What are you fermenting today?

[TanksHill]

No Free, I am just a little sleep deprived and a bit punch-y. all is good.

I think I need to buy that book by Sally Fallon so can get the whole picture. Things are much easier for me to understand if I can see the whole thing. Kinda like when I did the "other " low carb life style. I liked to see in writing the do's and don't and reasoning behind it.

 

[Wifezilla]

My local library district has 6 copies of Nourishing Traditions. I placed a request. They are currently all checked out. Good sign, eh? Someone is getting the good news.

 

[freemotion]

Oh, so encouraging!!! Six copies, huh? Wow! Word is getting out! Only how many more billion people to go?

 

[FarmerDenise]

My local library district has 6 copies of Nourishing Traditions. I placed a request. They are currently all checked out. Good sign, eh? Someone is getting the good news.

Oh, so encouraging!!! Six copies, huh? Wow! Word is getting out! Only how many more billion people to go?

 

[FarmerDenise]

The stuff that passes for food these days is amazing!!! And I thought it was bad when I was in college in the 70's. My roomates and I joined a newly formed co-op, so that we could get organic food and as much unprocessed food as possible.
Now, that's why I grow my own as much as possible. But the whole GE modified stuff makes that so much more difficult, because as you stated Free, bees cross pollinate and so does the wind. That is why I had jumped on the band wagon years ago, trying to fight the big companies. I think if there hadn't been such a public outcry at the time, things would be much worse.!!!

I am fermenting plum juice. It happened by accident and I decided to go for it. I left the juice out on the counter too long
Now I plan on pouring it into a food-grade five gallon bucket, cover it with some cloth and let it go. I should end up with either plum wine or a plum cider type of beverage. If it ends up no good, it could be made into vinegar. One of the books I picked up at Goodwill a few weeks ago has a nice big chapter on home made beverages that used to be made by the people of the American Heartland. Many of them were alcoholic, which makes sense, since they didn't usually have refrigeration as we do now. So, if they had made a nice big batch of juice and left it on the counter for a few days, it would have started to ferment also. Especially since they were making their own yeast or sourdough breads, so the environment would be full of yeastie beasties ready to jump into anything sugary and do what they do.

 

[big brown horse]

Tell us how it turns out!

 

[FarmerDenise]

You bet! That's half the fun...sharing on here with friends.

 

[freemotion]

My parents used to make "baloon" wine, by putting the ingredients into a gallon bottle and putting a heavy balloon on top, the kind that you put helium into. Air will ruin the wine, and the balloon gives the gasses created by the fermenting a place to go without letting air in. They would check it and carefully release the gas periodically, before the balloon took off by itself, ruining the wine.

I have no idea of the details, but I'd get that plum juice into a big bottle with a balloon real quick and I'd bet you'll have wine!

You could use the bucket if you know how to make a valve for the top. I vaguely remember my dad making a valve with a pill bottle, some water and a marble, maybe? I was a kid, but it was cool. I don't remember if it worked! Someone here is much more clever than I am, and hopefully will jump in....

 

[Dace]

It is called an air lock...it allows air to escape but does not let any air in. Here are a couple links.

http://www.winepress.us/forums/index.php?showtopic=16956

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoytGtwgHrA

http://www.ehow.com/how_2218627_make-an-airlock.html

I did not read these really well so you may want to google homemade airlock

 

[FarmerDenise]

Thanks Free. I have it in a gallon mayo jar with a plastic lid loosely sitting on top. But I like your bottle and balloon idea better.
We have winery supply stores near us. I should just go and see what they have to offer. I can get the correct yeast there too. I just prefer to "make do". It's kinda fun that way and I don't have to get into my car and drive somewhere.