Preserving the Harvest: A Day at The Warriors Refuge

Last week KJIC had another fantastic day serving and supporting our CROP member, The Warriors Refuge. Not sure what CROP is? You can read more about our Community Radio Outreach Partners here: https://www.kjic.org/connect/crop

Thanks to the Brazoria County Master Gardeners and their consistent commitment to working alongside the residents of The Warriors Refuge, they've had a bumper crop of cucumbers.

We took some of KJIC's youngest volunteers down to give some instruction and work alongside the veterans and Linda Pirtle, another canning enthusiast and member of the Master Gardeners, to turn that outstanding crop of cucumbers into money-making pickles. The Warriors Refuge Garden Club planned to take them to The Wild Peach Market the following Saturday, with all proceeds going straight back into the garden.

What fun we had! We started out getting that giant bucket of cucumbers scrubbed and ready. Then we lined up with cutting boards and knives and started slicing. It was a kitchen filled with laughter. While the young KJIC volunteers shared their knowledge of pickle making, knowledge gained from growing cucumbers and pickling them to earn their way to summer camp, they also received lots of great instruction on knife skills.

Once all the cucumbers were sliced, we moved on to stuffing jars. Seems like a simple task, but getting those cucumbers tightly into the jar is no small feat. The youngest in the bunch had the advantage, his hand fit all the way down into the jar! He led with a demonstration on packing them in tightly, and then we all got to work adding a sprig of fresh dill and some garlic.

Expert Jar Packer

Once the jars were packed, we filled them with the brine--a mixture of vinegar, water, and (for the sake of ease on our first run) a simple Dill Pickle Mix. We packed and readied approximately 35 jars of pickles (with a jar of garlic, a jar of okra, and a jar of jalapeños sneaking in there as well) and processed 14 of them in a water bath before running out of brine. We cleaned up and cleared out of the kitchen for the lunch rush, leaving the rest for them to finish later that day.

I know they enjoyed learning a new skill, and I loved how everyone was so full of ideas about what else could be pickled. We even learned that you can pickle bananas! We didn’t try it (I’m not sure I could eat one), but it can be done.

Overall, it was a wonderful day that ended with no injuries (impressive, considering how many cooks, and knives, were in one kitchen), dozens of jars of pickles, and a whole crew of friends who genuinely enjoyed working together.

PS. I WAS THERE! I was just on the other side of the camera.

We are so thankful for our listeners, volunteers and financial supporters!! Without you, this impact wouldn’t be possible. Through our outreach efforts, we aim to extend hope, offer support, and inspire lasting change in the lives of those who need it most.

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THANK YOU!!