Cucumbers

How to Harvest, Clean, Store, Prepare/Cook/Eat and Preserve!

HARVEST: We grow pickling style cucumbers which are super varsatile for all your cucumber needs! These gorgeous and tasty gems are perfect for snacking, juicing, canning/pickling or added to your favorite summer dish. We find they hold their crisp better than the slicing types and they’re the perfect size to not have to worry about half a cucumber getting lost in the back of the fridge! Since our cucumbers are grown vertically you simply have to move a leaf aside and carefully snip the cucumber off where it meets the main stem of the plant. Look for cucumbers that are between 4-7 inches long. The ones smaller than that are still growing, the ones larger become seedy. We do ask you are extra gentle with these guys as they are delicate plants and can be damaged from pulling on them.

CLEAN AND STORE: Just rinse in cool, clean water, dry and store in the fridge.

PREPARE/COOK/EAT: We have a couple different ways to utilize these hydrating powerhouses. First, just grab and eat. Second, chop into chunks and toss with halved cherry tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, Italian seasoning and eat as a quick summer salad. Third, slice and dip in blue cheese (or ranch). Fourth, juice for a refreshing treat. Fifth, add to morning smoothie for added hydration, vitamin K and fiber!

PRESERVE: Okay, this one may sound crazy, but I’ve been doing this for years! When you have a ton of cucumbers and you know you won’t eat them all before they go bad, you can cut them into chunks (thick slices) and pop them in a freezer bag. Throw them in the freezer until needed. During the winter, you remove a few chunks (still frozen) and add them to your smoothie. The cucumbers add the taste of freshness, hydration and summer as well as acting like ice cubes to prevent your smoothie from being watered down. You can also, of course, make refrigerator pickles, can some shelf stable pickles, relish, or ferment them!