Awesome... The metropolis homesteader @abitcoinskeptic. We got some beets from 농협 from the school lunch program. Because kids had so many online classes the lunch program had extra food and sent it directly to our house.
We did the same thing when we got the beets. I wanted to cook them and then make the pickles. My wife insisted on not cooking them. I think she was right. They turned out crispy. Personally I like these pickles better than borsh soup.
Getting free beets is always nice.
Glad you went with the raw ones, they are much better. If you find them too crunchy, you can always grate them as they will pickle better. I think that's how many Koreans do it.
I don't tend to make borsh. I make a vegetable soup with a little bit of everything in it and then use an emersion blender. I freeze it in small portions and just heat it up when I want some.