Thank you to the ladies for all the nice eggs they lay for us! And we are so relieved to find egg cartons for sale again, but please continue to bring back any unsoiled ones for us to use again!
It’s a hot week for sure, we are trying to get things done early in the day and late in the evening and catch up on indoor things in the real heat of the day. It’s hard when it’s already 100 by 10 am! The cows are not moving back and forth to pasture, it was too hard on them and they began to drop weight. So we have set them up here with some great fermented hay (it is so much better for them than dry hay and they love it). So they have a rest from their normal commute until we see a break in the heat.
The other animals are doing well and seeking shade. The puppies are growing so fast! The baby turkey poults will arrive starting this week. It’s way to hot to think about Thanksgiving, but I’m thankful they are coming! We hope you are enjoying the change into summer veggies, even if you aren’t enjoying the heat! We are so grateful for you all and we enjoy sharing our farm and food with you so much!
Ever wanted to try fermenting, but are scared? Here is a super simple method for fermenting garlic! Give it a try!
FERMENTED GARLIC
Fermented garlic has many health benefits and is a great way to preserve garlic that you grow or even buy locally in a way that will last for many months. Fermented garlic also obtains an intense and enhanced flavoring that makes it excellent for culinary use. The brine from the fermented garlic can be used in culinary dishes.
Some studies have shown that fermenting garlic dramatically increases its health promoting properties and its bioavailability. As with most fermented foods, the nutrients in fermented garlic are easier for the body to digest and assimilate.
Ingredients
garlic cloves, peeled
sea salt
water (filtered water or well water - make sure it does not contain chlorine)
glass jar (sterilized)
fermenting lid
Directions
Place your peeled garlic cloves in a glass canning jar. Fill the jar up to 3/4 full with the peeled garlic.
Mix a ratio of 1 Tablespoon of Sea Salt or Kosher Salt to 1 cup of water. Stir until the salt dissolves into the water.
Make enough brine to cover the peeled garlic and fill the jar leaving a 1/2 inch air gap at the top of the glass jar for rising and bubbling of liquid that happens during fermentation.
It is important to keep your garlic submerged in the salt water at all times or it may spoil. Fortunately, garlic cloves usually sink. If you have trouble keeping the garlic under the water, you will need to weight it down with a fermenting weight.
Cover glass jar with fermenting lid and let ferment for 1-4 weeks (until desired intensity of flavor)
Then remove the fermenting lid and weight (if used) and replace with a canning jar lid and refrigerate. It will continue to slowly ferment in the refrigerator, but very slowly. The taste does get a little stronger though as time goes on.
Also, the brine and the garlic darken (slightly orangish brown) over time. The flavors deepen and become more intense and it is fine to use. Fermented garlic stored in the refrigerator will last up to two years.
Blessings,
The Bakers