Late Cabbage Begin the Journey to becoming Sauerkraut.

Today we started making our kraut.   A week or so ago I picked off the last of our late cabbage.   We only had a 4 heads.. so we had to suppliment the cabbage with a few other heads. 

We followed the process that my folks used for most of my life as well as some that I looked up on the internet. 

We did three layers of cabbage shredding about 7 cabbage.  You can see above my hands were flying on the cabbage shredder.

We mixed in about 3 tablespoons of sea salt per layer (4-5 lbs) of cabbage.  With each layer we packed it down.  Most people state to use a tool of some sort.  However,  more than one site said your fists do a fine job and in the end that proved easiest.

After tamping down the final layer, the brine began to form.  Within in just a few minutes there was enough water to cover the cabbage.  A clean fiestaware plate fit perfectly on top of the cabbage and then a baggie filled with saline/brine water we placed on top as a weight.

A website referenced using a baggie with brine water (salt water) so that if it breaks it will not delute the brine and is easier/cleaner than other types of weights.

So now we wait.   I will try to keep you posted.  Most people say it takes 3 to 4 weeks for the cabbage to ferment.  Once done we will can it to have it for the holidays.   Nothing like homemade sau3rkraut on a hot dog on New Years Day.

Wish us luck!!

Dog Days of Summer are better with Cabbage

OK, I got a little lazy during the month of July.  I kept taking photos, but couldn't seem to get around to writing the blog.  And then tonight for some reason having trouble with the image quality on the uploads.  I may need to reload them.  So, don't be suprised if the two images below become clearer over the next couple of days. 

Here was our little cabbage on July 10.  

Then on July 21st just one day before the harvest.  July 22 is National Cabbage Roll Day.  Actually it is just my birthday.   But traditions need to start with someone.  I say let it begin with me.  Honestly I had only hoped that the cabbage would be able to be harvested on the 22nd.. but it worked out perfectly.  

Picked off all 6 of the nicely developed early cabbage.  The Cabbage we have been tracking all the way is closest one in this frame on the bottom.   It weighed nearly 2 lbs.   Finally destination for our little guy is to my sister-in-law who plans to make some cabbage rolls. 

We shared a smaller cabbage with our neighbors (that cabbage not shown in photos).  We share a portion of our crop every year as part of our commitment to PLANT ONE.   Formerly at PlantOne.org, now temporary located at, http://plantone.web.officelive.com/.   It is a little site I put up in 1996.  Trying to spread the idea of sharing a little bit from backyard gardens to those who could benefit, appreciate it or need it.  Please let me know if you would lie more information. 

OK.. next time I will introduce you to the next batch of cabbage.  Our late varieties are being grown for our first attempt at making sauerkraut.  Have some photos ready to go and will be documenting the cabbage as we use them.

So the 4th of July came and went with a bang. I don't have any corn, but plenty of cabbage.

I was asked this week how I avoid the garden becoming a bunny feast. I would like to think it is due to my expert gardening skills, but the truth is something very different. Basically, I simply try to avoid crops that bunnies eat. However, every year I have to learn that lesson again.

This year I have planted 4 packs of Sunflower seeds... FOUR.... my small garden should be awash in Sunflowers if it weren't for the appetite of bunnies. I try to combat the rabbits, but at the same time they are very cute.

Well they were very cute...

As you may be aware this year I grew a lovely crop of peas. The rabbits, each Spring, never seem to bother my peas. My guess is that they have so many other young greens to choose from that they can't be bothered. Even the most basic barrier can dissuade them. This years pea crop matured without incident and I harvested and cut down the plants a month ago.

In the peas place I planted a pack of soy bean. I have never grown soy before, but thought we would try it out. Really I just to see what the plants were like, how they grew. It was your basic backyard garden experiment. And the result of this experiment... Rabbits Love Soy Bean.

Of my approximately 20 plants only 6 survived the first two weeks after sprouting. Those that survived I covered with chicken wire and nursed back to health. Yesterday, I noticed the little soy plants were poking through the chicken wire. Tonight, I noticed THEY ARE GONE.

Now, I mean gone. No leaves. No stems.. no half eaten parts. GONE!!! I can only imagine they were pulled helplessly from the ground and eaten whole. The monsters.

I wonder sometimes what the rabbits must think. Does the glimmer of the "thank you" ever cross their little rodent minds? I hope it does. I hope they think, "thank you mister for the young fresh Sunflowers and beans. We really appreciated it." That is my wish that they at least realize that the plants don't come.. well naturally. But I know they don't.

I hate those Rabbits... Now on to the cabbage.

July 6th.. solid little head of cabbage at this point. One of its peers is so large that you can see it creeping in at the top of the photo. You can see him in the top photo catercorner from our little cabbage. He is just a perfect little cabbage, huge leaves. Unfortunately in May you can't test a cabbage for photogenic qualities. (I think it is a union thing).

OK we are doing a little time travelling today. Here on the left we have my humble little garden on May 31st, 2010.

You can see my modest little pea crop in the middle there... sniff, sniff.. I was so proud then.

Our little cabbage is on the right side in the corner.. you can barely see it.. just a smattering of green in a sea of brown earth.

What a difference a month can make. Now you can barely see the ground for the plants.

The peas are long gone, just a few bags in our freezer being saved for a special occasion after a couple fresh meals we had in May.

Our star cabbage is a full blown teenager now. The whole garden just exploded once Summer came into full swing and the nights stayed warm.

What you can't really see in these pictures are my cucumber and zukes... Seriously.. we may be over run... (fingers crossed). I am hoping I can keep the pests at bay until we get a couple rounds of nice cukes.

And with that, let me introduce to you, our little star. See the dark (almost looks like green shadow) on the left side of the plant. Those are big, broad leaves... yum.

Now I am very, very excited. This is perhaps the best garden I have had in my 10 summer growing on this lot. Some think it may be extra work I've put into developing the soil over that same timeframe. I think it is largely the bag of 10-10-8 I scratched into the soil just a few weeks ago. Either way it is more in my belly!!!

Oh and dig this... a friend of mine obviously moved by my display of fine gardening shared a link with me. The Bonnie Cabbage Program,

is a cool little contest that encourages 3rd graders to garden.. by giving them a cabbage to grow over the summer.

Check it out for yourself:

http://www.bonnieplants.com/CabbageProgram/tabid/81/Default.aspxS

Some of these kids grow monster cabbage (feed me Seymour). I think those are mostly Southern states. This is just a great thing... and anyone (or company) who wants to spread the love of cabbage is a friend of mine.

June 20 & 24 photos

So learned the lesson of the power of a little rain.

The bottom photo taken on Sunday June 20, during a period of some serious heat and no rain.

The photo on top was today June 24th. The leaves perked up.. and the cabbage has really started growing and heading.

One of its peers is getting so big you can start to see it creeping in on the left side of this picture.

I am starting to get excited about harvesting the cabbage. I think this year we may try our hand at a small batch of sauerkaut as well as some cabbage rolls and haluski.

Took this one today. Plant has really starting to grow. This is an early cabbage variety. I am hoping to have some cabbage by end of summer... maybe as soon as Late July?!

I didn't think that would be possible, a few weeks ago, but they way he is growing now along with his buddies it may be possible. More likely is Labor Day.


The soda bottle cap that I used on a couple photos is still there. It is up under the leaf at the top left of the photo. I seriously underestimated the size of these cabbage. It is always so hard to determine how much space to leave plants when you are working with a small garden.

Suppose to get rain throughout the week. Should be a interesting next week to see how big it will be by next Saturday.

(you can see the little soda cap to the upper left.)

Took this photo this morning.. rain continued through the night last night into the AM and through the day.

Western PA had some tornado warnings for Greene and Southern Fayette County today. Thankfully, none hit close to my cabbage patch.

Seems to be growing well, but still seems a little undersized compared to some of its siblings. What? you couldn't possibly have thought I was growing just one. No this little cabbage has 13 other siblings.. but you know they can't all be stars.

June 4, 2010 - Finally Rain

It has been a long dry week... the entire week and last weekend storms rolled through Western PA. However, little rain fell in Uniontown. Even tonight we have heard thunder rumbling for over an hour.. and just moments ago some slight rain began to fall... Hoping for an all night soak which should really kick start the cabbage and his little friends.