Pickles start out as cucumber seeds.
It is important to understand that the cucumbers grown for commercial pickling are special pedigreed strains developed to produce straight, thin-skinned pickling cucumbers that are very different from the large, salad cucumbers found in the supermarket. Pickle companies may provide their growers with the seeds and advice on how to grow the best quality cucumbers. Or, they may set specifications the grower must meet. The companies also monitor the growing to ensure their standards are met. Once the cucumbers are grown, they are brought to a receiving station to be inspected and separated into sizes.