Dilly Beans.

One day we're going to be farmers. Farmers with a lot of school debt and too many college degrees.
First we got the garden. It's a tiny little garden but really wonderful. We truly enjoy our little plot of earth. It takes a good bit of work at times and almost daily walk-throughs to make sure everything is okay, to pick the ripe stuff, pick of anything bad, check water levels, and inspect for bugs, but it's all worth it because when we pick something particually cool looking we look at each other and say "We made this!"
Then we started in on the salsa. We love making this salsa that we sort of created. We try to grow as many of the ingredients as possible but still have to buy the black beans and corn (contrary to popular belief, just because we live in Missouri, we do not have corn nor cows). It's another labor of love. We sit around and chop for what seems like hours and then dig in. We tweek it each time to see what we like and what we don't.
So we'd decided when we get old and retire we're going to be that couple at the Farmer's Market that sells peppers (all sorts - we're great at growing peppers - if you like Banana Peppers, we have dozens- we'll bring you some), other veggies we grow and salsa.
Well, now we have another ware to peddle. Dilly Beans. I had never heard of these things in my life (and I grew up in the SOUTH!) until we went to Wisconsin and visited Uncle Bob (the same Uncle Bob that is trying to convince me to let Cody get a giant pig shaped grill/roasting thing - it shoots the steam out of its pig nose). Uncle Bob had made these pickled green beans with some sort of crazy hot pepper (Cody is obsessed with the hottest peppers he can find) and Cody was in love. So last month we tried our first batch. I can't personally attest to their quality as a) I'm not big on pickled things (except Mr. Pickles, of course) and b) I hate hot stuff about as much as Cody loves it, but Cody was impressed enough to do 8 more jars. So we went to the grocery store, basically bought them out of green beans (sorry if you tried to go to the Hampton Schnucks and buy green beans - we have them all) - over 7 pounds of beans - and came home and set up a big pickleing assembly line. We made 8 large mason jars full and tested them today to make sure they were properly sealed (I've had to teach Cody all about sealing/freezing/canning foods) and sure enough we were 8 for 8 - they all sealed perfectly! So now they are hiding in the basement to do whatever chemical stuff goes on. Added to the 2 jars we did before that gives Cody a jar a month until green beans come back in season.
Oh, yes, we do plan to plant as many green beans as our yard will fit next year. We're going to have the biggest City garden ever (our lot isn't measured in acres or fractions thereof - too small - I think our yard dementions are actually expressed in feet)!!!!