Slice them for sandwiches, use them as a base for soups, or try the tangy cucumber salad recipe below.
Cucumber beetles are the biggest concern when growing cucurbits. They carry bacteria which causes a disease called bacterial wilt. For the backyard gardener, row covers or screens can be used to protect small plants. There is usually a peak in beetle activity in spring that lasts two to four weeks so planting a little later can sometimes be an advantage.
Harvest Beit Alpha fruits when they are about 8 inches in length and 1½ inches in diameter. Keep mature cucumbers picked for a higher fruit set. Matures in 55-65 days.
Beit Alpha originated in the late 1940s at a kibbutz farm in Israel. Specifically, the Jezreel Valley which contains natural springs, and some of the most fertile farmland in Israel.
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups Beit Alpha cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1½ teaspoons dill, chopped
Combine vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in a glass mixing bowl. Stir until sugar dissolves. Add olive oil; stir.
Add cucumbers, onions, and dill. Combine, cover, and chill for two hours before serving. Serve alongside of your favorite meal.
Enjoy your harvest!