VeganMoFo #1: Sauerkraut

A couple of years ago I read Radical Homemakers. I remember enjoying the book, but I wasn’t at the right place in my life for it to be fully applicable. Now, though, as I read it a second time for a book group, I’m inspired. I’m ready to jump off the hamster wheel and be resourceful. I want to produce more and consume less.

I’m starting small. Each day I choose one thing that will put me on the right path toward my dream homesteady life on a little farm sanctuary somewhere that’s green. And it’s been great so far. I’m learning. I’m making things. I’m reuniting with my long-lost creativity.

One of my latest projects is to keep a tally of items I buy regularly at the grocery store and attempt, one by one, to make them myself. I want to try each thing once. If I determine that the energy put into making it is not worth it, well, then, I’ll let someone else make it and buy convenience with dollars. No pressure. But if I have fun doing it and want to do it again and again and again? Awesome!

First up, and probably easiest on my list, was sauerkraut. I’m a fan of Bubbie’s brand, which goes for $5.49 at Whole Foods. When it’s on sale. For $6.00 I bought two huge, heavy cabbages at the neighborhood farmer’s market, and that made four jars, each double the size of those bought at the store. That’s a lot of fresh ‘kraut.

All I had to do was chop the cabbages up into thin shreds, sprinkle on some salt, mash it all down into a clean container with a potato masher, cover it, and wait a week. Simple!

We have a winter’s supply for making mac & shews and reubens. I don’t think I’ll be buying sauerkraut again. And next time I’ll even grow my own cabbages to up my homesteader points.