Much time has passed since writing and thinking about the scythe. Camp Pleasant has been busy, fun, and transforming. Adam and Berea threw a work party and broke ground on a cabin. Sean built a sleeping platform out of an old barn, bamboo, and rope. The chickens got moved, gardens continue to be built, and we started catching and drinking rainwater. Last to note, we all joined with friends for a vision retreat to hash out our ideas for land-based community near Frankfort.
And for the blog, I take us back around to cabbage and sauerkraut. What can I say? I love it.
The cabbage was ready. The pathways of white clover and oats filled in nicely and kept weeds down. Looking back, the cabbage could have used a bit more space between it and the grass/clover mix. At the left side of the above picture you see buckwheat that has flowered and is now setting seed. We harvested the cabbage patch and will use the mature buckwheat to cover crop the beds where the cabbage plants were.
A friend and organic farmer brought us around 500 pounds of cabbage, and all together we had around 900 pounds to process into kraut. In the kitchen, it seemed a little overwhelming.
First step: slice the heads and cut out the cores.
Secondly, shred it.
This is the workhorse of the operation: a fancy industrial shredder in the University of Kentucky's Bath County Cooperative Extension's processing kitchen. And that is Melissa, who helped the first day of processing, to make 35 gallons of kraut.
Third, add salt and caraway.
Step four: pound it! Mix it! Pound it! Feel the kraut. Be the kraut. Make the kraut.
Step Five: call your friends and tell them you are about to process a bunch of kraut, and that it is a totally exciting thing to do.
The Camp Pleasant Kraut Crew: Adam, Sean, Melissa, and Berea. On the second day of processing, we filled that big blue 55 gallon, and felt good for doing it. Here, we are ready to celebrate with pizza and beer. Sean did not take off his apron for the rest of the evening. Being a kitchen worker is probably the coolest thing, next to farming, if you ask me.
And for the blog, I take us back around to cabbage and sauerkraut. What can I say? I love it.
The cabbage was ready. The pathways of white clover and oats filled in nicely and kept weeds down. Looking back, the cabbage could have used a bit more space between it and the grass/clover mix. At the left side of the above picture you see buckwheat that has flowered and is now setting seed. We harvested the cabbage patch and will use the mature buckwheat to cover crop the beds where the cabbage plants were.
A friend and organic farmer brought us around 500 pounds of cabbage, and all together we had around 900 pounds to process into kraut. In the kitchen, it seemed a little overwhelming.
First step: slice the heads and cut out the cores.
Secondly, shred it.
This is the workhorse of the operation: a fancy industrial shredder in the University of Kentucky's Bath County Cooperative Extension's processing kitchen. And that is Melissa, who helped the first day of processing, to make 35 gallons of kraut.
Third, add salt and caraway.
Step four: pound it! Mix it! Pound it! Feel the kraut. Be the kraut. Make the kraut.
Step Five: call your friends and tell them you are about to process a bunch of kraut, and that it is a totally exciting thing to do.
The Camp Pleasant Kraut Crew: Adam, Sean, Melissa, and Berea. On the second day of processing, we filled that big blue 55 gallon, and felt good for doing it. Here, we are ready to celebrate with pizza and beer. Sean did not take off his apron for the rest of the evening. Being a kitchen worker is probably the coolest thing, next to farming, if you ask me.
