Ah, the bounty of summer! We are overrun with cucumbers from our summer CSA at Waltham Fields Community Farm right now. Since cucumbers and I don't really get along, I decided to make pickles. My mother-in-law and Grammy-in-law taught me some of what they know about canning and gave me a $1 Ball Blue Book: Easy Guide to Tasty, Thrifty Canning and Freezing to help guide my way. I am most comfortable making pickles and jams because they are the most fool-proof and safest (because of the sugar and vinegar contents). I followed the recipe for fresh-pack pickles, and even ground my own pickling spices and used fresh dill from the farm. Grammy is a canning artist, and while it has often been a necessity for her, she maintains that canning should be fun - don't try to do too much in one day or you will lose interest. I am keeping the pickles in the fridge, because I am not yet fully confident in my abilities - if anybody has tips on becoming a confident canner, I would love to know! 
The canned beauties.
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