Brine: A Pickle Story
All cucumbers can be pickled.
Not all pickles are cucumbers.
It’s an important distinction to make, believe you me.
But before we dive into a world of vinegar and salt, a bit of some background about the humble cucumber is warranted.
Although unassertive in their appearance, cucumbers can actually be quite fickle to grow and maintain. They require consistent moisture and high temperatures (nothing below 60°F, thank you very much), as well as abundant sunlight. If their leaves get wet, one runs the risk of downy mildew. And if you aren’t careful, the young plants can also play host to the dreaded cucumber beetle, whom of which is also a vector for other diseases like bacterial wilt.
Acalymma vittatum
A.K.A. The Cucumber Beetle
A.A.K.A. The Bad Guy
But no fear! Farmers ARE modern day superheros. To mitigate this myriad of maladies, we employ a host of thoughtful strategies. First of all, the number one cucumber variety we grow, Bristol, is fantastically resistant to a number of diseases, including the aforementioned downy mildew. This, in combination with maintaining healthy soil for these heavy feeders and growing the majority of our crop in a hightunnel, makes for a reliable, sturdy cucumber crop. The hightunnel not only provides the humidity and moisture that these cucurbits adore, it also brings them to your table a month early!
If you’re wondering what healthy soil in the hightunnel looks like, peer no further. Our regenerative soil amendments are all-around beneficial for all of our crops, but one of the most important elements to keep up for the cukes specifically is potassium. In fact, cucumbers are one of the few agricultural crops that require more potassium than nitrogen! We use a delightful melange of molasses (gingerbread, anyone?), fish emulsion (yummy), fulvic acid (water soluble humic compound - i.e. really broken down organic matter), and a smidgen of potassium sulfate, if needed.
Ready for some cucumber fun facts? Admit it, that’s one of the reasons why you’re here.
One of the beautiful and most well-cherished qualites of the cucumber is its remarkable transformation when submerged in a bath of vinegar and salt. Ahh yes, the humble pickle.
While cucumbers have their rightful place on the pickle pedestal, we live in a wide, wonderful world of pickles, beyond the gherkin.
There are many ways one can pickle:
The Quick Fridge Pickle: Quick, simple, great for the pickles you keep coming back to..
The Classic Canning Pickle: For long-term storage and through the winter.
The Lacto-Pickle: Fermentation transforms the pickle game, if you’re patient!
We’re only going to focus on the first one for now. Click the hyper-links on Canning and Lacto if you’re interested in learning more about them!
See you at the farm!
