As summer progresses and occasionally overwhelms us with endless yields, we’re challenged to retain those flavors reminiscent of sultry happiness to savor later.

Pickling is a fantastic option to preserve crisp cucumbers, peppers, cabbage, beans, beets…the list goes on. Plus you can enjoy these fresh or stored anytime.

Okra seedling 6/16

This week we have a tip on Mexican sour gherkins, also known as mouse melon and by a handful of other monikers. CSA member Cheryl M. shared her favorite way to eat the tiny treats: raw! While we don’t grow mouse melon now, we’re excited to try them out next season knowing they can be pickled. Here’s another link to a 2005 article from Mother Earth News that seemed to spark interest in this peculiar fruit. For those interested in growing these in the high desert, seeds are available from Terroir Seeds (based in Chino Valley, Az.).

There’s even a surprise in the works for our most passionate picklers. Saved Okra seed from Austin, Tx. found its way into the garden and is beginning to set fruit, while the first few pods have been plucked and consumed within seconds. Okra exhibits taste and texture uncanny to the vegetable spectrum which complements hearty pickling spices to preserve all the crunch we crave. It will bring great joy to share Okra with you all in the coming weeks so get ready!

We appreciate folks like Cheryl who send us the scoop on adventurous appetite-ticklers like gherkins. Be like Cheryl and contribute to the flavor of seasonal produce by emailing us at [email protected]

Also- there’s been a bit of seed swapping going down on Instagram, and Rainshadow is participating! Kyle H. from @urbanfarmstead graciously gifted the farm some purple pole bean seed that has germinated in a greenhouse. We’ll be sending Kyle selected seed from the farm for implementation at his ongoing project in Sacramento, Ca.

Thanks for the pole bean seeds Kyle!