A Produce-tive Summer

Published by Erica on July 31, 2012

So while the parents were off galavanting in London, I was working hard at home to keep the garden going! We had a rash of cucumbers come on and one Saturday night I felt possessed to make pickles. Thankfully, I had enough sense to make the easy freezer pickles, not the more elaborate heat-canned variety.

The vicitms.

Let it be known that I tasted each one of these cucumbers in an attempt to weed out the bitter ones. Ever had a bitter cucumber? It is not pleasant at all. Most of them were good, but there sure were a lot of cukes!!

The green peppers, awaiting the guillotine (and freezer as well).

Fresh raspberries, blueberries, and the first tomato of the season! I miss those raspberries.

The whole spread, all across the counter.

My sliced cucumbers and onions soaking in salt. It does something to help make them pickles.. draining excess liquid out perhaps?

Talk about thinly sliced!! For a total of about 4 pounds… yeah it took a while to cut those up.

Vinegar, sugar, celery seed, turmeric, and something else tasty.

All nicely packed in their containers, about 3-4 hours after getting started. That salt bath for the cukes takes a long time!

YUMMY!! I’m totally craving some right now.

Looking out over our backyard with our nifty big tractor. I’m told it really is more than a stationary decoration, but I’ve never seen it work while I’ve been visiting. And now, for some garden shots!