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7/18/2016

Homemade Refrigerator Pickles

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I grew up around canning and frankly thought it was pretty gross. My grandma canned so many vegetables from the garden that she had to use the cellar in my parent's basement to store the surplus of goods. I remember going down to that creepy cellar at my mom's request, and hating all the cobwebs and creepy jars of lime pickles.  Back then, you would have to bribe me to eat most of the canned goods in my parent's cellar. Over the decades, canning really became a lost art that is thankfully rising back up in popularity. Not ready to start with full-on water-bath canning? Try this easy-peasy recipe for Refrigerator Pickles and you won't be disappointed. You may even give yourself a pat on the back afterwards.

What You'll Need

Ingredients

Canning supplies

8 cups pickling cucumbers, sliced to desired width (about 1/4")
2 cups white vinegar
2 cups water
6 tbsp pickling/canning salt*
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp pickling spice
5-10 heads of dill seed (about 8 tsp)
5 tsp mustard seeds
1 1/4 tsp whole black peppercorns
1 1/4 tsp coriander seeds
5 garlic cloves, or garlic clove halves, depending on size
5 pint jars, wide mouth or regular mouth**
5 jar lids, wide or regular
5 jar rings, wide or regular
cheese cloth
*  regular iodized salt can be used if needed, but your solution may cloud over time
** wide mouth may be easier to use if your cucumber slices are wider

Directions

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Step 1: Put all your cucumber slices in a large glass or stainless steel bowl. I actually use a large turkey crock to hold double batches, or a chicken crock for a single batch.
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Step 2: In a medium saucepan, add vinegar, water, salt and sugar. Pour pickling spice into cheesecloth and tie with a rubber band. Also add the pickling spice to the pan. Bring it to a boil. Be sure to stir the mixture to dissolve the salt & sugar. Once you've reached a rolling boil, reduce heat & boil gently for 10 mins.
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Step 3: After liquid has boiled for 10 mins, pour it over your cucumbers. Make sure all your cucumber slices are submerged in the liquid, and let it sit, covered, for 30 minutes, or until cool.
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Step 4: ...continued.
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Step 4: Meanwhile, prepare your pint jars. Prepare your garlic and dill seed, and measure out your black peppercorns, coriander and mustard seeds.

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Step 5: Pack each jar with cucumber slices, then pour pickling liquid into each jar. Be sure to leave 1/2" head space in each jar. Place your lids on your jars and move them into the refrigerator. For best flavor, allow the pickles to marinate 2 weeks before enjoying, and use within 3 months. You can date your lids to help you and your family with this last step.

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7/18/2016

Zucchini & Summer Squash 101

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Zucchini and summer squash are two summer staples that are great for fresh eating, cooking, grilling and even baking. As a rule, I use zucchini for grilling, cooking and baking, while summer squash can also be eaten fresh. Zucchini tends to hold more water than summer squash, so keep that in mind while you experiment in the kitchen.

Our Zucchini...

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Type: Green Zucchini
Varieties Grown: Dunja F1, Dark Star

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Type: Striped Zucchini
Varieties Grown: Cocozelle

...and Our Summer Squash

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Type: Straightneck Summer Squash
Varieties Grown: Success PM Straightneck
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Type: Yellow Zucchini
Varieties Grown: Golden Zucchini (Heirloom)

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Type: Specialty Zucchini
Varieties Grown: Ronde de Nice (Heirloom)

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Type: Specialty Summer Squash
Varieties Grown: Lemon Summer Squash (Heirloom)

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7/18/2016

Cucumbers 101

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Here's a brief guide to our 2016 cucumber varieties...
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Type: Slicing Cucumber
Varieties Grown: Marketmore 76
Uses: Slicing cucumbers are best for eating fresh with salads, or even adding to your glass of water for that cucumber taste. They can be used for pickling, but aren't as well suited as a pickling cucumber.

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Variety: Armenian Cucumber (Heirloom)
Description: Meaty & Flavorful
Uses: Eating fresh
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Type: Pickling Cucumber
Varieties Grown: Boston Pickling (Heirloom), National Pickling
Uses: Fresh & pickling.



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Variety: Lemon Cucumber (Heirloom)
Description: Light, fresh & crisp tasting
Uses: Eating fresh

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7/2/2016

Freezing Swiss Chard & Kale

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Whether from your garden or your CSA, summer can leave us with a bounty of fresh greens that we dearly miss in the wintertime. Luckily for us, putting up your Swiss chard and kale only takes a few minutes and will leave your taste buds oh so thankful this winter.

Prep

Make sure your Swiss chard and kale are rinsed clean.  For kale, remove the stems.
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Blanching

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Blanch your Swiss chard for 3 minutes. Blanch kale for 2 minutes. Swiss chard stains the water red, so if you want to share water baths, be sure to blanch your kale first.
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Rinsing

Rinse your greens under cold water. I use a colander. Turn the greens over with your hand or a spoon to make sure all the greens are hit with the cold water. This stops the cooking process.

Your kale will be bright green from the cooking process. Any off colored leaves should be removed at this point and not kept for storage.
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Packing

Allow your greens to drain, and give them a slight squeeze as you pack them into your freezer bags. Remove as much air as possible before you seal your bags, and label them with what you're freezing and the year.
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Now you're ready to put your greens in the freezer!
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    About the Farmer

    Andrea is a 5th generation Illinois farmer and owner/operator of August Creek Farm.

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