August in Latvia: Preserving Local Harvests as a Practical Step Towards Sustainability

August in Latvia is the time for garden harvest, pickling and canning. Cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, berries, herbs and other seasonal products are currently available in the widest range. This is an opportunity not only to enjoy fresh local food, but also to prepare supplies for the autumn and winter months.

Canning local and seasonal food is one of the practical steps towards sustainability. It helps to make fuller use of the harvested crop, reduce food waste and preserve summer flavours when local vegetables are no longer so readily available.

Why make winter preserves yourself?

By choosing products grown ourselves or purchased from local farmers, we support the local economy and gain greater control over what goes into our food.

Homemade preserves offer several advantages:

• the opportunity to use local and seasonal produce;
• a clearly known product composition;
• the ability to adjust the amount of salt, sugar and spices;
• reusing glass jars;
• reducing food waste;
• preserving the summer harvest for a longer time.

Looking at the labels of pickled cucumbers sold in shops, it sometimes turns out that the country of origin of the product is not Latvia. Therefore, during the harvest season, it is worth choosing local cucumbers and preparing at least a few jars yourself.

How to make crunchy pickled cucumbers?

One of the most common questions during canning is: how to make sure pickled cucumbers stay firm and crunchy?

The freshness of the cucumbers, proper preparation and the herbs and spices added to the jar are of great importance.

1. Choose fresh and firm cucumbers

For canning, it is best to use freshly picked, firm and undamaged cucumbers. The longer the cucumbers have been standing after harvesting, the harder it will be to preserve their original crispness.

2. Add blackcurrant leaves

Blackcurrant leaves are traditionally added to jars of pickled cucumbers to help maintain the firmness of the cucumbers. They also complement the preserves with a light, summery aroma.

3. Use horseradish leaves or root

Horseradish leaves can also be added to the jar. A small piece of horseradish root, on the other hand, will give the cucumbers a more expressive taste and aroma, and is traditionally used to preserve crispness.

4. Choose suitable canning spices

The taste of the marinade is not only created by salt, sugar and vinegar. Special aroma can be given to canned cucumbers by:

• allspice;
• black pepper;
• mustard seeds;
• garlic;
• dill flower heads;
• bay leaves;
• horseradish root or leaves.

The combination of spices can be adjusted to your taste, creating a milder, sharper or particularly aromatic marinade.

Canning as an example of resource efficiency

A sustainable everyday life does not always begin with big changes. It can start with one jar, in which we preserve what we have grown in the garden, instead of letting it overgrow or end up as food waste.

By canning seasonal produce, we extend the product's use-by date and practically implement the principle of resource efficiency – to use what is available as fully as possible.

Sustainability is the ability to appreciate what we have available now and wisely preserve it for the future.

Let's choose local and seasonal

In August, my call is simple: let's choose products grown in Latvia, support local growers and prepare at least a small part of our winter supplies ourselves.

Useful spices for canning, including allspice, can be found in the online store www.ieber.lv .

Choose the quantity you need and receive your order at the most convenient parcel locker throughout Latvia.

Share your proven recipe

What is your secret to crunchy pickled cucumbers? Do you add blackcurrant leaves, horseradish, mustard seeds or any other special ingredient to the jar?

Share your experience or family recipe in the comments. Let's create a useful collection of canning ideas together!

Let's explore and apply together with IEBER.LV.

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