About this time of year, people who have veggie gardens (Sorry, Tree, but it really does have 2 Gs.) have suddenly discovered that they have too many tomatoes, peppers, and squash. ("How did that happen?" - Duh!) If you are one of those, here are a few things to do with your bounty.

1. Freeze them. They'll only last a few months frozen, but you'll get to enjoy the fruits (and veggies) of your labor a bit longer. (My parents used to fry the peppers in olive oil, then freeze them in bags. The bags store flat, and a 6'x6' space in the freezer holds a lot of peppers.)

2. Can them. But do it right. Botulism is an ugly thing.

3. Dehydrate them. They'll last just short of forever this way, but you need to do it right.

4. Make something, then freeze it. This applies to mainly tomatoes, but that is what most people grow. Pizza sauce, pasta sauce, and tomato soup are the first things to come to mind, and are pretty easy to make. Stews can also be made using just veggies and then frozen for later use with meat (or not) and a little more cooking.

5. Give them to neighbors who didn't have a garden.

6. Give then to someone you know that has lost a job.

7. Give them to a food bank.

8. Make something (Salsa, pasta sauce, soup, etc.), put it in a pretty jar (add a ribbon if you like cutesy stuff), and give them as gifts.