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Labor Day is the unofficial last day of summer.  The actual official last day this year is September 22nd with the celebration of the Fall Equinox.

The original Labor Day was commemorated in 1887 celebrating with street parades followed by festivals for workers and their families to enjoy.  In time this led to speech-making to support workers and labor unions.  Labor Day was deemed a national holiday to be celebrated on the first Monday in September.

If you are lucky this is the time of the year when those with gardens find themselves with an abundance of vegetables.  That need to be shared with family, friends, and neighbors before they go bad.  Or you could use them or preserve them in several different ways.

At times there are only small amounts of fruits & vegetables available & they should not go to waste.  Canning a few jars at a time is a lot easier & tastes just as good as canning by the bushels.  Keep jar & lids on hand and make this mixture as you need it.  For pickling of small bounties …

½ tsp. kosher salt (table salt will do)

Mix everything together & bring to a boil.  The leftover mixture can be kept in a covered glass jar until later.  The additional mixture can be added as needed.  Process for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath.  Pickled foods will keep for a few months in the refrigerator even if you do not can them in a boiling water bath.

4 cups green tomatoes, cut in half if small – cut in quarters if larger

Place tomatoes, pickling spices and garlic in a large bowl.  Bring water & vinegar to a boil (add salt).  Pour water/vinegar mixture over tomatoes.  Tomatoes tend to be flat to the top.  Place a plate that just fits inside the bowl and weigh down with a cup or something.  Allow cooling at room temperature.  Ready to eat after they cool, but best if they are refrigerated in the liquid before eating. This process is pickling and not preserving.  If you wish to preserve/can them – they need to go into the boiling water bath in a jar with a proper lid for 15 minutes.

6 or 7 Kirby cucumbers or 3 medium-size cucumbers

Cut cucumbers into chunks.  Mix together vinegar, sugar, salt and celery salt.  Mix cucumbers and onions.  Pour vinegar mixture over cucumbers and onions.  Put them in the refrigerator overnight.  Toss them a few times while in the refrigerator.  They can be eaten the next day – but will keep up to a month in the refrigerator – if they last that long.

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