I frequently post photos on Instagram of my garden and things around the yard, and there are the cooking photos that often involve my garden produce. Okra is just topping out now as the most productive crop, and I've fried and pickled a lot.

A friend who grew up in the next county south from here spent much of her working life in Indiana, then moved to the shore of Lake Michigan to retire. The further north, the less likely to find okra in her area farmers' market, and she has been known to verbally wince in the remarks section under my photos of fried or pickled okra. A couple of years ago the market got some good okra and I remember it was a big deal for her.

It dawned on me last week that I could send her some of my okra and if it only took 2-3 days it would be in great shape (what you see in the store is rather battered and was probably picked a couple of weeks earlier). So I took a Priority Region A box (US Postal Service gives a price break on this box - no idea why - but I use it when I can) and lined it with a layer of thin bubble wrap then filled it with okra, lined up enough to use the space as efficiently as possible. I managed to get four pounds four ounces of okra in that box, and it only cost $10 to mail. I mailed it on Thursday morning and she got it arrived on Saturday afternoon. The photo she posted on Facebook after she opened the box showed it was indeed in perfect condition.

The next day she posted photos of several jars of pickled okra, and the remainder was going to be fried.

I have so much okra (I put in five plants this year) that I always struggle to keep up with the fresh crop as I pickle it, eat it, and give it away. The US Department of Agriculture has inspection stations going into California, Oregon, Washington, and Arizona to do with vital produce such as oranges, apples, grapes, avocados, etc., but there is no vital okra crop in Michigan so we're safe sending these pods in the hibiscus family north to near the Canadian border. And my friend would easily have paid $10 for inferior okra at the local farmers' market. Win/Win.