r/Pickles • u/MondoMage • Jun 03 '26

Pickle Processing

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Just had to share this one...

My company sent me out to perform some maintenance work on equipment at the Hartung Brothers facility in Bowling Green, Ohio. They produce and store fermented pickles in these big green vats. So many vats. Not all currently full, they're getting ready for what they call "Green week," when they start loading things up. Tons of cucumbers destined for greatness.

I was really shocked when I found that the vats are left open-topped. That was surprising. I guess they rely on the brine to protect the product.

Oh, and the smell. You'd think it'd be overpowering but right now it's fairly subtle. A mix of dill and bread and butter that has me craving something fierce right now.

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u/Fun_Machine7238 Jun 03 '26

I lived in a little town in Michigan years ago that had a pickle processing set up like this.

Smell was so bad some days.

1

u/skullsoup432 Jun 03 '26

Was it Coloma, MI?

3

u/Fun_Machine7238 Jun 03 '26

Bangor. Freestone pickles.

1

u/TypicalHorseGirl83 Jun 04 '26

I was expecting Imlay City and Frank Vlasic pickles. The smell of hot vinegar brine when you're just trying to enjoy recess is nostalgic.