Sweet Pickle Relish

Despite our overly wet summer, the pickles are producing well. The chief gardener planted the seeds in hills which has helped keep the roots out of standing water. We've made dill chips and still have plenty left for bread & butters and relish.

We make a couple relish varieties. This recipe is a great coney topper or a sweet, crunchy addition to egg and potato salads. It comes together fast (after the veg soak) and incorporates other garden vegetables that ripen alongside the cucumbers.

Chop the vegetables and soak in a salt solution for two hours.

Make the brine by combining vinegar, sugar and spices. Heat to dissolve sugar.

Combine the drained, rinsed vegetables and brine. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Pack into jars, process 10  minutes. Cool, remove bands and store for up to one year.

Sweet Pickle Relish
From Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving

1 quart chopped cucumbers
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup canning salt
3 1/2 cups sugar
1 Tbsp celery seed
1 Tbsp mustard seed
2 cups cider vinegar

Combine chopped cucumbers, onions, green and red pepper with salt. Pour cold water over vegetables just to cover. Let stand 2 hours. Drain and rinse vegetables.

Combine sugar, spices and vinegar in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer. Add vegetables and simmer 10 minutes. Pack hot relish into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. remove air bubbles, wipe rims and adjust lids.

Lower jars into simmering water. Make sure water covers jars by 1 inch. Bring water to a rolling boil. Process half-pint jars 10 minutes. Remove from canner. Cool 12 hours. Remove bands, wipe jars and store for up to one year.

Garden Update - June 2015

Hello from chief gardener John! Things are going well in the garden so far this summer.  We've had nice rains and unusually warm weather, which have kept everything growing. We gambled like everyone else and put tomatoes in early, but they are looking fantastic. The asparagus did well but was a quick, short harvest. The greens are growing nicely - we've eaten a lot fresh and just began to preserving the rest. Turnips have been delicious and the beets are almost ready!  The currants and sour cherry trees are producing well - it might be our best year ever for both.  I just planted winter squash and pumpkins from seed. I recently learned planting them a little later than I used to will help avoid squash bugs. The good weather has also helped the weeds, but I've been working to keep them (mostly) under control.    

Tasty garden sandwich with fresh greens, herbs, and pickled hot peppers from last years garden.

Montmorency sour cherry tree.

Slicing and paste tomatoes for juice, sauce, salsa.

Eggplants look great this year! Can't wait for eggplant parmesan!

Sweet and hot peppers. Several are producing fruits already!

Green Beans

Pickling cucumbers. We'll make dill, bread & butter and fresh (refrigerator).

Beets almost ready to pull. We'll eat a few fresh and the rest will be pickled.

Caraflex cabbage produce tight, pointed heads (rather than round). Good for grilling.