I just made my very first batch of pickles, ever. I've made jelly and jam, but no pickles before. This time was strictly in self defense...a friend "gifted" me with 2 5-gallon buckets of cucumbers! I got the Ball pickle pack, and made it up according to the directions, except I used a 5-gallon bucket with a gamma-seal lid, since I didn't have enough Mason jars. Worked great! This past weekend we were having extended family over, and I pulled a half-dozen of the pickles out of the bucket and stuck them in an old pickle jar I'd hung on to, poured some of the pickle juice from the bucket in on them, and refrigerated. They were great! (I am so amazed....)