I Hear Them Popping

It's pickle time! Since I grow my own from a small garden I've learned to make small batches.

Today I had my first technical difficulty...

But three jars for now will do just fine.

I always use this site to make my boiling water bath processed pickles:

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/PUBS/foodnut/09304.html

I'm also working on a lacto-fermentation pickle, stay tuned!

Just One Jar

My goal this year has been to grow as many ingredients as I could to make my own pickles. It started in the fall when we planted garlic. Dill and dill seeds are easy to grow though this year I didn't use my own. Making vinegar is easy but always use 5% acidity store bought vinegar for safety reasons. And now the cucumbers are starting to come in. I had about 6 small cukes, enough for one pint... did I have to eat all the cukes and wait for a larger bunch to come in at one time???

My brine recipe calls for 6 cups of vinegar, 8 cups of water and 1/2 cup salt (I always use Kosher). I also toss in dill and mustard seed. This recipe makes 7 to 9 pints. Since I only needed enough brine for 1 pint I broke it down.

4 pints
3c vinegar
4c water
1/4c salt

2 pints
1 1/2c vinegar
2c water
1/8c salt

I'm using any extra brine to make refrigerator pickles later!

Making pickles is so easy so don't be afraid to try it yourself. This is where I found my favorite pickle making instructions: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09304.html

Yummy Pickles!

I put in some bush pickles this year. I had already gotten the pickle bug with some homeschooler friends I was working with. We made pickles a couple years ago and I felt it was time to grow my own.

Here are a few I'm working with today.

Here's the recipe I like the best and it also gives full details for safety and any problems you may have.

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09304.html

As you can see cucumber pickles wasn't the only thing on the menu!

I never thought I'd even eat a beet, but a pickled beet!!! My English mother is proud. I still don't drink black tea though.

A whole afternoons work with lots of dishes.

Proto Pickles

I've been making my own dill pickles for the past 2 years, very yummy. I would buy the pickle cukes at a local produce store but this year I wanted to try growing them myself. Thank goodness they come in bush varieties. What you see here so far is growing on a foot and a half of plant.

The proto pickles are so sweet.

Does anyone have a secret sure fire way of keeping cats out of the garden???