birds eye view of property to be developed into an orchard/garden area

Cleaning: is the process of removing organic and inorganic contaminants to a level of insignificance. Washing agents are designed to facilitate this process by breaking down, solubilizing, and dispersing contaminants into water, so the contaminants can be washed away

Sanitation: is the process of eradicating living microorganisms down to an acceptable level (no observable effect on wine making). Sanitation is not sterilization

Cleaning Brewing Equipment

Powdered Brewery Wash (PBW)

• PBW is very effective in removing thick, difficult, and caked-on organic soils.

• Effective substitute for caustic soda cleaners and household cleaners.

• Can clean items that cannot be reached with a brush or sponge by simply soaking and rinsing.

• Safe on skin as well as stainless steel, rubber, soft metals, and on plastics.

Procedure:

1. Rinse off the surface to get rid of as much soil as possible. 

2. Dissolve 1-2 ounces per gallon for kettles and 3/4 ounces per gallon for fermenters, kegs, tanks, and other equipment.

3. If soaking, heat to 140° and soak for 4 hours or allow to soak cold overnight. 

4. for bottles, I use a brush attached to a drill for maximum agitation

5. Rinse surfaces

Sanitation of Brewing Equipment

Star San

• A high foaming, acid-based, no-rinse sanitizer that is effective and easy to use.

• Self-foaming, which helps to penetrate cracks and crevices.

• Reduces water spotting and can be used without rinsing when used at the recommended dilution.

Procedure:

1. clean surfaces with PBW or compatible cleaner. 

2. for soaking - mix 1 oz (30ml) Star San for every 5 gal. of water

3. for spraying - 1 Liter Spray Bottle - mix  1.5ml into 1 liter of water

4. allow for a contact time of at least 5 minutes. 

5. drain

6. Manufacturer’s recommendations are no rinse.

7. I rinse sanitized equipment prior to use to minimize any Star San residues

Cleaning Carboys - low-effort method

Combining soaking with agitation is considerably more effective than soaking alone. First add about ¾ gallon (3 liters) of hot washing solution and close the carboy with a stopper that has an easily removable vent plug. Then, place the carboy sideways on a soft surface, such as an old piece of carpet, and slosh/roll back and forth. Stop every few minutes to release the suction that results as the warm water vapor cools and condenses.

Biofilms

Biofilms are a significant concern in larger breweries that have clean in place systems for production equipment. In home breweries where equipment is disassembled and cleaned out of place, it is easier to prevent biofilms with a combination of aggressive cleaning tools and chemicals

“Biofilms are formed when bacteria attach to a surface such as that forming the beer line and then produce and encase themselves in a polysaccharide or slime matrix. When this happens, further bacterial growth cannot escape the matrix and so the biofilm grows”

“there are plenty of opportunities in beer lines and on other brewing surfaces for microorganisms (bacteria, yeast, and fungal cells) to adhere and build up”

Thanks for reading this article and following The Forager on substack.

Source of picture and quotes: https://actechinc.co/all-about-beer-lines-blog/biofilm-formation-breweries-beer

Definition:

Ketchup is “seasoned pureed condiment” and “typically made from a combination of tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, and a blend of spices”

Introduction:

This is my first attempt at making Ketchup. I arrived at the ingredients following a survey of recipes available on the internet as well as a review of you-tube videos. The quantity of ingredients should fit comfortably in a 15 L (16 quart) roasting oven. After cooking, you may expect 7 x 1 L glass jars which can be processed in a hot water bath and stored as shelf stable.

Thanks for following The Forager.

Ingredients

• 15 lbs prepared tomatoes (approximately 6 large freezer bags or 40 lbs frozen tomatoes). See Day 1 Prepare Equipment and Tomatoes under Process Instructions for details on how to prepare frozen Tomatoes.

• 400g finely chopped Onions (approximately 3 cups)

• 250g brewing sugar (approximately 2 cup). also known as dextrose or corn sugar

• 1 1/4 cups white vinegar

• 1 1/4 cups apple cider vinegar

• 60g coarse pickling salt (approximately 1/4 cup)

• 2 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 1/4 tsp celery seed

• 1/2 tsp mustard powder

Options: see feedback reports at bottom of article

Equipment:

• 16 liter Roasting Oven or large 2 gallon stainless steel pot

• 2 large plastic tubs or bowls to thaw frozen Tomatoes

• 1 large bowl or pot

• large colander to drain Tomatoes

• electric blender or food processor

• canning funnel

• measuring cups, 1 cup, 1/4 cup and 500ml

• 1 tsp, 1/2 tsp, and 1/4 tsp

• large slotted spoon

• kitchen scale

• 7 x 1 liter glass mason jars, with lids and rings

• hot water bath canner with rack for jars

• jar lifter

Process Instructions

Day 1 - Prepare Equipment & Tomatoes

• assemble equipment, wash, rinse and dry overnight in dish rack

• take bags of frozen Tomatoes out of the deep freeze in the morning, and place in large tubs or bowls to thaw for at least 24 hours

• as tomatoes thaw water will be released from ice crystals

• remove water from bags every 4 to 6 hours or as it accumulates

• as Tomatoes soften drain through a colander as required

• assemble ingredients

• coarse chop onions in blender and store in fridge overnight

Day 1 - prepare hot water bath

• place 7 x 1 liter mason jars in water canner and fill jars first and then bath with water until jars are covered

• carefully remove jars and pour water out of them. dry in dish rack overnight

• the water level in canner is now correct and will not overflow when hot filled jars are added

Day 2 - Cook & Process Ingredients into Ketchup

• place thawed Tomatoes into roaster oven

• cook on 250’F setting, covered, for first 1 hour or until simmering

• stir occasionally to prevent any sticking or burning to bottom

• once simmering add chopped onions and vinegar. stir

• cook uncovered now to allow evaporation of water.

• adjust temperature in order to keep simmering. Roaster oven may require setting of 250 up to 300’F

• simmer for at least 1 hour

• add dry ingredients (except sugar) and stir occasionally

• continue to cook uncovered until desired consistency is obtained. I would describe it as like a thick soup

• turn heat off and let cool for 30 minutes

• transfer into a blender using a 500ml measuring cup

• blend at progressively higher speeds for 1 or 2 minutes to emulsify

• transfer from blender into large 2 gallon pot

• this will take 7 or 8 cycles to complete

• it should be cool enough now to taste. If not allow it to cool some more

• add first portion of sugar. stir to mix and taste

• continue adding portions of sugar until desired sweetness is obtained

• heat ketchup in pot until simmering

Day 2 - Preserve in Hot Water Bath

• if you pre-measured the water level in the canner turn heat on

• have 7 x 1 liter glass mason jars placed close to pot of simmering ketchup along with canning funnel

• using 500ml glass measuring cup, scoop hot ketchup out of pot and through canning funnel into jars, leaving approximately 1/2 inch of headspace (up to bottom of where threads for metal rings start)

• wipe any ketchup off rims and place new canning seals. screw rings on lightly (two finger tight)

• place in canning rack and gently lower into canner

• turn heat up and monitor water until boiling

• place lid on and start timer

• recommended processing time for sauce is 35 minutes with an adjustment for the altitude of you location

• 0-1,000 ft – 35 minutes – 40 minutes 

• 1,001-3,000 ft – 40 minutes – 45 minutes 

• 3,001-6,000 ft – 45 minutes – 50 minutes 

• Above 6,000 ft – 50 minutes – 55 minutes

reference for processing is https://www.simplycanning.com/canning-tomato-sauce/

• when processing time is complete, turn heat off and leave jars in canner for 5 to 10 more minutes to prevent siphonage (ketchup overflowing because of heat and pressure buildup)

• carefully remove jars with a jar lifter and place on towel

• allow jars to cool until they are at room temperature

• check seals and if any lids move up and down (not pulled down tight), set these jars aside for refrigeration and immediate consumption

• label with product name and date

Notes & Feedback:

Sweeteners - most common feedback indicates not sweet enough. I used glucose which is not as sweet as sucrose (table sugar). Sucrose has a relative rating of 1, while glucose is .80 I would recommend trying Sucrose and adding to taste. For those that cannot tolerate glucose I would recommend glycerol or erythritol.

Salt - some feedback indicated was not salty enough. could try adding in 1/4 cup increments and tasting to find optimum levels

Thickness - was excellent before processing. After heat processing some of the water separated and it was slightly thin compared to store bought. will consider adding a thickener in future recipes.

The percentage of alcohol in homemade wine is measured indirectly. That is you measure the change in specific gravity from start to finish, and then convert that number to potential alcohol volume (multiply by 131).

A hydrometer measures the specific gravity of a liquid solution. In the case of winemaking, a hydrometer is used to measure must or wine density, which is increased by fermentable sugars and other must/wine substances. During fermentation, yeast breaks down the fermentable sugars, producing ethanol and carbon dioxide. As the sugars break down and are metabolized, the specific gravity decreases. The hydrometer is used to measure this density change.

HYDROMETER BASICS

Hydrometers are made of glass with a weight at the bottom and typically three scales of measurement along the sides of its long narrow stem. Make sure when you take the reading on the correct scale marked as Sp.Gr. I will not cover the other scales in this article.

When placed in liquid, the weighted end is submerged and the top floats above the liquid. Take the reading at the top of the liquid (surface tension will cause the liquid to climb the sides of the hydrometer slightly, creating a “meniscus” — use the reading at the bottom of the meniscus). The specific gravity readings usually range from 0.990–1.120. The specific gravity of pure water at 60 °F (15.5 °C) is 1.000, or 0 °Brix.

HOW TO USE IT

Readings should be done with a sample of the must or wine in a clear cylinder (hydrometers are often sold together with a 250ml cylinder or a protective case that can be used). This allows for an easy line of sight to get a measurement. Your sample may be collected from the fermenter using a clean, sanitized turkey baster or wine thief. Pour the sample into a cylinder. Gently place the hydrometer into the sample, making sure the hydrometer is floating and not sunk all the way to the bottom (if this happens, you need more liquid). If bubbles gather around the top sides of the hydrometer, give the hydrometer a spin or wait for the bubbles to dissipate as they will affect buoyancy. Then record the specific gravity on a notepad or piece of paper.

WHAT IT MEANS

Knowing the specific gravity (and therefore the sugar concentration) of your wine wine can be useful prior to, during, and after fermentation.

Before fermentation, this measurement gives a basis for predicting the amount of alcohol that may be produced during fermentation. During fermentation, measurements will show you how much of the sugar has been consumed by yeast — giving you an idea of how quickly fermentation is proceeding. The hydrometer may also indicate when you have reached your final specific gravity (1.000 or less) and it is time to rack the wine off the yeast and sediment.

With recorded specific gravity at the beginning and end of fermentation, you can use these numbers to determine the approximate percent alcohol in your wine. One of the more popular ones is subtracting the final gravity from the original gravity and multiplying by 131. For example, if the initial reading is 1.100 and the final gravity is 1.000, then 0.100 x 131 = 13.1% alcohol by volume (ABV).

Rule of thumb and guidelines:

• one pound of sugar will raise the specific gravity approximately 35 points in one gallon of must

• one pound of Honey will raise the specific gravity between 30 to 35 points in one gallon of must

• approximately 7.4 specific gravity points correspond to 1% alcohol by volume. OG ≈ 1.0074. or 1.074 would be 10% ABV

• approximately 100 grams of sugar in one gallon will raise the potential alcohol by volume (ABV) by 1% or specific gravity 7.4 points

Glass Wine Bottles - used

I have never purchased wine bottles new. If you are patient, used bottles usually become available locally, throughout the year, as hobbyists sell out. I will post how to clean & sanitize bottles in a separate document

Glass Beer Bottles - New

If you are planning on doing some in-bottle carbonation, it is a good idea to purchase beer or champagne bottles that are manufactured to withstand pressure from carbonation. Here are some flip-top beer bottles I purchased new

Kitchen Scale:

I like to weight large freezer bags full of fruit, which may be as heavy as 3kg. Recommended to buy with a capacity of 5kg (10lbs) and accuracy of .1g Small batches require small quantities (gram levels) so accuracy matters. If you are on a limited budget, this is the one item you will want to prioritize.

Plastic food grade pail:

Common sizes are a 2 gallon (gal) pail for 1 gal (4 liter) batches, and 5 gallon pail for batches larger than 1 gal. If you are using recycled pails ensure they are suitable for food use.

Here is a link to a short article on how to determine if a plastic pail is suitable for food production:

The lids on 5 gallon pails do not always seal properly. Check to see that the lid is equipped with a gasket to ensure a tight seal. That will keep fruit flies and potential contamination out, and force co2 gas out through the airlock.

If necessary drill a 1/2 inch hole to place a rubber grommet and airlock.

Airlock or Mason Jar Lid Grommets:

Purpose of the grommet is to seal the lid hole in place for the airlock. They may be made out of rubber or silicone. They are usually listed as mason jar lid grommets or airlock grommets.

Fermentation Airlock:

I prefer the S shaped airlocks. Their advantage is that they have a smaller chamber so you can more closely observe the CO2 rising and therefore the rate of fermentation. Disadvantage is that they are harder to clean. At the time of this posting these retail locally for $2.50. Amazon.ca pack of 10 equal to $1.60 each not including shipping

Measuring Cups:

They usually come in sets. I find the 1 liter size is used the most.

Measuring spoons

Slotted Spoon (large):

I prefer stainless steel, which is more durable, heavier and easier to clean & sanitize

Hydrometer with 250ml cylinder

These sell for around 12$ on amazon.ca You can get a set including a measuring cylinder, hydrometer etc. around $22.

Turkey Baster or Wine Thief

-are used to withdraw a sample and transfer into a cylinder for measuring the specific gravity with a hydrometer. A wine thief withdraws a sample into a cylinder which you can put a hydrometer into for a quick read. I do not have one.

Glass Carboy

The most common size is 5 gallon. You may be able to find smaller carboys or jugs such as 1 gallon. They are quite expensive and it is possible to find used items at garage sale and local advertisers. If you buy used put them through a deep clean and sanitation cycle

pre-drilled rubber stopper

I use No. 65 stoppers for 1 gal jugs and No. 7 for 5 gal carboys

Auto siphon

These are so useful and help prevent contamination from the mouth siphon method. They make it possible to siphon wine into bottles by yourself and enable a one person operation. The 1/2" acrylic tube fits a 7/16“ (11mm) outer diameter plastic tubing

They come in 15 and 24 inch lengths. The 24” length is important if you plan on using 5 gal carboys. These retail on amazon.ca for around $17 with a small section of tubing thrown in.

Siphon tube - food grade plastic

Embossed print on the tubing indicates the national sanitation foundation code and food grade status. Usually sold by the foot. I use a 6’ tube which is long enough to siphon from a 5 gallon carboy if you are using an auto siphon

NSF-51 is the standard for “Plastic Material and Components used in Food Equipment”, and deals with materials and products used in contact with foods and beverages.” NSF stands for national sanitation foundation

Bottle drying tree and rinser/sanitizer

These are not essential but very useful. Look to find a used one in local advertisers, and garage sales. The rinser/sanitizer sits on top of the tree. You can take it off and use it to sanitize bottles. I find it to be very effective at spraying pre-mixed sanitizer into a bottle and reaching all sides. An alternative to the bottle tree, is a bottle drying tray.

Floor Corker

Wine Bottle Corks

Food Grade Pitcher

I find a 1 gal pitcher useful for transferring wine from a jug in order to de-gas, taste, and back sweeten, prior to bottling

Dry yeast may be sprinkled on top of the must or may be rehydrated in water before addition. I have had success in small batch fermentations, both ways. Rehydrating yeast will provide a higher number of viable cells in relation to the amount of yeast pitched. This becomes important as the size of you batch increase.

The argument for Rehydrating Yeast

Dr. Clayton Cone of Lallemand Brewing suggests the following:

“Every strain of yeast has its own optimum rehydration temperature. All of
them range between 95 F to 105F. Most of them closer to 105F. The dried
yeast cell wall is fragile and it is the first few minutes (possibly
seconds) of rehydration that the warm temperature is critical while it is
reconstituting its cell wall structure.

As you drop the initial temperature of the water from 95 to 85 or 75 or 65F
the yeast leached out more and more of its insides damaging the each cell.
The yeast viability also drops proportionally. At 95 – 105 F, there is
100% recovery of the viable dry yeast. At 60F, there can be as much as 60%
dead cells.

The water should be tap water with the normal amount of hardness present.
The hardness is essential for good recovery. 250 -500 ppm hardness is
ideal. This means that deionized or distilled water should not be used.
Ideally, the warm rehydration water should contain about 0.5 – 1.0% yeast
extract

For the initial few minutes (perhaps seconds) of rehydration, the yeast
cell wall cannot differentiate what passes through the wall. Toxic
materials like sprays, hops, SO2 and sugars in high levels, that the yeast
normally can selectively keep from passing through its cell wall rush right
in and seriously damage the cells. The moment that the cell wall is
properly reconstituted, the yeast can then regulate what goes in and out of
the cell. That is why we hesitate to recommend rehydration in wort or
must. Very dilute wort seems to be OK.

We recommend that the rehydrated yeast be added to the wort within 30
minutes. We have built into each cell a large amount of glycogen and
trihalose that give the yeast a burst of energy to kick off the growth
cycle when it is in the wort. It is quickly used up if the yeast is
rehydrated for more than 30 minutes. There is no damage done here if it is
not immediately add to the wort. You just do not get the added benefit of
that sudden burst of energy. We also recommend that you attemperate the
rehydrated yeast to with in 15F of the wort before adding to the wort.
Warm yeast into a cold wort will cause many of the yeast to produce petite
mutants that will never grow or ferment properly and will cause them to
produce H2S. The attemperation can take place over a very brief period by
adding, in increments, a small amount of the cooler wort to the rehydrated
yeast.

Many times we find that warm water is added to a very cold container that
drops the rehydrating water below the desired temperature.

Sometimes refrigerated, very cold, dry yeast is added directly to the warm
water with out giving it time to come to room temperature. The initial
water entering the cell is then cool.

How do many beer and wine makers have successful fermentations when they
ignore all the above? I believe that it is just a numbers game. Each gram
of Active Dry Yeast contains about 20 billion live yeast cells. If you
slightly damage the cells, they have a remarkable ability to recover in the
rich wort. If you kill 60% of the cell you still have 8 billion cells per
gram that can go on to do the job at a slower rate.

The manufacturer of Active Dry Beer Yeast would be remiss if they offered
rehydration instructions that were less than the very best that their data
indicated.

One very important factor that the distributor and beer maker should keep
in mind is that Active Dry Yeast is dormant or inactive and not inert, so
keep refrigerated at all times. Do not store in a tin roofed warehouse
that becomes an oven or on a window sill that gets equally hot.

Active Dry Yeast looses about 20% of its activity in a year when it is
stored at 75 F and only 4% when refrigerated.

The above overview of rehydration should tell you that there is a very best
way to rehydrate. It should also tell you where you are safe in adapting
the rehydration procedure to fit your clients.”

Read more

90 days for first Tomatoes to show color change (May 5 planting, to Aug.3). Most harvested by Sept.1 (118 days).

Subscribers please message me with questions and seed requests.

NOTE: My comments based on growing experience are in italics.

• Aunt Ginny - beefsteak tomato of German origin. Large Tomatoes averaging 1lb. Vigorous, potato-leaf tomato plants suitable for single stem growing method. A pink beefsteak type with fruit averaging 1lb. Very productive with at least 6 to 8 extra large Tomatoes per plant. Adapts to a single stem growing method. Tomatoes are prone to being misshapen, with some stem end cracks and cat facing on blossom end.

  

  

• Cosmonaut Volkov - Volkov was a Russian explorer who perished in space. From Dnepropetrovsk in Ukraine, brought to America by the Seed Savers Exchange. 8–12 oz globes ripen at the beginning of August. Even in cold summers, it will produce dependably by mid-August. A orange/red juicy slicer with excellent Tomato flavor. Growth has a tendency to be weedy, and requires a firm pruning hand to keep this variety focused on producing fruit. Nice shape and size for slicing and fresh eating. Juicier than the other tomatoes on this list. Taste is excellent with a nice balance of tart and sweetness.

  

• Italian Heirloom - This all purpose Italian heirloom tomato is great for eating fresh, canning, or salsa. The fruit are easy to peel and have great taste. regular leaf foliage. Large fruit up to 1lb. Some of the later forming, smaller fruit is subject to blossom end rot. Strong producer of 5 to 6 large fruit per plant.

  

• Marianna’s Peace - Old, heirloom tomato that originated in Czechoslovakia.

  A pink beefsteak type. Nicely shaped fruit that are large and average 1lb. Production is lower than some, with an average of 4 to 6 extra large Tomatoes per plant. Adapts to a single stem growing method well. Good vertical growth and not weedy. Consistent and reliable producer. I have found that a few of the smaller, later forming fruit may have blossom end rot (that is in soil amended with bone meal and chicken manure with significant calcium content). some skin splits late in the season this year. They skin easy and are a premium processing Tomato.

  

• Pruden’s Purple - This early heirloom indeterminate beefsteak tomato that can reach up to 450g has meaty purple-pink flesh. It has a flattened top with smooth slightly ribbed skin that resists cracks and a unique potato leaf shape that sets it apart from other varieties. Very productive with large fruit. some skin splitting late in the season.

  

• Salvaterra’s Select - Salvaterra’s Select has been grown in Hazelton Pennsylvania since at least the 1950’s, and by Charles Salvaterra since the 1980’s. The Seedsavers exchange describes it as the “Winner of our 2017 Tomato Tasting - Paste/ Sauce division. The great meaty texture is paired with tangy, sweet flavor that make it an ideal sauce tomato”. These are generally smaller Tomatoes, in the 100 to 200g size. Vigorous growth with a ‘weeping’ style. Fruit is bright orange/red. Very good taste for fresh eating. Seeds are hard to come by in Canada.

  

  

  Soldacki - a polish heirloom brought from Krakow, Poland to Cleveland, Ohio around 1900. A massive dark pink beefsteak type fruit average 1 lb and up. Consistent size and shape. In my experience a single plant may produce 6 to 7 extra large Tomatoes. They adapt to a single stem growing method well. Good vertical growth and not weedy. Some marginal browning on leaves but does not appear to affect growth or fruit production. It has become my top pick for production. Some skin splits late in the season this year, but still managed to harvest.

  

  - In 2026 I plan on growing the following varieties for the first time and will update this document with observations throughout the year.

• Beefsteak: Azoychka, Maria Nagy’s Giant

• Cherry Tomatoes: Gardener’s Sweetheart, Amy’s Sugar Gem, Green Doctors

• Thanks for following The Forager.

Hot varieties of Peppers will change color as they ripen on the plant. Jalapeno’s usually turn red, and in some cases orange (orange spice). Red jalapeños tend to have a sweeter, slightly fruitier taste compared to green jalapeños. Additionally, they often have a more intense level of spiciness or heat.

In short season growing areas, Peppers may not have enough time to fully ripen and change color before the risk of frost returns. You may notice other changes in the appearance of Jalapeno’s that allow you to determine when they are ready to harvest. One of those changes is referred to as ‘Corking’

Corking is a term used to describe the appearance of thin, raised lines or cracks on the surface of a jalapeño pepper. These lines resemble the texture of cork, hence the term “corking.” Corking is a natural phenomenon that occurs as jalapeño peppers mature on the plant.

Corking is a great gauge as to when to harvest your jalapeño peppers. Once the peppers near maturation and the skin begins to show these raised lines, keep a close eye on them. Harvest the peppers anytime after corking appears, and before the first frost, for peak ripeness.

• An heirloom variety is a plant variety that has a history of being passed down within a family or community, similar to the generational sharing of heirloom jewelry or furniture. All heirloom variety are open-pollinated

• Open-pollination is when pollination occurs by insect, bird, wind, humans, or other natural mechanisms. Because there are no restrictions on the flow of pollen between individuals, open-pollinated plants are more genetically diverse. This can cause a greater amount of variation within plant populations, which allows plants to slowly adapt to local growing conditions and climate year-to-year.

• Hybridization is a controlled method of pollination in which the pollen of two different species or varieties is crossed by human intervention. Hybridization can occur naturally through random crosses, but commercially available hybridized seed, often labeled as F1, is deliberately created to breed a desired trait. The first generation of a hybridized plant cross also tends to grow better and produce higher yields than the parent varieties due to a phenomenon called ‘hybrid vigor’. However, any seed produced by F1 plants is genetically unstable and cannot be saved for use in following years. Not only will the plants not be true-to-type, but they will be considerably less vigorous. Gardeners who use hybrid plant varieties must purchase new seed every year. Hybrid seeds can be stabilized, becoming open-pollinated varieties, by growing, selecting, and saving the seed over many years.

If you grow heirloom or open pollinated Tomato varieties, it is possible to save seed for future plantings. I will outline the steps used in the fermentation method for your information:

Read more

Cabbage – 7 kg (15.4 lbs). I used 3 heads of cabbage to make this batch. If possible use Cabbage freshly picked from the garden

Pickling Salt – 175g (2.5% by weight)

Pickling Salt for brine

Equipment:

2 gallon food grade plastic pail (see link below on determining type of plastic container to use)

1 large plate that fits inside pail - leaving the smallest space possible between edge of plate and pail

1 heavy weight (I use 5 lbs)

option - a large flat rock which has been cleaned and disinfected

1 large food grade tub or bowl to mix salt & cabbage in

scale – to weigh out ingredients

large knife, mandolin or food processor (with slicer or grater disk)

Process Part 1 - Preparing Cabbage/Ingredients

-remove any damaged/soiled outer leaves on Cabbage. Save two to three large clean head leaves for part 4

-quarter the cabbage, leaving the core in (see note in paragraph below) though you won’t end up actually slicing the core. Place a cabbage quarter on one of its sides and slice the cabbage crosswise. Slice until just the core remains. Add sliced cabbage to your bowl until the weight is 7 kg.

Leaving the cabbage core in place: I find it easier to slice cabbage if the core is not removed. It serves to hold the layers of cabbage together, making the job of slicing easier, and gives you something to hold onto while slicing. When slicing cabbage and preparing other vegetables for sauerkraut, the idea is to expose as much surface area as possible, to pull out the juices and create a brine

Process Part 2 - Creating liquid and Mixing

-in a large tub, put down a layer of cabbage (approximately 2 inches deep) and sprinkle with salt using fingers. Continue until all the Cabbage and Salt have been added

-mix the Cabbage and salt by turning over with hands

-cover and set aside for 30 minutes.

-mix Cabbage by hand.

-optional - you may gently squeeze and twist (rolling motion by rotating wrist) while mixing which helps create more liquid.

-the Cabbage will shrink in size and want to clump together. When you tilt the bowl to the side, a puddle of liquid should be present.

-if there isn’t much liquid forming yet, mix and set aside for another 30

Process Part 3 - Pack Ingredients into Pail

-grab handfuls of cabbage and place into 2 gallon pail. Every couple of inches push down with fists to compress cabbage, and remove as much air as possible. The released liquid should rise above the top of the cabbage.

Process Part 4 - Submerge ingredients under plate

-take large cabbage leaves you saved in Step 1. and place over the surface of the packed cabbage. Cover leaves with a large plate. The leaves and plate will help keep individual pieces of sauerkraut below the surface of the brine.

-press plate down to compress cabbage and allow juices to cover plate.

-place a weight on top of the plate to keep it under the surface of the brine

-place lid loosely on top to keep insects out but allow gas to escape

Process – Part 5 Fermentation

Store jar at room temperature. The ideal fermentation temperature for producing sauerkraut with the most complex flavors is between 65 and 70 °F (18–21 °C). Ideally, you want the temperature to be somewhat stable, not fluctuating more than 5 °F (3 °C) in either direction. Fermentation of the naturally occurring sugars present in cabbage will produce lactic acid and carbon dioxide (co2). Production of lactic acid will lower the pH helping to preserve it, as well as giving a characteristic tangy flavor.

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Zucchini is one of the most prolific vegetables in creation. It can be used in so many ways, but my favorite is in the making of Salsa. The ingredients include vegetables that I grow or that can be easily sourced locally.

Included at the end of this post is a link to my guide on processing Salsa in a steam bath.

Ingredients

• 18 to 24 cups Zucchini, chopped fine

• 8 medium sweet white Onions, chopped fine

• 2 green bell Peppers, chopped fine (remove veins & seeds)

• 2 red bell Peppers, chopped fine (remove veins & seeds)

• 10 to 12 small Jalapeno Peppers, chopped fine with seeds

• 3 to 4 Banana Peppers, chopped fine with seeds

• 2 tablespoons minced Garlic

• 1/2 cup pickling Salt

• 2 tablespoons (tbsp) pickling Salt

• 4 tablespoons dry Mustard

• 2 tablespoons Garlic powder

• 2 tablespoons Cumin

• 4 cups white Vinegar

• 2 tablespoons red pepper flakes

• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper flakes

• 6 to 8 chopped ripe Tomatoes

• 24 ounces Tomato Paste

• 2 cups brown Sugar (see below)

Options

• the original recipe recommended 2 cups brown sugar. you do not need to add sugar and it still tastes great

• liberal substitutions of vegetable varieties is encouraged, depending on what is available from your own garden or locally. ex. yellow Onions for white

• I use garden Tomatoes which have been frozen, and water removed during the thawing process.

Process Steps - Day 1

1. In a large bowl combine Zucchini; Onions; green Bell Peppers; red Bell Peppers; Jalapeno Peppers; Banana Peppers; minced Garlic; and 1/2 cup pickling salt. Mix together, cover and store overnight in the refrigerator.

Process Steps - Day 2

1. Rinse Zucchini mixture thoroughly to remove liquid and drain

2. place mixture into a large cooking pot

3. add dry Mustard; Garlic powder; Cumin; white Vinegar; red Pepper flakes; 2 tbsp pickling Salt; ground black pepper; chopped Tomatoes; Tomato paste and brown Sugar.

4. bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir frequently to avoid sticking or burning onto the bottom of the pot.

5. using a canning funnel, hot fill into 500 ml canning jars. place new lid and ring onto jars and turn until slight resistance. I refer to this as two finger tight

6. follow instructions in Steam Bath Canning Guide

I outlined how to determine when a Tomato is ready to pick, and how to harvest in my Tomato Growing Guide,

so I won’t cover that information here.

I usually pick them at 50% color development, which means they are significantly red. After picking they are stored inside at room temperature until they just start to soften slightly.

The following steps outline how to prepare and process them for freezer storage:

Step 1 - bring a large pot of water to boil

Step 2 - add cold tap water to a large bowl about half full

Step 3 - cut a large X into the bottom of the tomato breaking the skin. I use a knife with a serrated edge, like a steak knife.

Step 4 - with a large slotted spoon transfer Tomatoes into the pot of boiling water (as many as the pot will hold without overflowing)

Step 5 - when the skin starts to separate from the flesh remove tomatoes using the slotted spoon and transfer into the bowl containing cold water

step 6 - let tomatoes cool for a minute or two until you can hold with bare hands. Slip skin off starting at the end with the X cut into it. If there is scarring remove that as well. Peel off skin to the stem end, then using the sharp end of the knife cut around the stem deeply into the tomato and around it. Pull out the stem core and skin and remove.

Step 7 - You may want to quarter larger Tomatoes before placing them in a large freezer bag for frozen storage.

Once the Tomato harvest is over and all have been processed into freezer bags it will be time for making Tomato sauce and salsa.

I prepared a guide for making Tomato Sauce here

A guide to making and preserving the most delicious Salsa will be coming in September.

Thanks for taking the time to follow The Forager.

I picked a 2 gallon pail full in about 1.5 hours.

The next stage of the process is submerging the Chokecherries in a sink half full of cold water. Any leaves, twigs, dried cherries, insects and other extraneous material floats and can be skimmed off. Then pick out any unripe and partly green cherries. I don’t worry about stems. Lastly I drain water from the cleaned cherries by placing them in a colander over a large bowl before transferring into a large ziplock freezer bag.

I ended up with 2 large freezer bags filled to the brim.

After freezing bags weighed about 3kg each for 6kg total weight.