They will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit.
December 1, 2025. This was a bit later than I wanted it to be. The cider was set down in primary fermentation on 11/17 and it smelled about perfect last Friday, but on Saturday we were too busy building the fence to attend to it then. By Sunday afternoon it was starting to develop some… Continue reading Hard Cider: Batch 2, Rack 1.
Just another normal Monday at the house/farm/homeschool. Bread is in the oven. The dibbuns made the two smaller ones. Critters are doing their school. Let's check on our science experiment... So, there was a bit of a complication with the last batch of hard cider. After we transferred it to secondary fermentation, a day later… Continue reading Hard Cider, batch two
Yesterday was day 17 of the hard cider experiment. According to the "Brew Book." Which is gleen, in fact, not brue, but it works. I have been keeping meticulous notes in an old school note book. On the way back south after a National Guard day (long story) I stopped by our local home brew… Continue reading Hardening the Cider: Secondary Fermentation.
Our first batch of hard cider has been bubbling merrily away in the closet since Oct 27. Monday, Nov 3, (one week later) I pulled the jug out to have a look at it. The scummy froth on top has dispersed, and the movements of the air lock had slowed considerably. It is now bobbing… Continue reading Hard Cider Update
The last time we made sauerkraut, we kept some of it in the kimchi fridge after it had fermented, because I didn't want to have two jars of sauerkraut in the regular fridge, where space is at a premium. Unfortunately, since it has been in the fridge for several weeks now, when we took it… Continue reading Sauerkraut fail and new batch
What do you do when life hands you 100 gallons of cider? You make hard cider, of course. When I told the kids I was making hard cider they asked how you harden cider. So the process is now known as "hardening." The first step is cleaning and sterilizing our equipment. If we have learned… Continue reading Hardening the Cider
Tuesday, 9/30/2025 We pulled the sauerkraut that has been fermenting in the basement for the last 19 days. The temperature in the basement is cooling down as the weather outside cools. It is now about 64 degrees ambient temperature. The jar on the right is a special case. This was a jar of red cabbage… Continue reading Green Sauerkraut Taste Test
And other shenanigans. By Ellie Belle. (Translated and with editorial notes by Daddy.) evie is bring home eggs and cabbage ewwww!! the cabbage is foll of afedes (The cabbage is full of aphids. Dusty little gray bits that infest the spaces between leaves). the cabbageis roten (The cabbage is not actually rotten, just infested). we… Continue reading Happy Birthday, Winnie!
We have been talking extensively about the modern western economic system in Men's Group recently. Suffice it to say we have a few critiques. I thought about sharpening up my pitchfork, but decided to make sauerkraut and read "Cathonomics" instead. Man invented usury, but God gives for free. I wonder if we can make wine… Continue reading Lord’s Day Dinner: Man Style
Two weeks ago we made sauerkraut. Since then, we have been having... learning experiences. The kimchi fridge wants to store the ferments, not ferment them. To keep it at a fermenting temperature I would have to check on it every day, which we just don't have time to do. The temperature in the basement is… Continue reading Fermenting Fumbles and Fails.
Little Farm in the Big City 