Pickles

Eleven years ago I wrote my first blog post on Farm Muse. It was about pickles. My second post was just a day later (on July 7, 2006) and it was also about pickles. So guess what I was doing today. Yup, making pickles!

It wasn't a great year for cucumbers on the farm, so I hoped maybe I wouldn't have to make any pickles. Silly me. With only two quarts of pickles left in the cupboard from last year, I knew I'd have to do something. Weldon can't live without his sweet pickles. Maybe Mom Edith still has some in her basement from previous years.

My younger daughter had been with us on the farm since late January, making a huge move from New York to France. We were busy. We had stuff to do. Pickles weren't on the to-do list. But, Mom and Pat to the rescue. (And I didn't even know I needed rescuing!) They started two gallon jars for me and passed them into my care on July 17. Truly, I was thankful. They're so thoughtful. And kind. And helpful.

These pickles don't happen overnight. First the cucumbers are picked and washed, then packed into gallon jars and covered with boiling water. Days 2 through 5 you drain off the water and then cover the cucumbers with fresh boiling water again. On Day 6 you pour off the water and this time add alum to the fresh boiled water. On Day 7 you drain the water from the jars and this time cover the cucumbers with vinegar and add a little bag of pickling spices. Now the jars sit for nine days and you don't have to do anything with them. Yay!

Today was Day 16. Pickle-making day. I took pictures. Because a blog is no fun without pictures. Some of you may have quit reading already. Such boring stuff. But, hang on. Pictures are here!

My first year (2006) I did SIX gallons. Impressive.

Today, Day 16. All cucumbers sliced thinly and covered in sugar. Lots of sugar.

The bowls of sugared "pickles" are covered and left to sit until the sugar dissolves.

When the sugar has dissolved (sometimes with the help of a little stirring) the pickles are packed into jars.

The jars are lowered into the hot water bath canner.

After 20 minutes, the jars are removed from the canner.

Tah Dah! 6 quarts of sweet pickles for the sweet farmer.

The way Weldon goes through these pickles, I'm thinking I'll still have to go check out Mom Edith's basement to see if she has some left from previous years. But this is definitely better than nothing.

Line Drawing

After spending 11 years as a single-again woman in the "big city" of Charlotte, NC, it was quite a change to get married and move to the country. In September we will celebrate our 8th anniversary, and, if I do say so myself, I think I'm doing a pretty good job of adjusting to life on the dairy farm.

In either locale, the homemaker's chores are pretty much the same (cooking, cleaning, baking, canning & freezing, laundry, mending, making do) ... but multiplied by 10 or so. "Wait a minute!" you say. "You were one person, you married another person, so that makes two. How can you say your duties were multiplied by 10?" You'll just have to trust me on this.

In addition to the household duties, I try to be helpful around the farm. I can drive the Bobcat or tractor when needed, I jog over hill and dale to help round up the cows when they "get out," I take care of lots of kitties, and I help milk cows every morning and evening. I'm even beginning to learn about gardening, both flowers and vegetables. Baby steps....

Yesterday afternoon I heard Weldon hollering, "Get out the pot!!" I hurried to the door to see what was happening. "Turtle soup!!" he cried.

This is where I draw the line.