So as a general written guide: On the first day, start with around 1/4 cup fruit, 1 Tbl sugar, and enough water to cover the fruit by a bit. Add add a tsp sugar and a little more water once or twice more throughout the first day. From the second day on add a Tbl sugar and a little water once a day, everyday until the jar is full. Add a little more fruit on the second or third day. Keep covered on the counter. Should be good and bubbly by day 3-5. If the starter is not active before the jar is full, just add the sugar daily. Once active and full, put the jar in the fridge. When you want to use it, pull it out a while beforehand to warm up a little. Use 1/4 cup of starter to every quart of thing you’re trying to ferment. Feed starter to top it off. Use/feed at least once a month or so. Is that about the jist of it?
Yep, though I have recently figured out, you do not need to add a little fruit and water each day, you can simply add however much fruit you want and fill up with water most of the right from the start and just feed it a bit each day until it is bubbly.
Gosh Heidi im learning so much from you i cant keep up but having a good time with it! Your so sweet and patient giving out all this great quality info. It s wonderful at my age (66) to be so productive and independent from products at the store😉
This is the greatest thing ever! Haha! I made blueberry ginger soda a week ago and it was fantastic. I have several things brewing now. Thank you! So good.
I made a yeast water from garlic & honey and used it to ferment parsnips. Then I use fizzy parsnip water to start my root beer.. Possibilities are endless.. :)
hii, i watched many youtube fermentation video.. you guys all use sugar and food for the bacteria... my grandma applies salt on the whole leafy vege... bruise the vege a bit by apply salt all over it..and squeeze the vege into large mouth jar until no bubble of air pocket in between. hence i believe it is anaerobic fermentation at salty environment. but you guys uses sugar... i wonder if the fermentation culture of your sweet loving bacteria is same as my grandma's salt environment bacterial the same or not.. i failed miserably trying to imitate my grandma.. the vege turn funky smell.. instead of delightful sour smell. your advice and experience will be appreciated. thx andrew
What a great tip, to use our ferments as the yeast in making our breads! It feels so awesome to get away from commercial products, financially and health wise. This is getting in touch with our ancestors natural way of eating and living, something I'm really getting into, thank you so much!
A word of warning - I wanted to make the starter with raisins. We bought raisins from the store and without a second thought I started the starter. The next day I went to add water and sugar when I noticed a film on top, which confused me. That's when I checked the raisin package. The raisins had been coated in sunflower oil. I was sickened when I read that. So I did some research. Some brands of raisins are coated in oils to prevent them from sticking to each other. While I learned something new, I'm pretty upset (but not surprised) at what levels some companies will go to to make money.
Also, I've noticed with the oil on raisins and cranberries lately, in the stores in the bulk Barn, where I purchase these things. Thanks again 🤔👩🌾for sharing what you learned to apply!
Day five for me, using raisins, blueberries, and grated ginger with peel. Been adding sugar, but not really bubbly yet. Tastes great! Hoping it will be fizzy soon, I have garlic, carrots and cauliflower to ferment! My vinegar will be 4 weeks this weekend.
Thank you for sharing. Im receiving soo much from your videos. I love experimenting with different foods and herbs. I’ll be fermenting tomorrow. March 26/21
Since I found your channel I’ve learned so much. I do recycling, food preservation and as much organic cooking as possible. I was gifted 3 quarts of honey, how should I store to keep good.
Honey has an indefinite shelf life so you can store it pretty much anywhere. I just recommend in a cool, dry area. It can crystallize over time but nothing that a bit of gentle heating cannot fix, just do not overheat it or you will kill the natural benefits
I'll be heading to your ferment starter. I have been making wine for a year now but do not like all the additives the recipes require. Heading to part 2. 😉
Heidi, I have 2.5 quarts of salsa fermenting using about a quarter cup of blackberry fermentation starter I made late last week, as you recommend in your video. That stuff works great. After 2 days those jars are really active with loads of fermentation going on.
So you're able to use this fermentation starter in place of salt? I just wanting to make sure this is the case. I know people use whey to start fermenting fruit so this is used the same way but with vegetables, wine, or anything fermenting? This would be great as I'm dealing with high blood pressure I'm trying to control naturally.
I rarely have a problem with ferments, but I have never made the starter that you made homemade soda pop with. Sounded wonderful and I wanted to try it. I started it a week ago. Then a new job popped up and I've been doing 12 hour days. Every other day I rushed around after dark stirring and checking things, half an eye on my notes. Yesterday evening I thought this is bubbly, is it done. Is this TOO bubbly? Checked my notes and realized how long it had been going and how many stirs and feeds I had done! Thank goodness I only did a pint! I have a supper happy, very boozy jar of strawberry... something...🤣 Any suggestions? Can I just let it go on longer undisturbed and it make a vinegar? Surely someone has blooped like this except me. I hate to waste it.
Sounds healthy enough, you can simply store in the fridge as is and not have to feed and stir daily, only once a week or so. Yes, if you left it alone and covered only with a cloth, it will turn to vinegar in a 2-4 weeks
@@RainCountryHomestead Country Life Natural Foods is where I order my organic figs and a lot of other organic products, like organic oatmeal $25 for 25 lbs, www.clnf.org If you buy $400 or more it is free delivery, or there might be a local group you can order with, you call the company and ask.
At the beginning of the video you showed how you froze your eggs. What kind of bags did you use? I love how the labels are on top and pull out... I love all your videos. My days start with one of your videos
Thank you sweetie... That is great that you can use fermention like that to be more self sufficient.. Not count on stores..I just bought raspberries from a local farm.. I'm going to try that ! Are you going to be in Albany this weekend ?
This is a fantastic video thank you! Does the fruit stay good indefinitely in the ferment? Do you ever strain the fruit out or is there a time to pitch it and start fresh? How long can you keep one ferment going?
I have kept them going for a year with the same fruit but I do like to add fresh fruit from time to time. Even after a year, they were still active, I just like to start fresh from time to time.
the rubber stoppers you use are no longer available. do the stoppers create a tight seal? so my kombucha could f-2 in jugs with rubber stoppers? how about another kind of air tight lid for the jugs.... do u have a reccomendarion?
Firstly thank you for sharing all that you do, of all the YTers that I follow you may be the only one to know the possibility of a question I have. There are multiple ways of getting soy (or bean) milk to curdle for tofu, one being the use of whey. Would a ferment such as one of these or a grain be a curdling agent? If I recall ferment and whey are both lactic acid(?). I don't want a sour tofu (or I'd use citrus), and as nigiri and gypsum aren't sustainably, long term prep items and dairy isn't a part of my diet I was wondering about the feasibility of a fermentation liquid.
. This could work, however, when making cheese from milk, a strong vinegar is what is needed to properly curdle the milk and I am not sure this would work that same way as it is not as strong as vinegar. However, most things that whey can be used in, this can be used as a replacement but I am doubting it will work well for curdling
years ago I made tofu starting with soybeans, and I used Kosher salt to curdle the soymilk that I made - the spruceeats website has a similar recipe to what I remember making
Interesting. I throw 3 or 5 organic raisins into any starter I make. I started doing that with ginger bug because they do carry a lot of yeast. I've even made sourdough with the help of wild grape leaves from my son's backyard. As for water - while it's not idea i use tap water that has sat overnight with a stick of bamboo charcoal in it. It works, and is convient as well as inexpencive.
There you go! Before getting our own rainwater and filter system set up, I used to just allow the water to sit for a few days in a jug with just a cloth over it to allow the chlorine to evaporate out
Started a couple pint jars of dehydrated fruit blends ferment starter. This is day two and don't see any bubbling yet on a 90 degree kitchen counter. Used coconut and sucanat sugar blend in filtered rain water. Wonder if to much sugar was put in on day one and slowed the process? Would it help to place the pint contents in a quart jar and dilute more with filtered rain water? Blessings
You have to have sugar for the ferment but you can up the amount of fruit used to increase the sugar that way. Stevia is not a good substitute for sugar in this case, bacteria and yeast feed off sugar (which can also be in the form of honey) and turn it to alcohol which gives it its fizz.
Hi. I was wondering if I could use dehydrated ginger or does it have to be fresh? I have a huge bag of dehydrated ginger. Would love to use it if you think it would work. Or I could just experiment. Lol
The alcohol content will increase if left alone but will never get very strong, more sugar is needed for that to happen. I do use them as a starter for making wine though and will have videos coming out soon on that
It may be best to start a new one but you can also try adding more sugar to it to see if it gets it lively again. It will still have a wine flavor to it but you want it active and bubbly. Making sure it is alive is what is important.
I'd like to try making a blueberry starter. Would I use 1/4 c berries in a pint jar? Or 1/2 c berries? Looking for the grand total & what of that is added on day 1. Can I use frozen if I thaw them first?
You can try frozen but sometimes they do not work as well as fresh or dried. The total amount of fruit does not need to be exact, it can be 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup, even more, but you want to make sure you leave plenty of space for the liquid to use as needed
So when you get your fruit starter active and bubbly, and once you are storing it in the fridge, do you ever add any more fruit when feeding it? You If so , How often? You only mentioned water and sugar. Also, how long can you keep the fruit starter going strong before you need to start a new one?
I thought I had covered that in this video but it was awhile ago I made it and know I talked about it in other videos as well. Mostly, you just need to keep feeding it, refreshing the fruit from time to time is a good idea. I do it about once or twice a year.
@@RainCountryHomestead No one else talks about feeding it after it's made. Now, i have to rethink my whole process. It's a good thing I'm new to this. LOL Again, thanks for helping us all out.
Any of these will work but a ginger bug can add a nice flavor to vegetables. I have even used dandelion and red clover to make starter then made kimchi from that: ua-cam.com/video/dlc551xJGqk/v-deo.html
Just starting - I have frozen mushed raspberries and I have organic raisins - and some frozen peach pulp - for the first time which do you think??? So hopeful - my daughter loves Kimchi!
Geez, I didn't know you could feed it after it was already vinegar. I have one that's just awful sour. I told my husband I might just throw that one out, but now, I'm reconsidering. TY*
Great video. Thanks for the valuable info. I have two questions, 1. When you use the fermentation starter to make your fermented veggies, will the fermented vegatables taste sugary since you use organic cane sugar to make the fermentation starter, and 2. If a person has yeast overgrowth in their body, wont the cane sugar exacerbate the problem?
Great questions Ed! No on both counts because the sugar is mostly digested by the bacteria and yeast present. Also, when using to ferment anything, it is a small ratio so any flavor and sugar it does have is very much diluted
@@RainCountryHomestead great, thanks for answering my questions and im glad your in christ, he is the way, the truth and the life and no one will ever see eternal life apart from belief in him as God in human flesh, his death on the cross and bodily resurrection from the dead. So thank you for the scriptures. Christ is Lord!
I'm fermenting some blackberries right now i got from my sisters place following your method. Trying to make my own healthy drink and getting away from the store bought soda. also making my own kombucha, from scratch! Seems to be going well, can't wait for the results!! Thanks for the inspiration!
Would the Brita filtered tap water ok to use in the starter? That’s what we drink at home. From other comments I read: can u use the water from the dehumidifier??!! ❤️🙏
I must have missed the comment on the dehumidifier but I would not do it because it is pulling that water from the air that could be loaded with other toxins. I do not know enough about Brita to know if it filters out chlorine - this is the most important thing because chlorine can kill the active cultures. I also do not believe Brita's filter out fluoride as you have to have a special filter for that. If it does not say anything about filtering fluoride, then it doesn't. Fluoride will not effect the fermentation but it is a toxin that needs to be avoided for over all health, especially if you have any thyroid issues. That is the main reason we do not consume our city water and one way we were able to take ourselves off the medications several years ago. However, you may be one of those who is blessed to have a city that does not fluoridate like ours does.
I got wild blackberries and red raspberries that I picked so I'm going to try both. Do you keep the old berries in or strain them out and replace with fresh after it ferments? Thank you for this video. Right now I have two sourdough starters, a 1/2 gallon of red cabbage,red beets with ginger and carrots with ginger ( from watching Doug and Stacy) ferments in the fridge. I'm going to have a full fridge with ferments. Love it! I can't wait to try this ferment for the veggies and the bread!!!
I only recently strained out the old berries from that blackberry starter I got going back in August of 2016 and added "fresh" ones I got out of my freezer. I always keep berries in them at all times, I just like to change them out now and them
Thank you. I went out to pick some blackberries to freeze and something beat me to them. I'm glad that I don't have to worry about changing berries for a while. Maybe I'll find some that the bear missed in another spot. :)
You can but an ononin fermentation starter would not taste in making a fermented natural soda or wine. It would be fine for using to ferment vegetables such as in the form of kimchi.
@@RainCountryHomestead Hi Rain, In your previous fermentation starter video, you said that when making the starter, you leave the lid loose enough to let gases escape, so now I'm confused. Do you leave it loose or screw the lid on tight?
Amy Avila I don’t wrench it down as tight as I do when canning but do not leave it too loose either. I should have been more clear. If you tighten it down then you need to loosen the lid once a day to relieve pressure. Once it is ready (very fizzy) I put the lids on tight and store in the fridge, at which point there is no need to daily relieve pressure
Usually not but sometimes it will depend on what you used to create your starter and what you are using it in. Sometimes a bit of flavor can carry over but it is rare
I was wondering the same thing, I have a few starters ready and I'm waiting on a batch of kombuchatea. I think I will try making a quart with just fermentation starter just to see how it goes. I also have fresh fruit for the rest. Just playing around with new flavors.
Yes, you can use any herb, never tried vegetables but they should work too. I currently have a starter I made last year from red clover and dandelion. Yogurt needs its own special culture but you can do that by simply using some yogurt from a previous batch to get more going, I used to do this a lot.
Hello there. can you please, tell me why a fruit ferment is used as a starter to ferment vegetables and not use the brine that has already been used on a previous vegetable ferment of the same kind? Regards Adrian.
This is given as an option to the salt brine ferment. I have used a salt brine for year for vegetables but decided to try using this starter for many things to see if it would work. Some people cannot have that much salt and may prefer this method. It is really a matter of choice.
How do you use these fermented foods? Do you just eat them as a probiotic or do something special with them? I would love suggestions for the vegetables and the fruit.
This will probably sound like a silly question; I wanna make sure I get it right lol. So, the difference between a fermentation starter and vinegar is that you keep feeding the fermentation starter? Do you ever end up making the fermentation starter into vinegar, or is it past that point? I'm excited about making the kimchi with the raisin starter. I mentioned it my brother, who restricts his salt intake, and he's excited to try it! I also began growing ginger this year-I can also use my ginger bug (when I make it), right? Thank you for researching and experimenting different ways to do all this stuff!
A starter can eventually turn to vinegar if not fed sugar occasionally and if allowed exposure to oxygen but if it kept tightly sealed, it is more likely to turn to wine. In order for a ferment to turn to vinegar, it needs exposure to oxygen. Yes, a ginger bug is the same thing only made with ginger.
I've always just added my fruit, sugar and water left a couple inches from bottom of rim to be able to feed and its worked good. Should I just keep doing it my way? Been doing it like that for years. Just started doing it with about 1/4 cup kefir when starting ferment this year.
Do what works, no need to change it. In fact, I have been thinking of trying it that very way instead of adding more water and fruit for the first few days, just the sugar. Right now I am experimenting with raw honey as there is a question whether it will work or not because of its natural antibacterial properties. However, I used to make honey wine with raw honey and it fermented just fine. So far, my starter is looking good!
Momma rain, going through my cabinets I have a question. Can I use prunes for a fermentation starter? I want to try making this, but I don't want to purchase much just yet (want to work with what I have)
Another quick question. I make homemade wines, that I usually use brewer's yeast. The main reason I wanted to try the fermentation starter (I may later try it with other things) is to try in the wines instead of brewer's yeast. Can you tell me if this will be a suitable substitute?
Absolutely! When I first got into making these it was for the purpose of making mead and I used this for that and it worked beautifully. I stopped drinking years ago but recently got back into wine making for medicinal purposes (I will have a video coming out on that in the future) and used one of my starters to make an apple wine that just recently finished up. Just waiting for my hydrometer to come in so I can finally see just how strong my wines really are. I know the mead I made was pretty powerful for a wine. My guess was it was bout 15% alcohol in only 30 days brewing time using the starter. It is one cup of starter for each gallon you are making.
Thank you for letting me know how much to use. I made wine for the holidays ((using brewer's yeast), and while I don't know what the alcohol content was, one glass was all each person needed (it made you tipsy ). Can't wait to try it with the fermentation starter. Hope to see your video on the Apple wine (what medical benefits are there) soon. ☺
My fermentation starters are doing great, thanks to you! Does this have natural probiotics? I made "soda" with fresh cherry juice and it is heavenly! Does this starter make it a probiotic "soda?"
Yes, it should have natural probiotics, and yes, it makes a natural soda, I have several videos showing how to use it to make various natural sodas with juice or even a fermented fruit smoothie
@@RainCountryHomestead Perfect. Thank you so much. I've only been enjoying these fermented fruits and juices a few days but have noticed HUGE improvement in my digestion. Though I'm not overweight, I'm less bloated around the middle, too!
Hello and thank you for your very informative videos. I am a little confused though because I thought fermenting was all about lactic acid types of bacteria, whereas these fruit ferments are yeast based. Am I correct or is this an over simplification? I can appreciate this will make yummy sodas , but when we are wanting to ingest probiotics my understanding is that is the bacteria we want, and we want to minimize yeasts from a gut health perspective?
I actually have not been posting on steemit for awhile, as my time has been becoming ever more precious, I have had to focus my attention on other things. It is a great platform in some ways but not as much in others. Thanks for the binge watching! haha
I'm sorry if this has already been covered. but how does this affect the sugar content in the finished product ? I ferment using salt, I have a family member with diabetes.
It will depend on how long you allow it to ferment. Sugar is digested by the bacteria and yeast and turned into something more healthy. The longer it is allowed to ferment, the lower the sugar content, but you do not want it to sit too long or it can turn to wine, then vinegar, then your culture will die. Plus, when using only 1/4 per 1 quart jar, the sugar content should be nearly non existent
I will need you to rephrase this question so I can better understand it without me having to watch this old video again to see what I said (I really do not have time to do that)
Oh I am sorry, I am talking about the fermentation starter, you were making and you said you had to add more water and sugar. So I was wondering when add more water to it; would that be about 1/8 of a cup. I hope you.
Ok, I am going to assume you mean each time I add water. As you can see in the video, I do not measure so it could be as little as an 1/8 cup but likely closer to a 1/4 cup. The amount is really irrelevant and in fact, you can make this by simply adding all the water, fruit, and sugar at once and allow it to sit for a few days but I would still recommend checking and stirring it daily if you do it this way until it is fully fizzy.
They might work but I cannot guarantee it. Seems that with some fruits, something happens to the yeast present in the fruit that prevent it from getting very lively, if at all. I recommend sticking to fresh fruits. However, you could certainly try making a small amount say in a half pint jar and see what it does, really no great loss if it does not work.
If I wanted to do an added sugar-free fermentation starter do you think I could just start with raisins and water and feed it with more raisins and water?
Apologies if I am asking a question that might have already been asked as I have not gone through all 100+ comments. Just wondering if by adding this fermentation starter will in any way this contribute to an alcohol content in the vegetables fermentation after 3-4 days or later down the line?
There will be a very small amount of alcohol but nothing to be concerned with. Now when fermenting fruits and juices (anything with a higher sugar content) the alcohol content will be a bit higher and will increase the longer it sits even in the fridge so I recommend it gets consumed within 1-3 days after the fermentation process is finished. I hope that helps!
I explain what I use it for at 10:38 and I also have quite a view videos showing how I use it, you can do a search on my channel for "fermentation" and you should find the videos and I also have a playlist ua-cam.com/video/mCPiWtq92ts/v-deo.html
As long as you feed them a little sugar on occasion (about a Tablespoon once a month) it will last indefinitely. I have had the same blueberry one I made in this video and that was a year ago. I only just changed out the berries in it.
I live along the coast in southern Louisiana (my house stays a fairly constant 76 degrees) and I began my first batch of starter using fresh store bought ginger (unpeeled and finely chopped) one week ago...i fed it twice the first day then once a day each day afterward. I could tell it was fermenting by the smell, but it never became “fizzy” either by sight or sound. After day six I used it to make kimchi using your directions. After sitting out on the counter for 24 hours, still no fizz and certainly no threat of running over. I want to start fermenting with the fruit starter because I don’t enjoy the taste of heavily salted foods. If starter doesn’t (or never does) “fizz”, is it good to use...and safe?
I have used some frozen fruit and it did fine for me. I cannot guarantee it all will, it may depend on the fruit you use, but I think it should not be a problem
Yes, it is a fruit but I would not use it for making a starter. However, it does not have to be fruit, it can be herbs or vegetables but you still need sugar. Here is a more in depth video on the starter: ua-cam.com/video/gY6MaXCLSC8/v-deo.html
Ok...I have some golden raisins I'd like to try this..so should I start with 1/4 cup of raisins and no sugar? I'm gonna be so nurvous...lol...just started fermenting veggies last summer and loving it, despite the one time my radishes molded 🙄...yes, seven pints of them. I buy yeast from a local Amish market I love. I didn't realize you could do your own starters for bread (except sour dough)! How much of your starters do you use when doing your vegtable ferments? Goodness, now I have so many questions...lol
You will still want to add some sugar along the way because the yeasts will feed on the sugar in the raisins and once they are used up, it will turn to vinegar if not fed. I always use 1/4 cup of the liquid to every quart of whatever I am fermenting.
I do not know what chemicals are being used in water softeners these days. If it is just salt, it should be fine, but it is still important to make sure you are filtering out excess minerals
So as a general written guide:
On the first day, start with around 1/4 cup fruit, 1 Tbl sugar, and enough water to cover the fruit by a bit. Add add a tsp sugar and a little more water once or twice more throughout the first day. From the second day on add a Tbl sugar and a little water once a day, everyday until the jar is full. Add a little more fruit on the second or third day. Keep covered on the counter. Should be good and bubbly by day 3-5. If the starter is not active before the jar is full, just add the sugar daily. Once active and full, put the jar in the fridge. When you want to use it, pull it out a while beforehand to warm up a little. Use 1/4 cup of starter to every quart of thing you’re trying to ferment. Feed starter to top it off. Use/feed at least once a month or so.
Is that about the jist of it?
Yep, though I have recently figured out, you do not need to add a little fruit and water each day, you can simply add however much fruit you want and fill up with water most of the right from the start and just feed it a bit each day until it is bubbly.
@@RainCountryHomestead
So fill with the total amount of fruit (say 1/4c) on the first day thatyou want to use?
JoeJoe Graz I was wondering about this too. No specific written in anywhere below the video.
@JoeJoe Graz thank you for replying. Am new to this. 😁
@Strevale thank you that was helpful to me too!
Gosh Heidi im learning so much from you i cant keep up but having a good time with it! Your so sweet and patient giving out all this great quality info. It s wonderful at my age (66) to be so productive and independent from products at the store😉
I thank God for you and your talents! Thank you for sharing everything you do!
This is the greatest thing ever! Haha! I made blueberry ginger soda a week ago and it was fantastic. I have several things brewing now. Thank you! So good.
Very cool! Thank you so much!
I made a yeast water from garlic & honey and used it to ferment parsnips. Then I use fizzy parsnip water to start my root beer.. Possibilities are endless.. :)
hii,
i watched many youtube fermentation video.. you guys all use sugar and food for the bacteria...
my grandma applies salt on the whole leafy vege... bruise the vege a bit by apply salt all over it..and squeeze the vege into large mouth jar until no bubble of air pocket in between.
hence i believe it is anaerobic fermentation at salty environment.
but you guys uses sugar...
i wonder if the fermentation culture of your sweet loving bacteria is same as my grandma's salt environment bacterial the same or not..
i failed miserably trying to imitate my grandma.. the vege turn funky smell.. instead of delightful sour smell.
your advice and experience will be appreciated.
thx
andrew
It's up to you, salt is just for taste and doesn't hinder fermentation provided it's untreated. I only use salt with beetroot..
I need to get a second fridge again, just for all my fermented things 😊😊
What a great tip, to use our ferments as the yeast in making our breads! It feels so awesome to get away from commercial products, financially and health wise. This is getting in touch with our ancestors natural way of eating and living, something I'm really getting into, thank you so much!
You are so welcome and thank you too! :D
A word of warning - I wanted to make the starter with raisins. We bought raisins from the store and without a second thought I started the starter. The next day I went to add water and sugar when I noticed a film on top, which confused me.
That's when I checked the raisin package. The raisins had been coated in sunflower oil. I was sickened when I read that.
So I did some research. Some brands of raisins are coated in oils to prevent them from sticking to each other.
While I learned something new, I'm pretty upset (but not surprised) at what levels some companies will go to to make money.
Good info and thanks for sharing that! I better check again the organic brands I get. Grrrr!
They add to make them shiny and stop sticking to each other. I make my own now
I make my own raisins also
hmmm I have been trying to make a raisin starter but just doesn't seem to be doing anything..... I wonder.....
Also, I've noticed with the oil on raisins and cranberries lately, in the stores in the bulk Barn, where I purchase these things. Thanks again 🤔👩🌾for sharing what you learned to apply!
Day five for me, using raisins, blueberries, and grated ginger with peel. Been adding sugar, but not really bubbly yet. Tastes great! Hoping it will be fizzy soon, I have garlic, carrots and cauliflower to ferment! My vinegar will be 4 weeks this weekend.
You may be putting too much sugar in. Try letting it sit for a couple of days without adding any sugar
Another AWESOME video! I have created a playlist just for your videos! I am learning so much from you!! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!! ❤❤
Just wanted to say hello and I'm still watching. And also I needed the scripture today (Hebrews 11:1) blessings
I've always wanted to know how to make bread without depending on yeast! Thanks 🌸
You are so very welcome!
I absolutely love the way you start! Yes, God is good to everyone, all the time because He's completely good!!
I did it and used it for the hot sauce! It’s great! Thank you so much!
Thank you for sharing. Im receiving soo much from your videos. I love experimenting with different foods and herbs. I’ll be fermenting tomorrow. March 26/21
Thanks a lot ,I did the fermented fruits and fermentation starter ,I'm so happy with you ❤️
Thank you!
Was this a second ferment? If so, did it cut down on the amount of time?
This is awesome! I've been on vacation and I was so excited to see all your new videos in notifications!!
Since I found your channel I’ve learned so much. I do recycling, food preservation and as much organic cooking as possible. I was gifted 3 quarts of honey, how should I store to keep good.
Honey has an indefinite shelf life so you can store it pretty much anywhere. I just recommend in a cool, dry area. It can crystallize over time but nothing that a bit of gentle heating cannot fix, just do not overheat it or you will kill the natural benefits
Rain Country thank you so much.
once you have your batch made and you put it in refrigerator. Do you keep the fruit in...do you always keep fruit in even keeping it up to a year?
Yep, I just keep the fruit in there until it loses all its color then I will often strain out the old and add fresh fruit in.
I'll be heading to your ferment starter. I have been making wine for a year now but do not like all the additives the recipes require. Heading to part 2. 😉
Heidi, I have 2.5 quarts of salsa fermenting using about a quarter cup of blackberry fermentation starter I made late last week, as you recommend in your video. That stuff works great. After 2 days those jars are really active with loads of fermentation going on.
I have been planning on making some fermented salsa but have yet to do it, mostly just have been canning it up
So you're able to use this fermentation starter in place of salt? I just wanting to make sure this is the case. I know people use whey to start fermenting fruit so this is used the same way but with vegetables, wine, or anything fermenting? This would be great as I'm dealing with high blood pressure I'm trying to control naturally.
I enjoy your teachings so much. Thank you so much...BTW All the time God is good...Amen
Thank you!
I have a raisin starter going now. Thanks
Great video Heidi. Yes always learn from you. Take care. Mary
I rarely have a problem with ferments, but I have never made the starter that you made homemade soda pop with. Sounded wonderful and I wanted to try it. I started it a week ago. Then a new job popped up and I've been doing 12 hour days. Every other day I rushed around after dark stirring and checking things, half an eye on my notes. Yesterday evening I thought this is bubbly, is it done. Is this TOO bubbly? Checked my notes and realized how long it had been going and how many stirs and feeds I had done! Thank goodness I only did a pint! I have a supper happy, very boozy jar of strawberry... something...🤣 Any suggestions? Can I just let it go on longer undisturbed and it make a vinegar? Surely someone has blooped like this except me. I hate to waste it.
Sounds healthy enough, you can simply store in the fridge as is and not have to feed and stir daily, only once a week or so. Yes, if you left it alone and covered only with a cloth, it will turn to vinegar in a 2-4 weeks
@@RainCountryHomestead Thank you. I think I'm going to see what the vinegar turns out like.
Super info Heidi! Love all of your clever ideas!!!
Thanks Melanie!
great info and can not wait to watch some recipes using this . hugs from michigan
Dried organic figs and dates are the fastest and the best. No sugar needed.
Dates would be excellent for that!
As I am sure figs would be, just never had them dried but I know dates have a lot of natural sugar already in them
@@RainCountryHomestead Country Life Natural Foods is where I order my organic figs and a lot of other organic products, like organic oatmeal $25 for 25 lbs, www.clnf.org If you buy $400 or more it is free delivery, or there might be a local group you can order with, you call the company and ask.
Figs are like candy... Super good!
how long do you keep using that fruit or food item in the jar, how many times? before you throw the food inside?
I cover all that in the newer and more thorough video I did on this: ua-cam.com/video/gY6MaXCLSC8/v-deo.html
At the beginning of the video you showed how you froze your eggs. What kind of bags did you use? I love how the labels are on top and pull out... I love all your videos. My days start with one of your videos
ua-cam.com/video/xonlqnl_jgE/v-deo.html
Rain Country Thank you so much! 🙏💗✨
Deffanently will try this! Thanks for all the good info. I'm looking forward to having my own ferment starter!!
This is just so interesting. I’m going to give this a try. Thanks so much for your video.
Haters are losers! I don't understand why they dislike the video! This lady is great!
Thank you sweetie... That is great that you can use fermention like that to be more self sufficient.. Not count on stores..I just bought raspberries from a local farm.. I'm going to try that !
Are you going to be in Albany this weekend ?
Would like to but we are unable to make it. :(
Just discovered your channel. Good stuff! 😁👍
Do you have a video of a bread recipe using the fermentation starter?
Thanks.
ua-cam.com/video/NVYkj7p1Oaw/v-deo.html
This is a fantastic video thank you! Does the fruit stay good indefinitely in the ferment? Do you ever strain the fruit out or is there a time to pitch it and start fresh? How long can you keep one ferment going?
I have kept them going for a year with the same fruit but I do like to add fresh fruit from time to time. Even after a year, they were still active, I just like to start fresh from time to time.
the rubber stoppers you use are no longer available. do the stoppers create a tight seal? so my kombucha could f-2 in jugs with rubber stoppers? how about another kind of air tight lid for the jugs.... do u have a reccomendarion?
Firstly thank you for sharing all that you do, of all the YTers that I follow you may be the only one to know the possibility of a question I have. There are multiple ways of getting soy (or bean) milk to curdle for tofu, one being the use of whey. Would a ferment such as one of these or a grain be a curdling agent? If I recall ferment and whey are both lactic acid(?). I don't want a sour tofu (or I'd use citrus), and as nigiri and gypsum aren't sustainably, long term prep items and dairy isn't a part of my diet I was wondering about the feasibility of a fermentation liquid.
.
This could work, however, when making cheese from milk, a strong vinegar is what is needed to properly curdle the milk and I am not sure this would work that same way as it is not as strong as vinegar. However, most things that whey can be used in, this can be used as a replacement but I am doubting it will work well for curdling
@@RainCountryHomestead thank you
@@tamitiller7663 a UA-cam content creator
years ago I made tofu starting with soybeans, and I used Kosher salt to curdle the soymilk that I made - the spruceeats website has a similar recipe to what I remember making
Interesting. I throw 3 or 5 organic raisins into any starter I make. I started doing that with ginger bug because they do carry a lot of yeast. I've even made sourdough with the help of wild grape leaves from my son's backyard. As for water - while it's not idea i use tap water that has sat overnight with a stick of bamboo charcoal in it. It works, and is convient as well as inexpencive.
There you go! Before getting our own rainwater and filter system set up, I used to just allow the water to sit for a few days in a jug with just a cloth over it to allow the chlorine to evaporate out
Started a couple pint jars of dehydrated fruit blends ferment starter. This is day two and don't see any bubbling yet on a 90 degree kitchen counter. Used coconut and sucanat sugar blend in filtered rain water. Wonder if to much sugar was put in on day one and slowed the process? Would it help to place the pint contents in a quart jar and dilute more with filtered rain water? Blessings
Great presentation, thank you!
Thanks so much for your great video. I wonder if I can substitute the sugar for stiviia or just to eliminate the sugar.
You have to have sugar for the ferment but you can up the amount of fruit used to increase the sugar that way. Stevia is not a good substitute for sugar in this case, bacteria and yeast feed off sugar (which can also be in the form of honey) and turn it to alcohol which gives it its fizz.
Hi. I was wondering if I could use dehydrated ginger or does it have to be fresh? I have a huge bag of dehydrated ginger. Would love to use it if you think it would work. Or I could just experiment. Lol
Yes, dehydrated ginger or fruits work great :D
Hey rain country, do these culture starters become wine ultimately over time? And if so, are they still the same?
The alcohol content will increase if left alone but will never get very strong, more sugar is needed for that to happen. I do use them as a starter for making wine though and will have videos coming out soon on that
My blackberry starter has since turned into wine, do I need to start a new one or is it still good culture?
It may be best to start a new one but you can also try adding more sugar to it to see if it gets it lively again. It will still have a wine flavor to it but you want it active and bubbly. Making sure it is alive is what is important.
Ok, thank you
I'd like to try making a blueberry starter. Would I use 1/4 c berries in a pint jar? Or 1/2 c berries? Looking for the grand total & what of that is added on day 1. Can I use frozen if I thaw them first?
You can try frozen but sometimes they do not work as well as fresh or dried. The total amount of fruit does not need to be exact, it can be 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup, even more, but you want to make sure you leave plenty of space for the liquid to use as needed
So when you get your fruit starter active and bubbly, and once you are storing it in the fridge, do you ever add any more fruit when feeding it? You If so , How often? You only mentioned water and sugar. Also, how long can you keep the fruit starter going strong before you need to start a new one?
I thought I had covered that in this video but it was awhile ago I made it and know I talked about it in other videos as well. Mostly, you just need to keep feeding it, refreshing the fruit from time to time is a good idea. I do it about once or twice a year.
@@RainCountryHomestead No one else talks about feeding it after it's made. Now, i have to rethink my whole process. It's a good thing I'm new to this. LOL Again, thanks for helping us all out.
On your starter you said everything but do you leave the lid on or off
On in storage and between adding sugar daily in the first three days
Thank you I want to try this❤️
I need a starter for carrots and ginger. What do you reccomend?
Any of these will work but a ginger bug can add a nice flavor to vegetables. I have even used dandelion and red clover to make starter then made kimchi from that:
ua-cam.com/video/dlc551xJGqk/v-deo.html
Just starting - I have frozen mushed raspberries and I have organic raisins - and some frozen peach pulp - for the first time which do you think??? So hopeful - my daughter loves Kimchi!
Frozen does not always ferment well but if you are mixing them all together with the raisins, the raisins may be enough to get it going
Geez, I didn't know you could feed it after it was already vinegar. I have one that's just awful sour. I told my husband I might just throw that one out, but now, I'm reconsidering. TY*
As long as it still has a bit of fizz to it that means it is alive and should be able to be made more lively and sweet again. :)
Question: Do you drink some of the fermentation daily? I've read it has probiotics and many vitamins.
I personally do not but it does have a nice flavor
Great video. Thanks for the valuable info. I have two questions, 1. When you use the fermentation starter to make your fermented veggies, will the fermented vegatables taste sugary since you use organic cane sugar to make the fermentation starter, and 2. If a person has yeast overgrowth in their body, wont the cane sugar exacerbate the problem?
Great questions Ed! No on both counts because the sugar is mostly digested by the bacteria and yeast present. Also, when using to ferment anything, it is a small ratio so any flavor and sugar it does have is very much diluted
@@RainCountryHomestead great, thanks for answering my questions and im glad your in christ, he is the way, the truth and the life and no one will ever see eternal life apart from belief in him as God in human flesh, his death on the cross and bodily resurrection from the dead. So thank you for the scriptures. Christ is Lord!
Amen to that!
@@eddie7098 Amen, Eddie!
Thanks from Miami Beach,FL...We need to get fermented veggies to cure us from Candida here in hedonistic South Beach
I'm fermenting some blackberries right now i got from my sisters place following your method. Trying to make my own healthy drink and getting away from the store bought soda. also making my own kombucha, from scratch! Seems to be going well, can't wait for the results!! Thanks for the inspiration!
Nice!
We have well water and drink straight from the "tap". Would you still suggest filtering out the mineral content?
If you have a high mineral content in your water, that may be necessary
How do you make the homemade ferment bubbly pop with fruit ?
Are you talking about the starter? If so, maybe I should link you to my more in depth video on this subject: ua-cam.com/video/gY6MaXCLSC8/v-deo.html
@@RainCountryHomestead yes, Thanks a billion 🙏 ferments
Would the Brita filtered tap water ok to use in the starter? That’s what we drink at home. From other comments I read: can u use the water from the dehumidifier??!! ❤️🙏
I must have missed the comment on the dehumidifier but I would not do it because it is pulling that water from the air that could be loaded with other toxins. I do not know enough about Brita to know if it filters out chlorine - this is the most important thing because chlorine can kill the active cultures. I also do not believe Brita's filter out fluoride as you have to have a special filter for that. If it does not say anything about filtering fluoride, then it doesn't. Fluoride will not effect the fermentation but it is a toxin that needs to be avoided for over all health, especially if you have any thyroid issues. That is the main reason we do not consume our city water and one way we were able to take ourselves off the medications several years ago. However, you may be one of those who is blessed to have a city that does not fluoridate like ours does.
Rain Country thank you so much for your time ❤️🙏
Thank you Heidi, I'll try it. I have a question, the first three or four days, can I place it in a window sill where is warm, bright but not sunny?
That should work, I do not think the light should effect it, direct sunlight might though.
Thank you Heidi.
I got wild blackberries and red raspberries that I picked so I'm going to try both. Do you keep the old berries in or strain them out and replace with fresh after it ferments? Thank you for this video. Right now I have two sourdough starters, a 1/2 gallon of red cabbage,red beets with ginger and carrots with ginger ( from watching Doug and Stacy) ferments in the fridge. I'm going to have a full fridge with ferments. Love it! I can't wait to try this ferment for the veggies and the bread!!!
I only recently strained out the old berries from that blackberry starter I got going back in August of 2016 and added "fresh" ones I got out of my freezer. I always keep berries in them at all times, I just like to change them out now and them
Thank you. I went out to pick some blackberries to freeze and something beat me to them. I'm glad that I don't have to worry about changing berries for a while. Maybe I'll find some that the bear missed in another spot. :)
Hey Heidi! I’m wanting to make my own kombucha tea and was wondering if I can use your starter recipe? Any thoughts? Thanks, Wendy
There would be no need if using the kombucha scoby, but it would not hurt to add some :)
Thanks lady!
Did you try the rolled grape leaves in your fermentation ??i want to know how can I do it ...thank you
No I haven't but that sounds like an interesting idea I should try
Fascinating. @ so many uses😁thanks Heidi
Onions. Can I use them? Or a mix of garden trimming in general?
You can but an ononin fermentation starter would not taste in making a fermented natural soda or wine. It would be fine for using to ferment vegetables such as in the form of kimchi.
Can you use frozen blueberries? I got them organic this summer.
Darlene Dickey yes. She's done that.
Wonderful video Heidi thank you...really have to try this :)
Which fermentation do you use for your white wine? Thank you
Any starter will work. I just use whichever one is ready and most active
When starting to make a starter is the lid on tight? while sitting on the counter?
Yes, a tight lid is best for the starter
@@RainCountryHomestead Hi Rain, In your previous fermentation starter video, you said that when making the starter, you leave the lid loose enough to let gases escape, so now I'm confused. Do you leave it loose or screw the lid on tight?
Amy Avila I don’t wrench it down as tight as I do when canning but do not leave it too loose either. I should have been more clear. If you tighten it down then you need to loosen the lid once a day to relieve pressure. Once it is ready (very fizzy) I put the lids on tight and store in the fridge, at which point there is no need to daily relieve pressure
@@RainCountryHomestead Okay, thank you! :)
Will this make whatever you ferment, to taste like the starter?
Usually not but sometimes it will depend on what you used to create your starter and what you are using it in. Sometimes a bit of flavor can carry over but it is rare
Could this be used to add flavor to kombucha?
I suppose you could but you would be better off using fresh fruit for flavor
I was wondering the same thing, I have a few starters ready and I'm waiting on a batch of kombuchatea. I think I will try making a quart with just fermentation starter just to see how it goes. I also have fresh fruit for the rest. Just playing around with new flavors.
Throw in a handful of raisins when you bottle your kombucha...lovely,sweet and fizzy
Hi Heidi: can we make the fermentation starter with veges or herbs ? Can we use the starter to make yogurt ? Thanks
Yes, you can use any herb, never tried vegetables but they should work too. I currently have a starter I made last year from red clover and dandelion. Yogurt needs its own special culture but you can do that by simply using some yogurt from a previous batch to get more going, I used to do this a lot.
@@RainCountryHomestead thanks a lot for responsive reply and all the great info.you are good ,all the time :)
Hello there. can you please, tell me why a fruit ferment is used as a starter to ferment vegetables and not use the brine that has already been used on a previous vegetable ferment of the same kind? Regards Adrian.
This is given as an option to the salt brine ferment. I have used a salt brine for year for vegetables but decided to try using this starter for many things to see if it would work. Some people cannot have that much salt and may prefer this method. It is really a matter of choice.
How do you use these fermented foods? Do you just eat them as a probiotic or do something special with them? I would love suggestions for the vegetables and the fruit.
I have a whole playlist of videos using the fermentation starter to make sodas, kimchi, bread, and much more: ua-cam.com/video/mCPiWtq92ts/v-deo.html
Is it a teaspoon or a tablespoon the 2nd and subsequent days. I’m confused.
This will probably sound like a silly question; I wanna make sure I get it right lol. So, the difference between a fermentation starter and vinegar is that you keep feeding the fermentation starter? Do you ever end up making the fermentation starter into vinegar, or is it past that point? I'm excited about making the kimchi with the raisin starter. I mentioned it my brother, who restricts his salt intake, and he's excited to try it! I also began growing ginger this year-I can also use my ginger bug (when I make it), right? Thank you for researching and experimenting different ways to do all this stuff!
A starter can eventually turn to vinegar if not fed sugar occasionally and if allowed exposure to oxygen but if it kept tightly sealed, it is more likely to turn to wine. In order for a ferment to turn to vinegar, it needs exposure to oxygen. Yes, a ginger bug is the same thing only made with ginger.
I've always just added my fruit, sugar and water left a couple inches from bottom of rim to be able to feed and its worked good. Should I just keep doing it my way? Been doing it like that for years. Just started doing it with about 1/4 cup kefir when starting ferment this year.
Do what works, no need to change it. In fact, I have been thinking of trying it that very way instead of adding more water and fruit for the first few days, just the sugar. Right now I am experimenting with raw honey as there is a question whether it will work or not because of its natural antibacterial properties. However, I used to make honey wine with raw honey and it fermented just fine. So far, my starter is looking good!
Rain Country that sound delicious. I also think I will try my next ferment of raisins with the honey if your turns out good. Thank you. God bless
Love all the great information!! Thanks for sharing!! Gonna try this!
Thank you Brandy :D
Momma rain, going through my cabinets I have a question. Can I use prunes for a fermentation starter? I want to try making this, but I don't want to purchase much just yet (want to work with what I have)
I would think they would work great, I know raisins do so I am sure prunes would too :D
Thank you for replying. I think that I will try today (will share on my personal channel ), and let you know how it goes
Another quick question.
I make homemade wines, that I usually use brewer's yeast. The main reason I wanted to try the fermentation starter (I may later try it with other things) is to try in the wines instead of brewer's yeast.
Can you tell me if this will be a suitable substitute?
Absolutely! When I first got into making these it was for the purpose of making mead and I used this for that and it worked beautifully. I stopped drinking years ago but recently got back into wine making for medicinal purposes (I will have a video coming out on that in the future) and used one of my starters to make an apple wine that just recently finished up. Just waiting for my hydrometer to come in so I can finally see just how strong my wines really are. I know the mead I made was pretty powerful for a wine. My guess was it was bout 15% alcohol in only 30 days brewing time using the starter. It is one cup of starter for each gallon you are making.
Thank you for letting me know how much to use. I made wine for the holidays ((using brewer's yeast), and while I don't know what the alcohol content was, one glass was all each person needed (it made you tipsy ). Can't wait to try it with the fermentation starter.
Hope to see your video on the Apple wine (what medical benefits are there) soon. ☺
Heidi can i use frozen fruit to make a fermentation starter or should I thaw it first.
You can but I often find that fruit that has been frozen, even when thawed, does not work as well as fresh or dried fruits or herbs
My fermentation starters are doing great, thanks to you!
Does this have natural probiotics? I made "soda" with fresh cherry juice and it is heavenly! Does this starter make it a probiotic "soda?"
Yes, it should have natural probiotics, and yes, it makes a natural soda, I have several videos showing how to use it to make various natural sodas with juice or even a fermented fruit smoothie
@@RainCountryHomestead Perfect. Thank you so much. I've only been enjoying these fermented fruits and juices a few days but have noticed HUGE improvement in my digestion. Though I'm not overweight, I'm less bloated around the middle, too!
So when you have a fermentation starter.. do you add the starter to a fx carrot fermentation and still adding salt?? Sorry I am new in all of this
When I use it for fermenting vegetables, I do still add salt but only for flavor. It is just a different way to ferment.
@@RainCountryHomestead Thank you very much and God bless :)
Hello and thank you for your very informative videos. I am a little confused though because I thought fermenting was all about lactic acid types of bacteria, whereas these fruit ferments are yeast based. Am I correct or is this an over simplification? I can appreciate this will make yummy sodas , but when we are wanting to ingest probiotics my understanding is that is the bacteria we want, and we want to minimize yeasts from a gut health perspective?
You are still getting probiotics as well as yeast, just like you would with kombucha or vinegar. Not all yeast is bad.
Thank you! Is coconut sugar okay to use?
Not sure why I have never tried my coconut sugar for this so that is a great idea and I am thinking it should work :D
I am Bing watching your videos. And I just signed up for steemit. I think that's what you call it. It was easy. I'll have to check it out.
I actually have not been posting on steemit for awhile, as my time has been becoming ever more precious, I have had to focus my attention on other things. It is a great platform in some ways but not as much in others. Thanks for the binge watching! haha
For a vanilla one would you scrape a bean or soak the whole thing?
I would simply cut it in half and add it
I'm sorry if this has already been covered. but how does this affect the sugar content in the finished product ? I ferment using salt, I have a family member with diabetes.
It will depend on how long you allow it to ferment. Sugar is digested by the bacteria and yeast and turned into something more healthy. The longer it is allowed to ferment, the lower the sugar content, but you do not want it to sit too long or it can turn to wine, then vinegar, then your culture will die. Plus, when using only 1/4 per 1 quart jar, the sugar content should be nearly non existent
Heidi,
do you think when adding the water, that would be a 1/8 of a cup? where you put your find and said add water to here.
I will need you to rephrase this question so I can better understand it without me having to watch this old video again to see what I said (I really do not have time to do that)
Oh I am sorry, I am talking about the fermentation starter, you were making and you said you had to add more water and sugar. So I was wondering when add more water to it; would that be about 1/8 of a cup. I hope you.
Ok, I am going to assume you mean each time I add water. As you can see in the video, I do not measure so it could be as little as an 1/8 cup but likely closer to a 1/4 cup. The amount is really irrelevant and in fact, you can make this by simply adding all the water, fruit, and sugar at once and allow it to sit for a few days but I would still recommend checking and stirring it daily if you do it this way until it is fully fizzy.
Thank you Heidi! yes that is what is what I wanted to know.
How much of this starter you would use on a Bread lets say 500gr. of grained wheat?
Hello. I have some grapes from last year that I froze, and I was wondering if I can use them for a fermentation starter
They might work but I cannot guarantee it. Seems that with some fruits, something happens to the yeast present in the fruit that prevent it from getting very lively, if at all. I recommend sticking to fresh fruits. However, you could certainly try making a small amount say in a half pint jar and see what it does, really no great loss if it does not work.
Thank you so much for replying
If I wanted to do an added sugar-free fermentation starter do you think I could just start with raisins and water and feed it with more raisins and water?
O yes, I think that would work well.
Or I wonder if date sugar/syrup would work...
Apologies if I am asking a question that might have already been asked as I have not gone through all 100+ comments. Just wondering if by adding this fermentation starter will in any way this contribute to an alcohol content in the vegetables fermentation after 3-4 days or later down the line?
There will be a very small amount of alcohol but nothing to be concerned with. Now when fermenting fruits and juices (anything with a higher sugar content) the alcohol content will be a bit higher and will increase the longer it sits even in the fridge so I recommend it gets consumed within 1-3 days after the fermentation process is finished. I hope that helps!
For what you use this ? And how to use it?
I explain what I use it for at 10:38 and I also have quite a view videos showing how I use it, you can do a search on my channel for "fermentation" and you should find the videos and I also have a playlist ua-cam.com/video/mCPiWtq92ts/v-deo.html
Lol, hearing your dogs, I was looking around for what mine was into,lol
How long do these keep in the fridge ? Will the fruit go bad ?
As long as you feed them a little sugar on occasion (about a Tablespoon once a month) it will last indefinitely. I have had the same blueberry one I made in this video and that was a year ago. I only just changed out the berries in it.
I live along the coast in southern Louisiana (my house stays a fairly constant 76 degrees) and I began my first batch of starter using fresh store bought ginger (unpeeled and finely chopped) one week ago...i fed it twice the first day then once a day each day afterward. I could tell it was fermenting by the smell, but it never became “fizzy” either by sight or sound. After day six I used it to make kimchi using your directions. After sitting out on the counter for 24 hours, still no fizz and certainly no threat of running over.
I want to start fermenting with the fruit starter because I don’t enjoy the taste of heavily salted foods.
If starter doesn’t (or never does)
“fizz”, is it good to use...and safe?
Safe is a good question, I am not sure about that but it really does need to have that fizz going to know it is alive enough to start a fresh ferment
Rain Country thanks so much for your response...and so quickly, too! I guess I’ll just throw it in the fridge, enjoy it and eat it all ASAP
I was wondering...could you use dehydrated blueberries just like raisins? To create a starter? Just wondering.... I dehydrate blueberries.
I am pretty sure you can, I have not tried it myself but I do not see why it wouldn't work
"Rain Country" I've used raisins, can you use frozen fruit? Thanks Christine
I have used some frozen fruit and it did fine for me. I cannot guarantee it all will, it may depend on the fruit you use, but I think it should not be a problem
Just watched the first video and know this one. Going to try this.
Is an avocado considered a fruit? Can it be used to make a vinegar or fermentation starter?
Yes, it is a fruit but I would not use it for making a starter. However, it does not have to be fruit, it can be herbs or vegetables but you still need sugar. Here is a more in depth video on the starter: ua-cam.com/video/gY6MaXCLSC8/v-deo.html
Ok...I have some golden raisins I'd like to try this..so should I start with 1/4 cup of raisins and no sugar? I'm gonna be so nurvous...lol...just started fermenting veggies last summer and loving it, despite the one time my radishes molded 🙄...yes, seven pints of them. I buy yeast from a local Amish market I love. I didn't realize you could do your own starters for bread (except sour dough)! How much of your starters do you use when doing your vegtable ferments? Goodness, now I have so many questions...lol
You will still want to add some sugar along the way because the yeasts will feed on the sugar in the raisins and once they are used up, it will turn to vinegar if not fed.
I always use 1/4 cup of the liquid to every quart of whatever I am fermenting.
Can well water with softener be used for the starter
I do not know what chemicals are being used in water softeners these days. If it is just salt, it should be fine, but it is still important to make sure you are filtering out excess minerals