From fresh garden vegetables to flavorful homemade pickles, discover the simple satisfaction of preserving the harvest.

There's something special about gathering fresh cucumbers, peppers, carrots, and other vegetables from the garden and turning them into something your family can enjoy in a completely different way.

Whether you're growing your first vegetable garden or looking for new ways to make the most of an abundant harvest, pickling is a wonderful skill to learn.

Created from our experiences here at Wendland Family Farm, this 67-page educational guide walks you through the basics of pickling, from growing and harvesting suitable vegetables to preparing refrigerator pickles, understanding fermentation, and exploring safe home-canning methods.

With practical instructions, recipes, farmer's tips, and printable worksheets, you'll learn how to bring the garden into your kitchen one jar at a time.

Inside the Guide

• Understanding the different methods of pickling

• Growing and harvesting vegetables for pickling

• Choosing the right cucumbers for homemade pickles

• Essential pickling ingredients, equipment, and supplies

• Preparing vegetables and understanding pickling brines

• Step-by-step homemade refrigerator dill pickles

• Refrigerator pickling with a variety of garden vegetables

• Pickling onions, carrots, radishes, green beans, and peppers

• An introduction to traditional fermentation

• Understanding safe water bath canning methods

• Classic dill pickles, bread-and-butter pickles, and relishes

• Tips for keeping homemade pickles crisp

• Troubleshooting common pickling problems

• Proper storage and food-preservation safety

• Planning a garden specifically for pickling

• Seasonal harvesting guidance

• Printable garden plans, recipe records, pantry inventories, and worksheets

A Little Hands-On Learning

You'll also learn how to prepare homemade refrigerator dill pickles—the same practical activity featured in our in-person Harvest & Home workshop.

Using fresh cucumbers, dill, garlic, and a simple vinegar brine, this beginner-friendly activity introduces the basics of preparing, packing, and storing homemade pickles.

What's Included

• 67-page digital educational guide (PDF)

• Refrigerator pickling recipes and practical instructions

• Food-preservation information and trusted recipe references

• Printable worksheets and planning resources

• Instant digital access

Please Note

This is a digital product. No physical item will be shipped.

Refrigerator pickles must remain refrigerated and are not shelf-stable. Shelf-stable canning and fermentation require appropriate, research-tested recipes and procedures.

Simple, practical gardening. Rooted in real farm experience.