This weeks preps check-in

[SheilaT.]

I'd like to see your cabbage receipe.

I use the basic Sauerkraut recipe from Real Food Fermentation by Alex Lewin.

This is it. I used 900g of prepared Cabbage which filled 6 pint jars and some left over for a sandwich. I also like to make green sauerkraut and add Caraway seeds (it's an old European thing) last time I made some it only took 6 days, this time it was two weeks

Sauerkraut

900g sliced green or red cabbage -core and outer leaves removed.

4 teaspoons (20g) sea salt (not iodised salt)

Place your cabbage in a really large bowl. Sprinkle with all the salt.

With clean hands, firmly massage the cabbage and work the salt through. You need to keep working the cabbage until it is pliable and you are able to squeeze liquid out. Depending on how fresh your cabbage is and how firmly you are massaging this could take about 6-10 minutes.

Pack the mixture into a large jar or several smaller jars*. Use a potato masher or a smaller jar to pack the cabbage really tightly Ensure you leave about an inch (2.5cm) at the top between the cabbage and the lid of the jar as the cabbage will expand as it ferments.

Place the lid on the jar/s and place in a cool dark place.

Check your sauerkraut every day or so. Open the jar and taste it / smell it. Use a clean fork every time and firmly pack the cabbage back under the liquid. After a few days it should get bubbly. After a few more days it will start to smell and taste sour. Your sauerkraut will get more sour as time goes on. Once it's reached a point you are happy with place it in the fridge and start enjoying.

If you want to can it, I follow the USDA instructions for canning Sauerkraut.
http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_06/sauerkraut.html

 

[SheilaT.]

Can't tell you how satisfying it is to me to do this kind of stuff. I grew the carrots and onions even. The celery was storebought, but I planted the base I cut off and will get celery for about a year from it now.View attachment 6047

Oh how I would love to can my own stock.Unfortunately canning jar are horribly expensive over here. A pack of 12 pint equivalent jars cost $30.

 

[Brent S]

Oh how I would love to can my own stock.Unfortunately canning jar are horribly expensive over here. A pack of 12 pint equivalent jars cost $30.

Thanks for the kraut reciepe! I'll try it soon and let you know how it goes this time.
Wow, that's rough for jars. Here there ten dollars or less. I don't mind buying them as I use them as drinking glasses, dry and home canned goods. Considering I can reuse them hundreds of times, the cost gets distributed out with time.

 

[Arcticdude]

I did absolutely nothing over the last few days. And it was everything that I thought it could be.
Actually we did go visit my son and a couple good friends of ours up north. Then we looked at some trailers to live in for the winter. We found a nice 28' four seasons trailer that should work out good for us. We can order it with solar too. I'll check next week about bringing in a large propane tank to connect to the trailer.
They should be done with the water lines and septic system next week too.

 

[Brent S]

I did absolutely nothing over the last few days. And it was everything that I thought it could be.
Actually we did go visit my son and a couple good friends of ours up north. Then we looked at some trailers to live in for the winter. We found a nice 28' four seasons trailer that should work out good for us. We can order it with solar too. I'll check next week about bringing in a large propane tank to connect to the trailer.
They should be done with the water lines and septic system next week too.

You will be set up in no time!

 

[Billy Roper]

Our eight hens and rooster are now supplying more than enough eggs for our household. This morning the ten year old was watching me let them out of the coop into their yard, and nature was happening. He said 'Look, they're fighting." Yep." I said. 'That rooster is always beating up on those hens!"
"Yep".

 

[Brent S]

I just finished washing, bagging and freezing three more gallons of grapes. I have close to 100 grape vines, with many different types, so they ripen at different times. I wait till I pick them all, and will start two 30 gallon batches, and a few five gallons of my special ones. I always like a batch of blackberry wine, and have some white muscadines that taste really good too. Most of the grapes just get mixed together for the two big batches though and are just different muscadine varieties. My little hobby has turned into a job now, but it has pretty good benefits!

 

[Brent S]

Yikes! I just googled my elevation here and discovered I'm just over 1400 ft above sea level. I've been canning for a little while now, with no problems so far, but need to re figure my canning times now. I thought I was right at 1000ft. At least I didn't poison myself! Oh well, I should be safe from tidal waves anyways...

 

[jimLE]

guess that prove,that it pays to check elevation first..

 

[Gazrok]

We basically did a lot of storm cleanup over the holiday weekend. No real damage, just a lot of yard debris and maintenance. Some of which was long overdue anyhow, just needed the time off to do it. Place never looked better though. Mowing, weed whacking, edging, fire ants dealt with, wasps dealt with, fences repaired, and a new horse to the barn. (so two of ours, and 3 boarding horses now). Just tired....

 

[Brent S]

We basically did a lot of storm cleanup over the holiday weekend. No real damage, just a lot of yard debris and maintenance. Some of which was long overdue anyhow, just needed the time off to do it. Place never looked better though. Mowing, weed whacking, edging, fire ants dealt with, wasps dealt with, fences repaired, and a new horse to the barn. (so two of ours, and 3 boarding horses now). Just tired....

Glad you weren't flooded out!

 

[Brent S]

guess that prove,that it pays to check elevation first..

I don't think it's made a difference, but I will add a little time to my hobby from now on.

 

[Gazrok]

Glad you weren't flooded out!

A lot of our neighbors had some flooding, but we're situated pretty well. Our pastures dry out fast, and no standing water, so our boarders like that. Because of it, we typically get some emergency boarders when a storm threatens....but been a while since one was near.

 

[Brent S]

A lot of our neighbors had some flooding, but we're situated pretty well. Our pastures dry out fast, and no standing water, so our boarders like that. Because of it, we typically get some emergency boarders when a storm threatens....but been a while since one was near.

I moved after we had 5 hurricanes in 1 yr. I think that was about the last time you had one there. The weather has always been feast or famine in fla. again, glad you're dry.

 

[Arcticdude]

Got the water lines in today (1800 feet long) and the hole dug for the septic tank. Started backfilling the trenches, looks like it will take a couple of days to get it all filled with my little tractor.
The septic tank and leach lines will be delivered tomorrow and should all done by Friday.
We're going out in the morning to pick out a new rv trailer and possibly bring one home.

 

[Maverick]

Oh how I would love to can my own stock.Unfortunately canning jar are horribly expensive over here. A pack of 12 pint equivalent jars cost $30.

OUCH, We pay roughly $8.99 1qt 12 pack w/lids and rings (Balls brand), wonder why so damn expensive over their? For 30 bucks I can get 48 qt jars our pints are $4.99 for a 12 pack.

 

[Gazrok]

I moved after we had 5 hurricanes in 1 yr

Yeah, that was a rough one. We didn't have the ranch back then. I remember going out in one of them to check on a family friend a few houses down. Nearly got blown off my feet....

 

[SheilaT.]

OUCH, We pay roughly $8.99 1qt 12 pack w/lids and rings (Balls brand), wonder why so damn expensive over their? For 30 bucks I can get 48 qt jars our pints are $4.99 for a 12 pack.

The only reason I can think of is canning and preserving is not terribly popular over here, so maybe it's a small market. My son imported a Presto canner for me several years ago as a gift as pressure CANNERS are not available at all!
I get my canning lids in bulk from over your side of the pond and I would buy jars too, but I'm not sure how they would stand up to the transportation. Maybe I ought to just buy some and see. Even with postage, it would still work out cheaper.

 

[Gazrok]

Rooster is beating up the hens....love it! Haha....

I think your wine production has progressed far beyond hobby Brent.....

Just down the street from me, is a winery (and now a brewery addition to that business).
They are called Keel and Curley. https://keelandcurleywinery.com/
They started much the same way as your "hobby", lol....

Their strawberry riesling is damn good.

 

[Brent S]

OUCH, We pay roughly $8.99 1qt 12 pack w/lids and rings (Balls brand), wonder why so damn expensive over their? For 30 bucks I can get 48 qt jars our pints are $4.99 for a 12 pack.

That's great, my pints are about 8.00 and quarts are about 10.00 for generics, the Ball brand are about 2.00 each more. I'm still feeling good compared to Sally though.