It's Pickling Season!

It’s that time of year again- pickle season! 🥒

Unfortunately, my garden did not get the memo this year. I went into the season with big plans, especially after my husband built me the cutest little farm stand 😔 I pictured it overflowing with cucumbers, peppers, beans, and all the vegetables I’d grown myself.

Nature, however, had other plans.

Some kind of aggressive vine completely took over my garden and basically strangled everything in its path. By the end of the summer, I was left with a much smaller harvest than I had hoped for. Definitely disappointing, but I wasn’t about to let that ruin canning season!

Luckily, we have a local farm stand nearby with fresh vegetables at amazing prices. Today I scored an entire box of pickling cucumbers for $12! I grabbed some beans, peppers, onions, and garlic while I was there, then made a stop at my grandma’s house for some fresh dill.

After that, it was straight to the kitchen!

A few hours, a lot of vinegar, and an increasingly messy kitchen later, I ended up with more than 25 jars of homemade pickles and dilly beans. Needless to say, we should be stocked until next year!

One of my favorite things about canning is that homemade canned goods make such sweet, simple gifts. I love putting together little personalized garden baskets with jars of pickles, dilly beans, jams, or whatever else I’ve made that season. They’re perfect for Christmas, birthdays, hostess gifts, or just because.

My garden may not have turned out the way I imagined this year, but I still found a way to make the most of the season. You grow what you can, support your local farmers for the rest, borrow some dill from Grandma, and somehow it all comes together.

Happy pickle season! 🥒