| Statistics show that we lose more fools on this day than in all the other days of the year put together. This proves, by the number left in stock, that one Fourth of July per year is now inadequate, the country has grown so. – Mark Twain |
Happy 4th of July-
We have some firsts and lasts to look forward to in the bucket this week. There are a lot of either/ors in your bucket list, as will happen when we change seasons.
We’ll start with the lasts….last week of KALE- enjoy your last delicious bunch of kale and toast to your health. Also, last week of CABBAGE…make some kraut and it will last you the rest of the year, and keep your guts in good working order!! And lastly…last week of carrots. Carrots keep well, so you should be able to make them last a month or so if you wish.
Firsts: first week of tomatoes…yeah, yipee, what everyone looks forward to. First week of eggplant and okra. First week of peppers.
Farm news: Curtis and I have been fencing this week, working on our new piece of property. We had hoped to have it fenced by April and it is now July. We are about halfway there….but perfect weather today for fencing!!
We are over halfway through our summer session… on the downhill side.
What’s in the bucket: kale, savoy and/or red cabbage, summer squash and/or cucumbers, eggplant or okra, cherry or big tomatoes, peppers. Still waiting on berries…should be coming next week.
Lacto-fermented Sauerkraut
If you want to experiment with your kraut go for it. I’ve added everything from fennel to fresh turmeric to mine, and love the different flavors. Just make sure when you are fermenting it that all the vegetables are covered in the brine.
Here is a basic recipe to work from…makes 2 quarts…adapted from Nourishing Traditions
1 pound cabbage shredded
2 T sea salt
1 T caraway seeds
Put all ingredients in a bowl. Use a meat hammer or can from the pantry and pound the cabbage in the bowl for a full 10 minutes until it releases its juices.
Transfer cabbage to 2 clean quart jars leaving an inch of head space. Make sure the liquid covers the cabbage, if not, add some salt water to cover. Screw on lids. Let stand on the counter for 3 days. by the second day you should notice bubbles in the jar and the jars will hiss…this is good.
Store jars in a cool, dark cellar or in your refrigerator. Should keep for at least 6 months.