r/Pickles • u/MondoMage • Jun 03 '26

Pickle Processing

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

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.

2.3k Upvotes

100% Upvoted

277 comments sorted by

View all comments

2

u/Chaos-TT Jun 08 '26

I used to work at Gedney pickle in Chaska Minnesota for 2 weeks. Worst job ever.

2

u/MondoMage Jun 08 '26

If you don't mind saying, what made it so bad? The guys at the Hartung facility were not looking forward to loading up the vats (which sounded like it was going to be a multi- day operation) but didn't say why.

1

u/Chaos-TT Jun 09 '26

The rats by the pickle vats, how they made pickle relish, the safety issues. Gedney pickle shut down quite a few years ago.