Fermentation is Preservation

Fermentation of vegetables likely began as part of the process of preserving food before refrigeration. By consuming fermented foods, you are also preserving your and your family’s health for little cost or effort. As sovereign health seekers, fermenting is a great tool to have in our communities, and when we have excess vegetables in the garden.

Many cultures have some kind of fermented, salty, or sour food. The body has a natural affinity for sour flavors and the probiotic bacteria present in lacto-fermentation. I will go over the basic recipe to ferment vegetables like cabbage, carrots, and radishes to make recipes like Sauerkraut and Kimchi. Fermented foods are alkaline, render the nutrition in vegetables more viable, and the probiotics support the gut microbiome, thus enhancing digestion and immune function.

My parents began organic farming and fermenting in the 1970s. I currently help them retail fermented foods in the Northeast United States.