It’s September, and I still haven’t harvested a single red tomato. The beets are still grape-size and, so far, my four plants have produced only two zucchini. But the green beans? They’re suddenly coming in faster than I can eat them.

I’ve blanched and frozen several bags for fall and winter, and, in the interest of variety, have just pickled a batch.

As a lifelong gardener, I'm no longer surprised by annual harvest fluctuations. A few years back, my plants yielded a single bean, which I comically steamed, salted and cut four ways to split with my family. It was delicious, but not worthy of pickling, unfortunately.

This year, however, my tomato deficiency is offset by an embarrassment of bean riches.

Since I don’t have the patience for pressure canning, I do all my pickling the quick

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