes the vision, from the visioncomes the possibilities. And dreams do come true.

This newsletter will be published once a month with the intentto draw the nonprofit, business, education, and governmentalentities together for the betterment for all our communities.Copies will be distributed throughout the West End. Electronicback issues can also be viewed for free at our web site at:www.thecommunitycatalyst.com. We encourage you to emailsubmissions to publisher@thecommunitycatalyst.com. All non-profit listings are free of charge.

This publication is made possible by the ParadoxStrengthening Community Fund. Thanks for reading!

CHILD CARE PROVIDERS NEEDED NUCLA/NATURITA AREAWould you like to care for children in your home?

Become a licensed child care provider to fill the shortage of quality care in yourimmediate area.

If you are interested in becoming a licensed child care provider, please call BrightFutures, 970-728-5613 and we will walk you through the process to become

licensed. Cathy James, Executive Director, Bright Futures

Welcome to The Community Catalyst, where we can grow together

What is the most you could afford for childcare services?

$20-$25$30-35Other

How many children do you have that need childcare?

What are their ages?

Infant1-2 years old3-4 years old

Do you need full day/ half day / after-school care?

FullHalfAfter School

Please email your survey responses to:Publisher@thecommunitycatalyst.com

or fill out and return a paper copy to the Naturita Community Library.

Childcare Survey for Nucla/Naturita areaDo you need childcare in order to work?

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The founding of Nucla, by Minnie Chamberlain

On June 4, 1904, ten years after the first survey, water flowedthrough the ditch to the initial point on Tabeguache Park. Greatwas the joy in Pinon. This was a great triumph! The first goal hadbeen obtained, the impossible had been accomplished, and theColorado Cooperative Company had proved to its members andthe world that the idea of cooperation was not a pipe dream.

On March 20, 1904, a group of men met at Loveland Camp andorganized the Nucla Town Improvement Company. After longdeliberation and much discussion it was decided to lay out thetown at a point in the park commanding the best view of thesurrounding territory. By retaining ownership of the land, thecompany hoped to prevent the incoming of saloons, gamblinghouses and other undesirable tenants. This company was tohave a capital stock of $50,000 divided into 5,000 shares at$100.00 a share. The land was to be held in trust by the compa-ny and each share of stock would give the holder a 99-year leaseon a business lot or two residential lots. No one person couldhold more than one block. Each block contained 20 lots of 42 by200 feet each. They were granted in order of payment and theleases were renewable.The single tax system was to be used and the tax would be the

same on a lot regardless of the improvements. All lots were to betaxed on the location and quality. The entire tax due the state would be paid by the company and

pro rata among the property holders according to size andimprovements on the property. This system proved to be a fail-

ure. It did prevent speculation in land, as it was supposed to do,but it made it too costly for people to hold lots and many taxesbecame delinquent on vacant lots. On 15 January 1914 the peo-ple voted the single tax out and gave up the lease system infavor of private ownership. They also started talking about incor-porating the town at this time.

The dream of a cooperative community was not realized. Theditch, which is one of the best water rights in the state, is stillowned and operated cooperatively, but the businesses andproperty of the town and surrounding area have returned to pri-vate ownership and control.

Now and Then Naturita Government

In 1881, a man by the name of Payson built the first cabin inNaturita. That same year a post office was established. It wascalled Chipeta until September 15, 1882. By the late 1880s therewere two houses in Naturita. Payson’s house and a house ownedby R. H. Blake. Mr. Blake’s wife, who was of Spanish decent,named the town Naturita, which means “little nature” in Spanish.

Later several families settled along the river and the town con-tinued to grow. In 1894 the Colorado Co-operative Companymoved several families to Naturita. They stayed for a couple ofyears until they moved to Pinon. In 1910 Payson and Blake, whoran cattle in the area, laid out the town site. Soon there were sev-eral businesses. Payson and Blake started the first store andMyrtle “Grandma” Cooper ran a livery stable and rooming house.

In the early 1950s a committee was formed to work on getting

As the days grow shorter and the crops taller, we are nearingthat time of year when the whole season’s effort will be trans-lated into dollars and cents. While this time of year brings asense of satisfaction and accomplishment, it also brings itsown unique brand of stress, whether it is getting that last cut-ting of hay in before the weather hits, or getting the cattlerounded up and the calves sorted off, this time of year usual-ly means long days, short nights and lots of work.

Converting grass into greenbacksFor those who produce and sell hay, this year’s crop mightprovide the best return in a farmer’s lifetime as demand farexceeds supply. The lack of hay across the U.S. can partly beblamed on too little rain – or too much, depending on loca-tion – along with extreme hot or cool temperatures acrossthe growing season. However, the loss of hay acreage tomore lucrative crops has also cut into supply and revved updemand.According to the USDA-Colorado Department of AgricultureMarket News Service, hay prices in southwestern Coloradofor the week ending Aug. 26, averaged as follows:

•Alfalfa

Large Squares: Premium to Supreme $210-230; Good $190-210Small Squares: Premium $230/ton ($7.00 per bale)•GrassLarge Squares: Premium $170-190Small Squares: Premium $230-260/ton ($7.00-8.00 per

bale); Good $200/ton

Turning beef into bucksJust as the price of hay has been impacted by drought inTexas and Oklahoma, so, too, has the price of cattle. Manysouthwest ranchers have been forced to liquidate their herdsbecause they have simply run out of feed or water or both fortheir livestock. In short, the normal seasonal pattern of beef marketing hasbeen turned on its head. There have been enormous bottle-necks in livestock auctions in the southwest throughout Julyand August, but that trend is now returning to a more normallevel, as most of those who needed to liquidate have done so.Even with the high volumes of beef moving through the mar-ket, prices have remained fairly solid, largely due to goodnews on the export front. As the global economy hasstrengthened, we’ve seen significant increases in beefexports. In 2010, the U.S. Meat Export Federation reported a19 percent increase in beef exports; the first half of 2011 waseven more robust, logging in a 25 percent gain from 2010. Allof that volume has helped sustain prices through the tough sledding in the domestic market.

Local foodsIn addition to the more traditional hay and cattle operationsin the West End, there is a growing interest in local foods anddeveloping a local food system—essentially growing andselling more food locally. Ken Haynes, through his organization e3collaborative, hasbeen conducting a feasibility study for developing a regionalfood hub.The study objectives include:• determining local agricultural resources• defining local consumer trends and demands• recognizing consumer outlet movements• researching organizational models

Haynes’ study is scheduled to wrap up soon with a presenta-tion to his stakeholders in September. Long-term, Haynes’intention is to bring together like-minded individuals, non-profit groups, specialists and governmental entities to simul-taneously reduce our collective carbon footprint, find alter-native energy solutions and create progressive new indus-tries and jobs. A pretty ambitious objective, that.In a nutshell, food affects some of the most important issuesof our time, including energy, health, security and climatechanges. As more and more people recognize the enormousrole agriculture plays in all of these arenas, the more interestconsumers will have in the industry overall as well as howagricultural policy impacts our culture and our economy.

The Cattle List: Agriculture’ s Golden Season

By Jeri Mattics Omernik

Pieces of our Past:By: Marie Templton and the Rimrocker Historical Society

Nucla and its founding the town incorporated. Following are some excerpts from the min-utes of those meeting.

Meeting October 10, 1951: Subject: Mayor Blake suggested amotion be made to instruct Town Attorney, Ted Brooks, to file cer-tified copies of the record of Incorporation of the Town of Naturitawith the Secretary of State. Motion was made by James Laramoreand seconded by Owen Lear to do so.

A motion was made by Sam Mills, seconded by Homer Vance toestablish a general fund made up of donations by the Mayor andtrustees, to meet the expenses of the above motion and any othernecessary expenditure.

Each member would donate $6.00 a month and the Town Clerkwould be paid $6.00 a month. Another way to generate funds forthe general fund was suggested by Homer Vance. It seemed likesome friends of his would like to rent the Town Hall as a place tosleep for the week during hunting season. Homer Vance wasauthorized to rent the Town Hall to his friends for $10.00 a week.

Ordnance #4 dated May 1952, annexed the area laying due westof the intersection of Highways 141 and 97, owned at that time byWoodrow Gripe. Because the original area of the town did notinclude the required amount of land needed for incorporation, theTown Fathers laid out lots south of Main Street and adjoining theproposed town boundary, starting about the corner of East SecondStreet and going west to the present west city limit sign. Propertyowners with land abutting the new lots were offered the firstchance to purchase the lots for $10.00 per lot. Even a street running east and west was plotted to allow access tothe lots. Because these lots lay on a very steep slope, they werenever used by any of the property owners, but did what they weremeant to do and that was to get enough area in order to incorpo-rate the town.

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On the Cover:

The cover photograph was cap-tured by Richard Worth. Here’s asnippet about the photographer:

Remember the TV show TheWonder Years? It was about a boynavigating his teen years, a timefilled with firsts and new chal-lenges, successes and failures. Iwas lucky to spend most of my 'wonder years' in Montrose, and even though I was-n't born there and have lived other places for much longer times, Montrose still hasa 'hometown' feel for me, such that when traveling I'll often adjust my route to passthrough so I can drive by the old schools, the swimming pool, downtown, alongmy old paper route - landmarks of my youth. While preparing for one of those trips, my sister suggested tweaking our plannedroute along Highway 50 to drop south, go past Moab and Arches, and take a drivethrough Paradox Valley. On Highway 90, the first view of the valley from high upon the western edge was a heart-stopper. It was like discovering a mini-GrandCanyon, but without the tourists. Several times, now, I've made the trip down andthrough the valley, and in October 2009 we hit it just before sunset. The red facedcliffs are impressive any time of day, but bathe them in sunset's warm glow and, tocoin a phrase, they are picture perfect.

Would you like to submit a photograph for consideration of publication? All filesmust be at least 150 dpi and 12 inches by 12 inches large. Submit your photos to

Publisher@TheCommunityCatalyst.com

September is Healthy Aging Month

· Focus on preventing falls by making your home and work-

ing space safe so you don’t fall and break a hip or other

bone.

· We offer many immunizations including shingles, pneumo-

nia & flu for all ages.

Adult Protective Services

· When you first contact us we will either refer you for a face-

to-face assessment with a case manager or refer you to

other community resources that may better meet your needs.

If you’re referred for an assessment, the case manager will

come to your residence. Among other areas that he/she will

discuss with you are your ability to perform daily living activ-

ities, your physical and emotional health and any services

you’re currently receiving. The case manager will send a

request to your physician for your diagnosis and medications

and base their recommendation for long term care on the

information provided and your physicians input. If approved,

the case manager will verify Medicaid approval. Remember

you are responsible for applying for Medicaid! Anyone may

call our intake line and make a referral on your behalf. If in

doubt, call us today at: (970) 252-7076.

State and Federal Public Assistance Programs

· Eligibility for acceptance: Varies with each program.

Applications are available at Montrose County Health and

Human Services, 851 Main St. Nucla, CO, and online at

www.colorado.gov/PEAK. This website also includes pro-

gram information.

· Services offered: Programs available include food, cash

and medical programs, and associated case management

and advocacy services. Also available is the Low Income

Energy Assistance Program (LEAP).

Environmental Health Services

· Inspections of retail food establishments throughout

Montrose County are now available on the Montrose County

website, www.montrosecounty.net. You can check the last

inspection of your favorite restaurant or bar.

· Food safety -

Bringing lunch to

school or work

requires extra atten-

tion to keep food

safe. Pack shelf-

stable items when-

ever possible. More

food products are

now available in

individual shelf-stable servings. Keep hot foods hot and cold

foods cold. Use insulated containers for hot foods. Use ice

packs for cold foods. Some foods can be frozen and allowed

to thaw in your lunch carrier. When reheating in a

microwave, be sure to use enough time to have the food

reach 165*F.

· West Nile Virus - Montrose Environmental Health continues

to trap mosquitos for West Nile Virus surveillance. So far this

year, there have been no mosquitos identified as active car-

riers in our area.

Still, it’s wise to continue protecting yourself and your fami-

ly. Use Deet-based repellants and wear long sleeves and

pants during morning and evening hours when mosquitos

are most active.

· Rabies - We encourage the participation of community

members in vaccinating their warm blooded pets (dogs, cats,

ferrets, etc.), reporting any stray animals, and reporting any

animal bites or suspect bites to local officials. Rabies is a

preventable disease transmitted primarily through animal

bites, if gone untreated can be fatal. Currently, more than

90% of cases are transmitted by skunks and bats. In the

interest of protecting the health of our community Montrose

County Board of Health has passed a Board Order associat-

ed with

C o l o r a d o

R e v i s e d

S t a t u t e

C.R.S. 25-4-

607 Rabies

Control.

Montrose County Health and Human Services West End programs

StellartudentB

Brydon Haining has been selected as thefirst Stellar Student because of his diligence,honesty, determination and humor. Brydonis a fantastic student who loves to read, andisn't afraid to challenge himself. He also lovesplaying football and other sports, and is veryexcited to be entering the 4th grade andsharing his classroom with a snake! His hopeis that he'll get to see Mrs. Phelps feed thesnake.

His 3rd grade teacher, Mr. Nelson, says,“Brydon Haining is a humble, quiet, good-natured and gentle soul with a passion forreading and learning. His dynamic personali-ty makes him a friend to all. One of NaturitaElementary's true All-Stars and one of thebest I have had the honor to have taught.”

Thank you Brydon for being such a dynamic member of our community!

Brydon Haining

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Colorado Crop Calendar��� ��� ���� ���� � �������� ����� ������

apples (storage to June 1)

apricots

asparagus

beets

bell peppers

broccoli

cabbage

cantaloupe

carrots

cauliflower

celery

cherries

chile peppers

cucumbers

eggplant

grapes

green beans

herbs

honeydew

lettuce (leaf and head)

onions (to March 15, storage included)

peaches

pears

pinto beans (all year)

plums

popcorn (all year)

potatoes (all year)

pumpkins

raspberries

rhubarb

squash

strawberries

sweet corn

tomatoes

watermelon

You've spent all summer babying a bountiful garden through heat, rain, wind and everythingelse Southwest Colorado can throw at you. Now fall is coming, what are you going to do to pre-serve your summer harvest? Gardening and preserving go hand in hand in my mind, and at thelibrary we have some excellent selections to help you, whether you've been pressure canning foryears, or you're just learning what a boiling water bath is. Ashley English is one of my new inspirations. Her Homemade Living series touches on beekeep-

ing, soapmaking, dairy and cheeses and Canning & Preserving. This is the perfect place to getstarted. There are simple recipes, step by step illustrated instructions and innovative ways to usewhat you've preserved. My favorite part would have to be the Portraits of a Canner that aresprinkled throughout. It's refreshing to see people from all different backgrounds and placesexploring this lost art. The Self Sufficient Life and How to Live It by John Seymour may seem a little overwhelming at

first glance. He covers the basics of seed saving, gardening, animal care and includes traditionalskills like beekeeping, fence making and orchard keeping. I use this as a reference when I needhelp in a specific area, and one of the best sections in this book is on canning and freezing. Heexplains the best ways to preserve different types of food safely and economically, and usesrecipes and plans that don't require a lot of complicated or hard to find ingredients. While this isfor a more advanced canner, a lot of the tips and recipes will come in handy to those at any level.The Backyard Homestead is another imposing tome full of good information on every aspect of

producing the food you need. It also has an excellent section on jerkies and other ways to pre-serve meat at home. Mini Farming by Brett L. Markham is my go to guide on everything! He goes over every step of

self sufficiency in great detail, and breaks everything down into simple steps that make it morepossible to accomplish your goal. His preserving section is one of the best I've come across,again looking at the process from a whole farm perspective. All of these books are available for check out at the Naturita Community Library, along withmany others in our cooking and gardening department. There are also many resources availableonline. The CSU extension has the most up to date information on food safety and handling, aswell as correct processing temperatures for our elevation.

Have fun with what you read!

• The Book Nook •By dallas Holmes

The first time I read The Cow Loves Cookies by Karma Wilson I could not stop laughing. The sec-ond time I read it, I fell in love. The simple watercolor illustrations by Marcellus Hall perfectlyaccent the lyrical text. The repetition and rhyming help the littlest ones catch on to the story andby the end even the grumpiest tot can't help but crack a smile at the farmer and cow sharingcookies and milk. And the duck? He loves quackers, of course.

When I was a child, my favorite weekly activity was going to the library with my grandfather.First, we would go to the park and swing to the sky. Grandpa's give the best pushes, you know.After running and sliding we would quietly walk hand in hand into the big brick building thatwas my town library. He would head to the right and the adult books, and I would walk off to theleft, the children's room, where I knew my favorite Librarian Miss Melinda always had a specialrecommendation for me. She introduced me to Anne Shirley, Mary Lennox, Francie Nolan, andthe Babysitters Club, characters that became my best friends and closest companions. It was aspecial day when she first handed me Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace. First, the cover was gor-geous, full of lace and curlicues, and girls in pinafores! Miss Melinda knew me well. She knew Iloved series of books, where I could become absorbed in another world, and especially anothertime. Betsy Ray and Tacy Kelly were turn of the century girls who did not shy away from adven-ture. From climbing the big hill to venturing downtown, they took on every challenge with team-work and a light hearted attitude, traits I think can serve us well throughout life.

I make no secret of the fact that young adult fiction is my favorite genre. And Sarah Dessen isdefinitely my favorite YA author right now. Her characters are genuine, flawed and easy to relateto. Her stories aren't complicated, but they're realistic. Her latest, What Happened to Goodbye isthe story of Mclean and her shifting personalities, but it could be anybody's story, even yours. Inever understand how months ago when Sarah Dessen wrote and edited this book, she knew itwas exactly what I needed to read at this time in my life. And I think that's what makes her booksso special for me. They come along at a time when I need to know I'm not the only one out there that feels thisway, I'm not the only one out there who has wondered that, or who has those thoughts. It makesmy life less lonely, and I think when you're a teenager, that's all you're looking for.

Pair dallas’ recommendations from the Book Nook with thematerials below to get your grow on:

Want to learn more about agriculture and food culture in the United States?Check out the following books and websites. The following books also list

several organizations, news articles and sources for further research:

• "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life" by Barbara Kingsolver• "Fast Food Nation" by Eric Schlosser• "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan

www.eatwild.comwww.localharvest.org

www.vogaco.org

September 2011 Calendar of EventsMONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

26 27 28 29 30

Town of NaturitaBoard Meeting

7 to 9 pm222 E. Main • Naturita

Nucla/NaturitaArea Chamberof Commerce

7 to 8 pm425 Main • Naturita

West End PublicSchools Board 7:30 to 10:30 pm

336 Adams • Naturita

Town of NaturitaBoard Meeting

7 to 9 pm222 E. Main • Naturita

NorwoodFarmer’s Market

9 am to 1 pm1120 Summit • Norwood

NorwoodFarmer’s Market

9 am to 1 pm1120 Summit • Norwood

NorwoodFarmer’s Market

9 am to 1 pm1120 Summit • Norwood

NorwoodFarmer’s Market

9 am to 1 pm1120 Summit • Norwood

San MiguelBOCC

9:30 am • Telluride

San MiguelBOCC

9:30 am • Telluride

Montrose BOCC9 am • Montrose

Montrose BOCC9 am • Montrose

Montrose BOCC10:30 am • Nucla

Town of NuclaBoard Meeting

7 to 9 pm320 Main • Nucla

San MiguelBOCC

9:30 am • Norwood

Town of NuclaBoard Meeting

7 to 9 pm320 Main • Nucla

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Nonprof i t Direc tory - Serv ing the West End

Ace of NorwoodLocated in the Livery PlayhouseNorwood, CO970-327-4016Furthering opportunity for the arts andeducation to the communities of the westends of San Miguel and Montrose counties.

Area Agency on Aging300 N. Cascade Avenue, Suite 1Montrose, CO  81401970-249-2436Providing valuable services and informa-tion for senior populations.

Basin Clinic421 Adams StreetNaturita, CO  81424970-865-2665Division of Montrose Memorial Hospital.Offers general practice medical treat-ment.

Center for Independence1-800-613-2271www.cfigj.orgHelping people with disabilities.

Center for Mental Health1350 Aspen Street #BNorwood, CO  81423970-327-4449Offering comprehensive mental healthservices 8 am to 5 pm Monday - Friday.

Dolphin House - 7th JudicialChild Advocacy Center735 South 1st StreetMontrose, CO  81401970-240-8655Provides a safe non-threatening childfriendly environment for interviewingchild victims, assessments and referrals.

Montrose County HHS851 Main StreetNucla, CO 81424970-864-7319Child Care Assistance, Medicaid, foodstamps, general assistance, ChildProtective Services, and many other pub-lic services.

Montrose County HousingAuthority222 Hap CourtOlathe, CO  81425970-323-5445Assisting with housing for eligible individ-uals, families and seniors meeting incomeguidelines.

Naturita Community Library107 West 1st AvenueNaturita, CO  81422970-865-2848www.facebook.com/NaturitaLibraryThousands of pieces of reference materi-als, public computers and communityprogramming.

Norwood Chamber ofCommercePO Box 116Norwood, CO  81423800-282-5988Education and assistance for businessesand organizations.

Norwood Public Library1110 Lucerne StreetNorwood, CO  81423970-327-4833Open 11 am to 5 pm Monday throughSaturday.

Nucla Naturita AreaChamber of Commerce230 West Main StreetNaturita, CO  81422970-865-2350Serving the Bedrock, Naturita, Nucla,Paradox and Redvale communities.

Nucla Public Library544 Main StreetNucla, CO  81422970-864-2166Thousands of pieces of reference materi-als, public computers and communityprogramming.

Rimrocker Historical SocietyPO Box 913Nucla, CO  81424Charged with collecting and preservingartifacts concerning the cultural and nat-ural history of the West End of MontroseCounty. Dedicated to promoting aware-ness, understanding appreciation of thepast and present.

San Miguel County HHS1120 Summit StreetNorwood, CO  81423(970) 327-4885Family Planning, Immunizations, FoodBenefits, Medicaid, Child Care Assistance,County Wellness Program, Heat bill pay-ment assistance (LEAP). All services areconfidential and provided on a slidingscale base.

Small BusinessDevelopment CenterWestern State College of Colorado600 North Adams Street Taylor Hall 112970-943-3159Providing free, confidential business con-sulting services including legal formation,loan applications, marketing, businessplanning and access to capital.

Uncompahgre MedicalCenter1350 Aspen StreetNorwood, CO  81423970-327-4233Committed to providing quality, costeffective, accessible healthcare. Servicesinclude general healthcare, dental careand special programs with a focus on pre-vention.

West Montrose Economic &Community DevelopmentOrganizationPublisher@TheCommunityCatalyst.comEncouraging community collaborationfor the betterment of our region.

Wright Stuff CommunityFoundation1215 Summit StreetNorwood, CO  81423970-327-0555Providing early and continuing educa-tional opportunities to rural youth andfamilies in southwest Colorado.

To include your nonprofit or organization in this free listing, email

your information to:Publisher@TheCommunityCatalyst.com

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Preservation: Canning Tomatoes and Tomato ProductsTomatoes are the most widely home-canned product in the United States. They also are

one of the most commonly spoiled home-canned products. The canning processes recom-mended in this fact sheet are the result of USDA research on safe home-canning proce-

dures for tomatoes and tomato products.

Tomato Acidity Although tomatoes are considered a high-acid food (pH below 4.6), certain conditions andvarieties can produce tomatoes and tomato products with pH values above 4.6. When thishappens, the product must be canned in a pressure canner as a low-acid product or acidi-fied to a pH of 4.6 or lower with lemon juice or citric acid. Research has found several conditions that can reduce the acidity of tomatoes. Theseinclude decay or damage caused by bruises, cracks, blossom end rot or insects, and over-ripening. Tomatoes grown in the shade, ripened in shorter hours of daylight, or ripened offthe vine tend to be lower in acidity than those ripened in direct sunlight on the vine. Also,tomatoes attached to dead vines at harvest are considerably less acidic than tomatoes har-vested from healthy vines. Decayed and damaged tomatoes and those harvested fromfrost-killed or dead vines should not be home canned. To ensure safe acidity in whole, crushed or juiced tomatoes, add lemon juice or citric acidwhen processing in a boiling water bath. Add 2 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice or 1/2teaspoon of citric acid per quart of tomatoes. For pints, use 1 tablespoon bottled lemonjuice or 1/4 teaspoon citric acid. Acid can be added directly to the jars before filling withproduct. Add sugar to offset the taste, if desired. Four tablespoons of a 5 percent acidityvinegar per quart can be used instead of lemon juice or citric acid. However, vinegar maycause undesirable flavor changes.

Process Carefully to Avoid Spoilage The most common reasons for spoilage in home-canned tomato products are underpro-cessing and incomplete seals. Tomatoes that have not been processed long enough todestroy molds and heat-resistant bacteria may spoil during storage. One of the commonspoilage organisms, Bacillus coagulans, is very heat resistant and causes flat-sour spoilage.The jar lid may still be sealed and the product may appear normal, but the tomatoes willsmell sour because of lactic acid produced by the growth of B. coagulans in the product.Never use tomatoes or tomato juices with off-odors. Molds can grow on the surface of improperly processed tomato products and may eventu-ally reduce the acidity to a point where botulism-producing spores can grow and producea deadly toxin. Because even minute amounts of botulism toxin can cause fatal illness, dis-

card without tasting any canned products that show mold growthon the surface. Discard them where they cannot be eaten byother people or animals.

The processing times in this fact sheet are designed toensure sufficient destruction of bacteria and molds.

Where appropriate, processing recommenda-tions for both water bath and pressure can-

ning are given. In general, a pressure can-ner results in higher quality and morenutritious canned tomato prod-ucts.

Prepare Jars and Equipment Standard mason jars are recommended for home canning. Be sure all jars and closures areperfect. Discard any with cracks, chips, dents or rust. Defects prevent airtight seals. Wash jars in hot, soapy water and rinse well before using. Prepare metal lids as manufac-turer directs. Prepare pressure canner or boiling water bath for canning as directed in fact sheet 9.347,Canning Fruits, or 9.348, Canning Vegetables.

Prepare Tomatoes Select fresh, firm, ripe tomatoes. Do not can soft, overripe, moldy or decayed tomatoes ortomatoes harvested from dead or frost-killed vines. Green tomatoes are more acidic thanripened tomatoes and can be canned safely with any of the following recommendations. Wash tomatoes well and drain. Dip in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds or until the skinssplit. Then dip in cold water. Use a sharp knife to cut out the stem and all of the white corebeneath the stem. Peel off the skin. Trim off any bruised or discolored portions. For toma-toes packed in water, leave whole or cut in half. Add 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice or1/2 teaspoon citric acid to prepared quart jars. Use half this amount for pints. Add 1 tea-spoon salt per quart to jars, if desired. Fill prepared jars with raw tomatoes to 1/2 inch ofjar tops. Add hot water to within ½ inch of jar top.

Close Jars and Process After jars are filled with food, remove trapped air bubbles, adjust the headspace, and cleanthe jar tops before processing. To remove trapped air bubbles, insert a nonmetallic spatulaor knife between the food and the jar. Slowly turn the jar and move the spatula up anddown to allow air bubbles to escape. Add more liquid if necessary to obtain the properheadspace (see recipes in Table 1). Wipe the jar rim with a clean, damp paper towel toremove any food particles. Place pretreated lid on the jar. Turn the screwband fingertiptight. The jars are now ready to process in a boiling water bath or pressure canner. See 9.347 forinformation on canning in a boiling water bath canner, or 9.348 for canning in a pressure canner. After processing, carefully remove jars from canner and place on rack, dry towel or newspa-per. Allow jars to cool untouched, away from drafts, for 12 to 24 hours before testing seals.To test jar seals, press flat metal lids at the center of lid. It should be slightly concave andnot move. Remove screwbands. Label sealed jars with contents, canning method and date.Store in a clean, cool, dry, dark place.

Reference The Complete Guide to Home Canning. Agriculture Information Bulletin No. 539, U.S.Department of Agriculture, Extension Service. 1994.

For more information: visit: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09341.pdf

Written by P. Kendall • Colorado State University Cooperative Extension • www.ext.colostate.edu • Reprinted with permission • All rights reserved