While the drought continued outside, and the search for a new home continued, I made the best of things. I'll even get to teach you something again today for a change: fermented carrots and sauerkraut. We'll return to the garden in the next one.

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Before we head to the kitchen, let me quickly show you the little bit of gardening i get to enjoy. yes, herbs are exciting now. i also chopped off the plants in the window sill planters. the roots stay in the soil. a cilantro plant volunteered there, too.

i also chopped and dropped all of the lettuce in the second planter--and accidentally killed another volunteer cilantro. the lettuce will regrow fresh leaves. two of the radishes were left to go to seed. as soon as the temperatures picked up a bit, i interplanted beans, more lettuce, and nasturtium.

this is a miniature of no-dig gardening. we'll talk a lot more about this in the future. we'll talk a lot more about that when I have a garden again. but the basic idea is this:

in fall, you leave the plants in the ground. when you want to replant, you chop the plants off at the base. some things regrow when you do this. lettuce, for example. for the rest, the roots die and add organic matter. the plant matter stays on the bed as mulch. and then you just plant in between.

i'll explain that in a lot more detail soon. i'm in the middle of my thesis on regenerative growing after all. For now, let's talk about these carrots you've been watching me peel and chop.

![Kate sits at a wooden kitchen table and slices cabbage. Her small dog Pepper is visible in the background on the floor, clearly hoping for falling treats.(thumb.jpg)

Fermented carrots are one of the easiest things to attempt if you want to give fermentation a try. Peel the carrots. Save the peels for vegetable stock or as a treat for your dog. Slice them into sticks.

Don't mind my struggles with the knife. My fingers have been bad lately. Chopping takes a little longer, needs a little more caution. I have to strengthen my entire body. It takes time. Without the garden nearby, I get a lot more exercise during the day, so I have to consciously train.

My carrot sticks were a tiny bit too long to stand them upright, so I just stuffed them into jars. And no, they are not all the same size.

Everyone keeps going on about even chopping. In The Nordic Cookbook, the author has a different take: Instead of everything being even, some variety might actually add to your experience. Some bites will be slighty firmer, others softer. Variety. I much prefer that to the monotony of perfection. It also means I get an excuse for going a little easier on myself. That's always good.

Once the carrots were in the jars, I chopped up the cabbage that had started the whole decision process to ferment.

This kitchen is crammed. Having to sacrifice shelf space for fermentation kept me from doing this sooner. Quite a few projects are waiting for us to finally move again. I might need to cave and make cheese soon. The rennet is nearing the expiration date. No way am I wasting that.

The second head of cabbage put up quite the fight. I am happy to report I won.

To make it easier on my fingers, I quartered the cabbage for shorter slices afterward. I'm not sure it actually helped. But before long, the cabbage was sliced and ready for krauting.

The process is very similar to the carrots, in general. Chop to the desired size and shape. Add salt and water. Wait. Enjoy. Gotta love fermentation.

I usually use the scale, as it's much easier and accurate than measuring by volume. Aim for 2-2.5% salt by weight. So, for 100 grams of cabbage, you'd use 2-2.5 grams of salt. I use the same ratio for carrots. So if I've got 100 grams of carrot, I add 2-2.5 grams of salt. Try to use a salt without additives. Try to use water without chlorine. Don't overthink it. Do not, however, skip the salt. It's important for the fermentation process. With cabbage, I find it easier to add the salt in a large bowl and mix well. Take your bowl off the scale before you do any kind of mixing. Pressure can kill your scales.

I'd actually remembered to reserve two leaves of cabbage to keep the smaller pieces down. You don't want pieces floating to the top. Everything should be below the waterline. Use a glass weight or very clean rock if needed to keep things submerged.

Speaking of clean: Fermentation is one of those processes that like things rather clean. Clean jars, clean seals, clean hands. I rinse the jars with hot water. The seals get a vinegar soak. Label your jars with the date--and if there's any doubt, the contents. And then wait.

Time is the most important ingredient. You can try the result after a few days when things begin to bubble. Beyond that, it's up to you. I eat the carrots after 1-2 weeks, the sauerkrauft after 1-4 weeks. But really, it's all up to you.

Depending on your jars, don't forget to burb them daily. Fermentation creates gas. Gas creates pressure.

If you've been wondering about the background all video, I was melting wax to pour candles, and to fix a failed print: A planter had warped a bit and wasn't water-tight, so I sealed it with wax.

Leftover cabbage, by the way, makes an excellent addition to pasta. Raw or once it's been krauted, it's delicious either way. Don't limit yourself to potatoes here.

So long, and thanks for being here.