County Fair Cukes - Not Sure What To Expect - (pics)

rnewste · August 2, 2011

Growing County Fair (seeds from Nichols Nursery) for the first time, as well as Diva and Sweet Success. Primary "assignment" for them will be B&B Refrigerator Pickles this Summer.

I may have let them grow a bit too long on the vine:

After making one jar of them, I tasted a few extras with a bit of salt:

Frankly, compared to my Diva and Sweet Success, I was a bit disappointed as the skins on the County Fair were a bit tough. Perhaps after mellowing in the jar for 3 weeks, they will perform well for B&B pickles. Am I expecting too much from this variety? My "nose" is telling me that either Diva or Sweet Success would have been a better choice to make Refrigerator Pickles. What do you think?

Raybo

tjg911 · August 3, 2011

all i grow is CF due to bacterial wilt spread by cuke beetles. since i won't use sevin or any pesticide it is the only cuke i can get cukes from for more than 3 weeks before the plants die from BW. CF is an excellent cuke. they are a pickler so i think the tough skins are part of that type of cuke. as noted the skins are not that good when eaten as a slicer. while i normally would never peel a cuke i grow i do for CF. without the skins you'll find CF to be a nice cuke even sweet but the skins are tough and a bit bitter. i think that you are letting them get too big! i pick mine at the 4-5" length. cf seed is hard to find and expensive. as a hybrid you can't save seeds.

did you buy the seed from nichols this year? i thought they dropped it? what did a package cost?

tom

rnewste · August 3, 2011

Tom,

I bought mine from Nichols about 2 years ago. I also have County Fair seed packs from Parks, but I've heard they may not be true to type. For my needs here in N. California, we don't seem to be afflicted with the Beetle so Diva and Sweet Success do quite well:

Since I really like the thinner skins of both Sweet Success and Diva, I think I am going to grow only these two in the future. As it sounds like you however, want to grow this variety, PM me your address and I will be happy to send you my County Fair seed packets.

Raybo

tjg911 · August 3, 2011

excellent! thanks.

i used to grow sweet success at my other house along with many different cukes each year usually 1 or 2 different varieties per year and never had a problem with BW. here i was ok the 1st 4 or 5 years then BW wiped me out each year about 2 weeks into picking. so i have given up on anything but CF but i did enjoy those long thin cukes and SS was one i remember growing. btw, i bought CF seed from parks 2 or 3 years ago and it is CF because if it wasn't i'd lose the plants. i'll pm you thanks a bunch.

tom

fortyonenorth · August 3, 2011

Tom - are there other cukes that are resistant to BW? I've heard that Diva is unattractive to cuke beetles because it's leaves are not as bitter as most, but I'm having an issue here in the midwest.

beatpoet · August 4, 2011

^I'd be curious to know this as well. I lost my cucumber plants to the beetles/wilt just last week, I was growing the Spacemaster variety. I got enough to make 5 jars of pickles and a couple batches of cucumber/tomato salad though at least before all was lost. Next year I'll be looking to try another variety, I think due to that.

tjg911 · August 5, 2011

if you don't mind using sevin then that will kill the cuke beetles. i wouldn't touch that but some do.

i have grown diva and the 1st year i was impressed with their ability to withstand BW and produce a lot of good cukes. the next year was the opposite so i never grew diva again.

the only other BW cukes i have seen in catalogs are listed below but never bought these varieties:

1. calypso hybrid pickler (shumway)
2. h-19 little leaf (johnny's selected seeds)

CF is a great cuke as long as you peel it as the skins are tough and a bit bitter. it is a pickler but it is a good slicer and beats no cukes! getting them by the ton now.

tom

duajones · August 11, 2011

I believe CF makes a truer pickle than Diva although I have used both and have some of each in my refrigerator now.

Skaggydog · August 11, 2011

That's what she said

salix · February 25, 2012

Tom, I just noticed that gourmetseeds.com has County Fair for $2.99.

August 2, 2011	#1
rnewste Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Campbell, CA Posts: 4,064	County Fair Cukes - Not Sure What To Expect - (pics) Growing County Fair (seeds from Nichols Nursery) for the first time, as well as Diva and Sweet Success. Primary "assignment" for them will be B&B Refrigerator Pickles this Summer. I may have let them grow a bit too long on the vine: After making one jar of them, I tasted a few extras with a bit of salt: Frankly, compared to my Diva and Sweet Success, I was a bit disappointed as the skins on the County Fair were a bit tough. Perhaps after mellowing in the jar for 3 weeks, they will perform well for B&B pickles. Am I expecting too much from this variety? My "nose" is telling me that either Diva or Sweet Success would have been a better choice to make Refrigerator Pickles. What do you think? Raybo Last edited by rnewste; August 2, 2011 at 09:43 PM.

August 3, 2011	#2
tjg911 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: zone 5b northwest connecticut Posts: 2,570	all i grow is CF due to bacterial wilt spread by cuke beetles. since i won't use sevin or any pesticide it is the only cuke i can get cukes from for more than 3 weeks before the plants die from BW. CF is an excellent cuke. they are a pickler so i think the tough skins are part of that type of cuke. as noted the skins are not that good when eaten as a slicer. while i normally would never peel a cuke i grow i do for CF. without the skins you'll find CF to be a nice cuke even sweet but the skins are tough and a bit bitter. i think that you are letting them get too big! i pick mine at the 4-5" length. cf seed is hard to find and expensive. as a hybrid you can't save seeds. did you buy the seed from nichols this year? i thought they dropped it? what did a package cost? tom __________________ I need a hero I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the end of the night He’s gotta be strong And he’s gotta be fast And he’s gotta be fresh from the fight I need a hero I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the morning light He’s gotta be sure And it’s gotta be soon And he’s gotta be larger than life

August 3, 2011	#4
tjg911 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: zone 5b northwest connecticut Posts: 2,570	excellent! thanks. i used to grow sweet success at my other house along with many different cukes each year usually 1 or 2 different varieties per year and never had a problem with BW. here i was ok the 1st 4 or 5 years then BW wiped me out each year about 2 weeks into picking. so i have given up on anything but CF but i did enjoy those long thin cukes and SS was one i remember growing. btw, i bought CF seed from parks 2 or 3 years ago and it is CF because if it wasn't i'd lose the plants. i'll pm you thanks a bunch. tom __________________ I need a hero I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the end of the night He’s gotta be strong And he’s gotta be fast And he’s gotta be fresh from the fight I need a hero I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the morning light He’s gotta be sure And it’s gotta be soon And he’s gotta be larger than life

August 4, 2011	#6
beatpoet Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 214	^I'd be curious to know this as well. I lost my cucumber plants to the beetles/wilt just last week, I was growing the Spacemaster variety. I got enough to make 5 jars of pickles and a couple batches of cucumber/tomato salad though at least before all was lost. Next year I'll be looking to try another variety, I think due to that. __________________ "After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." - Aldous Huxley

August 5, 2011	#7
tjg911 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: zone 5b northwest connecticut Posts: 2,570	if you don't mind using sevin then that will kill the cuke beetles. i wouldn't touch that but some do. i have grown diva and the 1st year i was impressed with their ability to withstand BW and produce a lot of good cukes. the next year was the opposite so i never grew diva again. the only other BW cukes i have seen in catalogs are listed below but never bought these varieties: 1. calypso hybrid pickler (shumway) 2. h-19 little leaf (johnny's selected seeds) CF is a great cuke as long as you peel it as the skins are tough and a bit bitter. it is a pickler but it is a good slicer and beats no cukes! getting them by the ton now. tom __________________ I need a hero I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the end of the night He’s gotta be strong And he’s gotta be fast And he’s gotta be fresh from the fight I need a hero I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the morning light He’s gotta be sure And it’s gotta be soon And he’s gotta be larger than life

August 3, 2011	#5
fortyonenorth Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: NW Indiana Posts: 1,150	Tom - are there other cukes that are resistant to BW? I've heard that Diva is unattractive to cuke beetles because it's leaves are not as bitter as most, but I'm having an issue here in the midwest.

August 11, 2011	#8
duajones Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Corpus Christi,Texas Z9 Posts: 1,996	I believe CF makes a truer pickle than Diva although I have used both and have some of each in my refrigerator now. __________________ Duane Jones

August 11, 2011	#9
Skaggydog Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Southern California Posts: 131	That's what she said

February 25, 2012	#10
salix Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: north central B.C. Posts: 2,310	Tom, I just noticed that gourmetseeds.com has County Fair for $2.99.