Mini Hydroponics

I finally got the hydroponics system I've been dreaming of...if a little smaller than I thought it would be. Living in the city makes for smaller growing spaces.

I bought an AeroGrow garden from AeroGarden, the six pod style, and set that baby up. It was very simple, and is sitting in the kitchen on the counter by the fridge. It makes a great nightlight too.

It's been up a couple weeks now, and I have several sprouts. You leave the little plastic domes on the plant until they hit the top, so only one has escaped yet:

Look at that cute little Dill!!! The Thai Basil (on the right in back), should be just about ready to pop the top soon too. The Mint, to the left of the Dill, is getting bigger now.

I got the herb pack, which came with the garden kit. It's got some great things in there. Just a note, when opening the full kit, the nutrients come with the seed packs...I was worried at first, but there it was!

Sauerkraut

I got new fermenting lids from FARMcurious, and wanted to get started right away. After extensive research, I discovered the easiest, and cheapest, item to try first was...tada! Sauerkraut.

I picked up a head of green cabbage, and got going. I removed and saved the outer leaves, and shredded the whole head on my little mandolin. After sprinkling it generously with sea salt, i started the process of beating up my shredded cabbage.

This is GREAT anger management, by the way. I pounded it until I could pound no more, and it got juicy. I then shoved the whole batch, liquid and all, into a quart mason jar, pushed part of an outer leaf on top to keep it down, added my lid, and stuck it in a corner...and forgot about it.

It took about three weeks for me to decide that we should try it, as we decided on bratwurst for dinner, and sauerkraut on dogs is good. It was fantastic! So I stopped the fermenting by closing the top of the lid and putting it in the fridge.

First experiment went well, and I am looking forward to spring farmers markets to find more goodies to ferment.

Starting Over!

I tried to post about trips taken, and it seems I just can't write about and take enough pictures while I am on them to justify, so I am starting over.

I would like this blog to simply be about the things I am doing, and enjoying. I have been in the kitchen more, doing more crafts, and generally having fun whenever I can.

I hope you enjoy this new version; hopefully I will be able to post at least once a week.