Cucumber Stick Pickles

The ones to use are the little Kirbies or pickling cucumbers, which are rarely waxed.

Scrub the cucumbers well in cold water, then trim, cut into 4½-inch lengths, and quarter each piece lengthwise.
Place the cucumber sticks in a large, heavy kettle; add the boiling water, cover, and let stand for 4 to 5 hours.
When ready to proceed, wash and rinse 6 one-pint preserving jars and their closures and submerge in a large kettle of boiling water.
Combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, celery seeds, turmeric, and mustard seeds in a small, heavy nonreactive saucepan; bring to a boil over moderate heat then reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, lift the preserving jars from the boiling water one by one and pack with the cucumber sticks, standing them on end and wedging as tightly as possible.
Ladle the boiling vinegar mixture into each jar, covering the cucumber sticks completely but leaving ¼ inch head space at the top. Run a thin-blade spatula around the inside of the jar to release trapped air bubbles; wipe the jar rim with a clean, damp cloth, then screw on the closure.
Process the jars for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath (212° F.). Lift from the water bath; complete the seals, if necessary, by tightening the lids, then cool to room temperature.
Date and label each jar, then store on a cool, dark shelf several weeks before opening.