Farm Notes

Well friends, we’ve officially wrapped up our 2021 growing season!

Yesterday marked the last pickup for our fall CSA, and it was a real good one (see photo below for our full share box). In addition to growing heaps of veggies for lots of families this year, we also grew our family by one with this sweet babe and we couldn’t be more grateful. It takes a village to run a farm AND to raise a baby, and we really do have the best village.

While our CSA has come to an end for the year, our work on the farm is never really over! We have a looong list of winter projects to tackle, starting with putting the farm “to bed” for winter. Our process for winterizing the beds is pretty simple… the key – for large farms to small home gardens – is that the soil should never be left bare. Bare soil can easily wash away due to wind and/or rain, and bare soil is much more likely to be drained of its nutrients and underground biologic activity. One way to cover the soil is by planting cover crops that grow through the winter, while we opt to cover our beds with leaves and then tuck everything in under tarps.

Once a bed has been cleared, we collect heaps of leaves from around the farm and put down a thick layer of leaf matter over all the beds. Next, we will lay silage tarps over the leaf-covered beds, and let everything sit until the spring! All winter long, the leaves will slowly decompose and add organic matter to the soil, and the tarps heap speed up this decomposition + will keep weeds from coming back. This same method can certainly be applied on a home garden scale! Winter is a great time to add nutrients back into your soil, especially after a long and nutrient-extracting growing season. A note that if you need any help with winterizing your garden, I’m happy to help advise, just send me a message.

Another favorite winter activity is digging into all the new seed catalogues! I love pouring through stacks of seed catalogues to dream + scheme for the growing season ahead, flush with (maybe too much) hope and optimism. If you’re looking to order seeds for next year, I recommend placing your orders sooner than later due to all the supply chain issues that we’re facing right now. Here are my go-to sources for purchasing seeds:

Baker Creek – a fantastic source for rare/heirloom seeds
High Mowing Seeds – 100% organic source for a wide range of seeds
Southern Exposure Seed Exchange – seeds selected for the south/mid-atlantic region
Row 7 Seeds – experimental seeds bred for maximum deliciousness
Johnny's Seeds – especially for larger-scale growers, Johnny's is a go-to for high quality seeds (and heaps of other growing tools)
Floret Farm – incredible source for a wide range of flowers.

Kitchen Notes

Every winter, the humble cabbage starts to make more frequent appearances in my cooking rotation. One of my favorite cabbage recipes has gotta be braised cabbage, but I also love whipping up some sauerkraut! Making your own sauerkraut may seem daunting, but I like to think of sauerkraut as the gateway into fermentation… it’s quick to make, requires no special tools, and it is so gosh darn good for you + your gut. All you do is combine some freshly shredded cabbage with salt, pack it all into a jar, and then wait a few weeks! You can also certainly substitute other vegetables in place of cabbage… shredded carrots, beets, turnips, kohlrabi, etc would all work great too. Keep reading for my full recipe + method:

HOMEMADE SAUERKRAUT

INGREDIENTS + EQUIPMENT

1 medium head green or red cabbage (about 3 pounds)
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon caraway or fennel seeds (optional)
1 quart-sized wide mouth jar with lid

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare jar: Wash your mason jar and lid in hot soapy water, rinse and let air dry.
Slice the cabbage: Discard any wilted, limp outer leaves of the cabbage. Cut the cabbage into quarters and trim out the core. Slice each quarter down its length, making 8 wedges. Slice each wedge crosswise into very thin ribbons.
Combine the cabbage and salt: Transfer the cabbage to a big mixing bowl and sprinkle the salt and caraway seeds over top. Work the salt and caraway or fennel seeds (if using) into the cabbage by massaging and squeezing the cabbage with your hands until it softens and releases liquid, 5-10 minutes.
Pack the cabbage: Grab handfuls of the cabbage and pack them into the canning jar. Pour any liquid released by the cabbage into the jar. Place one of the larger outer leaves of the cabbage over the surface of the sliced cabbage to keep the cabbage submerged in its liquid.
Cover the jar: Cover the mouth of the jar loosely with the lid, or with a cloth secured by a rubber band or twine.
Press the cabbage every few hours: Over the next 24 hours, press down on the cabbage every so often with a clean utensil. As the cabbage releases its liquid, it will become more limp and compact and the liquid will rise over the top of the cabbage.
Ferment the cabbage for 1-2 weeks: As it's fermenting, keep out at room temperature and make sure the brine always covers the cabbage. When the sauerkraut tastes great, refrigerate!
Storage: Sauerkraut is a fermented product, so it will keep for up to six months refrigerated.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

Add extra liquid, if needed: It’s very important for the brine to cover the cabbage at all times. If extra brine is needed, dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup of water and add enough to submerge the cabbage.
Canning sauerkraut: You can process sauerkraut for longer storage outside of refrigeration, but the canning process will kill the good bacteria produced by the fermentation process.
Skimming: While the sauerkraut is fermenting, you may see bubbles, foam, or white scum. These are all signs of a healthy, happy fermentation process. The scum can be skimmed off the top either during fermentation or before refrigerating.

Today’s Stats

Low temp: 43F
High temp: 69F
Sunrise: 7:11am
Sunset: 5:02pm
Moon phase: Waning Crescent
Additional notes: Sunny and warm (for December)!