Tomato tips ’n’ tricks

Tomato season is the most delicious season. But the versatile red fruit won’t ripen on the vine forever. Luckily, the Hanna and Herbert Bauer Memorial Community Garden in Woodland is offering two free classes on preserving tomatoes to make home garden harvests and farmers’ market hauls last year-round. The first class on Wednesday, September 12 will cover the basic methods for canning tomatoes, sauce and salsa. The second class on Wednesday, September 19 is all about dehydration and freezing. Both classes, taught by University of California Cooperative Extension Master Food Preservers of Yolo and Solano Counties, are at 5:15 p.m.-6:30 p.m. in the garden at 137 N. Cottonwood Street in Woodland (behind the Yolo County Health & Human Services Agency Bauer Building), so dress and hydrate accordingly. Participants need to preregister at least one day before the class by contacting David Linebarger at (530) 666-8429 or David.linebarger@yolocounty.org. Happy (longer) tomato season!