Pea Pickin' and Pickle Packin'

Today I picked a 5 gallon bucket full of fresh peas and Mom spent a good part of the afternoon shelling them.   That's the entire crop for the year.  I'll put the peas in the freezer.  Some of the peas were a little 'gone by', but I use those for soups.  I won't waste what the Good Lord has given to us!  Also picked some small pickling cukes, and Mom packed them into several pints.   I just love those tiny little dills!

My Mom working on those 5 gallons of peas!

Mom does a great job packing tiny pickles in the jars. 

The finished product!  Polish garlic dills. 

Over the years I have tried many pickle recipes, but this one seems to be the easiest and best.  
                                        Home Canned Polish Dill Pickles
For each jar you will need a couple good sized stems of dill, and 2 or 3 pieces of peeled garlic (Cut large cloves of garlic in half).  Wash the cukes (pickles are best when picked that day), and soak them in cold water for an hour or so.   Pack into jars, tightly, with the dill and garlic.   Make a brine solution of 8 c. water, 1 1/2 cups white vinegar, 1/4 cup pickling salt and heat until the salt is dissolved.  Cool and pour over the pickles in the jar until there is 1/2 inch of head space.   Put on the  lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 15 min.   Let the pickles "age" for at least a month before you eat them.   They are best when you put the jar in the refrigerator overnight to get cold before you eat them.
Note:  Leftover brine is ok to put in a jar in the refrigerator to use the next day or so for another jar or two of pickles.