I have not read the instructions on your strips but from my experience with aquaria, you are not supposed to dip the pH strips into your water. I would not dip those into my vinegar. Those pH strips have chemical reagents in them that you are putting into your water. Instead, simply suction out a little of your vinegar with a dropper or use a ladle and test that water instead.
I made my citrus vinegar...its already a month in....I loved the process....I like to make my own cleaning products so this was perfect for my low waste lifestyle....I love the herb addition ideas....I have plenty of dry herbs I will be using to make some hair rinses...thank you Heidi for all that you and Mr. Rain do for us...Blessings to you and yours always
If anyone here makes hot wings with Frank's Hot Sauce, save the bottles, sprayers fit right onto the bottle and its glass so it can handle a bit of essential oils added to your mixtures :) Whenever I buy anything I look at the bottle it comes in to see how I can reuse it. Love ya Heidi, thank you for the knowledge and love you share ❤
Hi..I just watched Mary's Nest on an apple cider vinegar and she speaks well of you so here I am. Thanks for lots of info and a new item for me to try making. New to all of the self sufficient and healthier agenda so sometimes I gorge on videos then I have to back off to play catch-up on all the chores. Jesus bless.
I can't believe I have wasted all my citrus peels over the years on compost, when I could have been making vinegar!!! Thanks very much for enlightening me!! 😃
I do a lot with citrus peels. I also make a fermented drink, which is basically the same way I start the vinegar but stop it at day three or four:ua-cam.com/video/muMAU560AGQ/v-deo.html and here are other ideas: ua-cam.com/video/y_nykxfVVGE/v-deo.html
This is SO INTERESTING! I had no idea that white vinegar is made using GMO crop. That makes me so mad because I try so hard to never eat GMO. Thank you for letting us know. I'll have to start making my vinegar homemade now. I'm looking forward to trying your recipes! I especially love how you make floral ones for your hair!
as far as i know, all potatoes, corn, tomatoes, and a slew of other fresh veg in any grocery stores are all gmo to produce higher yield, better ripening after early harvesting, and longer shelf life because so much of our food is trucked across country to get to major cities, towns, and generally populace areas. I'm a huge advocate of folks learning to grow their own veg locally as well as establishment of community gardens. Then you can invest in heirlooms and seed-saving to avoid a lack of bio-diversity in our food systems, and you have complete control over how pests and weeds are controlled.
-Newest BS is "b i o - e n g i n e e r e d food ingredients." -They've only recently been required to label things as such. -Those labels are intentionally vague. -The words used don't always mean what you think they do. (In fact, they often don't.) See "organic" and "natural flavoring" as just two examples of this. -Those l e t t e r a g e n c i e s aren't there to protect YOU. Always remember that. F D A doesn't stand for Fine n Dandy Agriculture. Follow the money. Every. Single. Time.
Hi Heidi, Thank you so much for sharing your wealth of knowledge!! That was so interesting about the honey. We don’t have bees either, so I wouldn’t use honey to make vinegar because it is expensive but it was fascinating to learn that it can do well with ferments! I always learn so much from you! Love, Mary❤️😘❤️
Thank you for sharing your wisdom. I simply adore the scent of orange vinegar!!! Of course I add a cinnamon stick, cloves and nutmeg to make my own “thieves” cleaner. 😎
Hi, I came to re-check the method to make vinegar. I have going quite a few: 6 jars of citrus peel vinegar, 1 jar of apple vinegar, and as an experiment I have a melon vinegar and 2 quince vinegars. We’ll see the final result. Thanks for all the fantastic videos.
Very informative. My mother in law lived with us, she recently passed and has a lot home made vinegar on our counter. I want keep her traditions going as best I can. Ty
I just want to thank you for giving me a whole new hobby. I'm a long time fermenter but I have only been making vinegar since I discovered your channel in January. Wow! I have always kept a spray bottle of vinegar in the bathroom for hair and spritzing the spots of caulking that are prone to mould. Yesterday I refilled it with my DIY lemon rind vinegar. With a bit of trepidation, I used it on my very fair (white and blonde) wet hair before the final rinse. My hair has never been so smooth, sleek and shiny. Even the Big Fella noticed and that's saying a lot! My first batch was lime rind and it turned out beautifully, pale green, tart and refreshing. The second batch of lime is now brewing. I also took all the dried fruit that had been in my pantry too long and made vinegar with those too. The raisin vinegar is awesome in stir fries so I don't plan to waste it on my hair. It's actually tasty neat, right off the spoon. The fig, date and blueberry are now ready for decanting and I expect them to be a lot like the raisin. I tried thick-skinned pomelo rinds and they quickly turned syrupy. I hadn't trimmed off any pith. I decided that I had too much rind for the volume of water. It was almost like it was quickly forming one big scoby with the rinds trapped in it. I split it into 2 jars and added more water and a bit more sugar. It is still a little more opaque than my other citrus rind vinegars but it smells amazing. I haven't decided what to use it for once it's finished but I'm leaning toward escabeche. FWIW, my house is probably a bit cooler than yours. We keep the main living areas at 65F in winter; the less frequently used rooms at 55F. I have been consistently getting 3.5 pH. It's still full on winter here in my part of Canada but I can't wait till spring so I can experiment with weeds, herbs and blossoms; goldenrod and wild apples in the fall. Based on comments below, I think I will wait till summer, well after the sap stops running, before trying cedar. The possibilities are endless. Thanks again. I'm having such fun. Peace and sunshine!
It has been colder than usual in our house this year but still the vinegar seems to do quite well and I have gone back to moving it into the rec room, where it is even colder, because I have so much going I need to get it off my kitchen counter, haha
I live in Canada also. And we too keep our homes on the cool side. So I put my vinegars on a seed warming pad. It’s just a gentle heat but it works. Also close to the stove.
Thanks so much for the vinegar I'm going to do next!! I've made rose petal, lavender, rosemary and bay leaf vinegar, rose petal and lavender vinegar and, now, the orange and lemon cleaning vinegar. I want to make a cedar, pine needle, bay leaf, and holly with holly berries. (For a holiday spritzer). You've been an inspiration! I enjoy so much the scripture verses at the end of your videos.
I just love your videos. I have been trying my best to do most things at home, like gardening and preserving as much as I can, plus others. But I found your videos, whether be for the house or everywhere in my large lot because I have lived alone for a long time and because of the finances and my age I've been changing what I have to pay for. I raised 3 children pretty much by myself and did it basically the way we lived 40 yrs ago. Your videos made my live more easier. Thank you. I will continue watch as long as yous still produce your videos. God bless you two
Hi there Judy, It maybe a big chance of you viewing this, but just want to say that like you Judy Taylor I too love videos like this as I have been trying my best to do most things at home because of the pandemic taking my husband away and am learning to try to make ends meet more, with myself with health issues and two adult son's with health issues too and trying to cope with great increased costs of living, with energy costs taking the whole pension I am trying to grow more to eat, but again cannot afford a heated greenhouse and living in England our weather this year has not given us a true spring and so food growing/plants has been slower, made more difficult but like you I enjoy watching videos like Heidi makes as wanting to learn how I could do better and greatly appreciate people like her and yourself who are down to earth and greatly know a thing or two for the rest of us to learn from, so you stay well and stay safe and if there is a god I ask of him to take care of both of you. Maureen
I trink you are the vinegar Queen ♡. Because of you I started to make my own vinegar and I also wash my hair with my own vinegar. Thank you for sharing all your knowledge. Good bless you and your family!
@@anncolburn3722 vinegars can be used for cleaning or cooking, hair rinse after shampooing ( leave in 5 minutes then just rinse out with plain water. ) for really soft hair 1x a week. It's up to you. I love the smell when wiping down shelves.
I greatly appreciate the time and energy you spend making these videos to share with us. Your Vinegar playlist has largely demystified the vinegar making process for me enough that I now have a half gallon of citrus vinegar brewing on the kitchen counter. I’m excited to observe its transformation over the next few weeks! I’m looking forward to experimenting with combinations to make some fun vinegars for the house. I use waaaay too much vinegar at home to not be proficient at making my own 😅 Thank you again!
Heidi, you've got me making a bunch of vinegars and am I ever having fun! Started a lilac vinegar a week or so ago, as well as dandelion flower vinegar and a hair vinegar with a bunch of flowers and herbs. Recently I've been making and researching Ivan chai, an ancient Russian fermented tea made using fireweed leaves - absolutely incredible. Thanks for your inspiration! ~Amberlin
Our neighbors’ apple tree is quite large and hangs over our fence. Im going to take some of those apples this year for vinegar making!!! 😉. Great information as always. Great that nothing is wasted because the rest of the fruit scrap ends up in the compost!
Heidi: commercial white vinegar is great as a substitute for fabric softener. It neutralizes chlorine, it removes soap residue and keeps the inside of the washer free of mineral build up like calcium and lime.
I need more half gallon jars! I want to try so many different ingredients from the garden. I use vinegar to rinse my hair and use it for cleaning and laundry. I have an orange vinegar and a lilac flower vinegar going. I want to make a rosemary and citrus one next. Our lavender is blooming also.
I use lavender a lot in making vinegar, it makes the strongest scent. Though I usually mix the lavender with rose petals and other flowers and use for washing my hair
Great video---I have been wondering about the citrus vinegar--thanks a bunch--on my way to make it for the homestead! Thank you for all you guys do--Rich & Dawn in MN--blessings to you from us! :)
Just popped in to say Hey and let ya know I’m still watching! I try to watch at least one or two favorites a day if not I binge watch in bed and catch up everyone. By then I’m pooped tho and don’t comment. LOL It’s still crazy here. You know why. I should have an update on some things tomorrow or the next day. I’ll let ya know. Anywhooooo...Love hugs and blessings always to you and Dad 😉 and the family ~The Kid! ❤️
@@homesteadrewind3948 You will only need enough to come 3/4 of the way up the jar, giving you room to stir it every day. I use 1 tablespoon sugar per cup of water. I also add at least a quarter teaspoon raw vinegar and a pinch of yeast per cup of water. I heat the water to skin temperature, if it's cold. Half a jar of needles should stir good, with water to cover. I add another tablespoon of sugar, every few days, when it stops bubbling until it starts to smell vinegary.
Thank you for sharing this info!! I was wondering if you have a video on natural remedies for allergies. I know about honey but was wondering if there are any other suggestions. Thanks again for all your tips🤗
I used to have a business where I set up and maintained fish tanks for people and businesses. I always did routine water changes on the tanks, a requirement for healthy tanks and fish. But that requires water that is free from chlorine which can kill your fish. So you can either buy "water conditioner" which is not cheap in the quantities I was using it, OR you can set the water out for 24 hours to let the chlorine evaporate. I used the chemical on my client tanks because I didn't have time to wait for the water but for my personal tanks, I'd always have water sitting out to prepare it. Obviously you can't use the "water conditioner" on your homemade vinegar but I just wanted to lend support to Heidi's claim that you can let it sit out. The only caveat to that is that nowadays, many cities use chloramine instead of plain chlorine. Chloramine has an ammonia compound in it which is not good and does not evaporate. So I don't know what you'd do about that. I'll probably filter my water through a Berkey filter before using it for vinegar. Berkey filters do have a special filter to remove fluoride if you are interested in that.
Right. However, chloromine WILL boil out so boiling water for 10 minutes is the quickest most efficient and inexpensive way. Still will not remove the fluoride though.
Hi Heidi. I am very lucky to be introduced to your channel! I'm new at vinegar making and your videos are very informative. I have a couple of questions: do I need to keep the jars in a dark place? Is it correct to say that molds are opaque where as scoby are transparent? I started a batch a little more than 2 weeks ago and had been getring this opaque white layer at the top. Should I keep stirring the content until the solid sink to the bottom of the jar? Thank you!
Wow. That got complicated. I like the rain water idea. I just bought a distiller for $90.00usd(Vevor) to remove the fluoride. 5.5 gallon pot doesn't fit on my stove. kek. I have to buy something to heat it up, now. I was searching for white vinegar, but it looks like it may have to be processed and may cost less to buy it. I do well just not cleaning stuff. I'm a dude that lives alone. kek. I'm gonna check out your other vids, but I've noticed that NOBODY seems to talk about how important the sun is for cleaning and heating. Thanks for the vid.
Well, NOBODY is not true as I have mentioned it in several other videos on other things, in particular with laundry, but yes, you are correct that sun is excellent at disinfecting and we use sun for solar power that we then use for many other things.
I’ll be getting a citrus peel jar started tomorrow! I’ve been wanting to use up our scraps! Thanks! I’m going to start with a quart mason jar! See how I do my first go around! I have oregano Oil and fresh thyme. Can I do anything with these to make effective cleaners?
Hi Heidi, I noticed you use a plastic lid after it's turned into vinegar. Do you recommend them over a metal one? Also, have you ever used hydrangea flowers to make vinegar or use them for any other medicinal purposes? I just can't get enough of your videos! God has sure given you a teaching talent!! 😊
Yes, I recommend plastic with a silicone liner to give it an air tight seal. The reason not metal (I say this from experience) is that the vinegar will degrade the metal and cause it to rust terribly and it may be nearly impossible to remove it from the jar as it practically becomes cemented onto it
Morning Heidi! Wonderful step by step video! These questions r odd (then again, I am an odd one myself) 🤭 the stuff under the mother, is that thrown out, or can it be eaten, the mother herself, u said it can be fed to the chickens, if they can eat it...can’t we eat it??? The thought has never occurred to me till now, so I’m just wondering because what we consume, is what made her. By the way, I love the orange cloth we the citrus peels, it’s cool 👍🏼 Thank u. PS I do not know what went wrong with my attempt to make cedar vinegar, I don’t have those strips, it never smelled or tasted (yeah, I did a finger taste) like vinegar, had lots of bubbles, I gave it a month...BUT, I added sugar to it throughout the month, cook that have been my problem seeing u used a 1/4 cup for the month??? Thank u
Those are not weird questions at all. Yes, all parts of the vinegar can be consumed. The cloudy stuff at the bottom I typically leave in - the only way to get it completely out is to distill it but it is good for you so best to leave it. I personally would have no interest in eating the scoby, I think it is gross, but yes, it is good for you too. I have had either a juniper or cedar vinegar never turn to vinegar, I believe this is a result of the sap from the plant that has high antimicrobial and anti fungal properties. This would kill the bacteria and yeast that cause it all to ferment so it can be tricky working with those things. Also, if you keep adding sugar, then you keep extending the time it takes for it to turn to vinegar because it is not vinegar until ALL the sugar has been consumed
Rain Country Thanks Heidi!!! I learned just as much good info from ur reply as I did from ur video! I’m gonna do another cedar vinegar (I want cedar sent n my hair 😉) but this time I’ll only do 1/4 cup sugar, adding no more. As for the scoby, gross huh, Lol, sounds like u haven’t tried it, I’m guessing it’s gross do to the look/feel of it, ah, take a nibble (I’m just ribbing u) I’ve yet to experience it, once I do, I’ll have to try it! Thanks for the info Heidi!!!
I love all of your videos and have made the floral and citrus vinegars. I love the way the floral vinegar makes my hair smell. I do dilute it and use it with my natural conditioner as my hair tends to be dry and tangles. My question regarding the citrus vinegars is do you dilute yours for cleaning? If I don’t it leaves my counters sticky and with a film, so I’ve been making a peroxide, alcohol blend with essential oils and add about a quarter of a cup of the citrus vinegar. Should I use more vinegar and less of the other ingredients? Thoughts? Thank you for all you share!
😊. Hi Heidi, Informative video. Thank you. I enjoy watching your videos. I'm going to try this method. If I want to add roses or florals, when do I add them (can i do it at the beginning with the lemons and citrus fruit peelings?) I'm so excited to try this. God bless you.
😊 Thank you so much I'm going to do a citrus batch and I have some dried Rose's that I might add. I dont want to waste them. 😊. I'm also planning to make some rose water. I love making my own products. Thank you for taking time to share yourknowledge. The Bible says we are destroyed for rejected knowledge that God has given us. I hope to start a channel or something one day to share what I know.😊
I absolutely love your vinegars. Question, you mentioned using honey. I was told not to use honey because of its anti bacterial and anti fungal properties. Have you used honey itch good results?
Honey actually ferments excellently. Though I have not used it in vinegar, I have used it to make honey wine (AKA Mead) and fermentation starters for other things. It actually ferments better than regular sugar, I just do not use it for vinegar and such because it is not cheap for us right now, at least not until we get our own bees
Hi Heidi, I started my first citrus vinegar a couple of weeks ago. When it's ready and has been strained. Does it matter if the bottle is plastic or glass? Love your videos! You rock as a teacher!! God bless.❤
I’m a fan of Mary’s Nest and decided to check out this site since Mary speaks well of Heidi. My question is, do you dilute the citrus vinegar before using it as a spray cleaner?
I know this is an older video, I hope you see this; I made apple peel vinegar last month (or longer?), and stopped stirring after awhile, it now has that kahm yeast on top, not sure what to do with it, aha, hearing as I write, to just scrape it out, thanks! ...but I had watched again, and started another jar, ever the optimist! I realized when I made the raisin starter ferment, I forget what you call it, I remember adding sugar every few days...so, I am stirring, it has been a week maybe, running out of fizz, not sure if I need to add sugar? Thanks so much! Also, because of making your skirt, and watching you make tops and other items, I have become brave enough to make my own patterns, I make jumpers already, but made a whole and 2 half slips, and a cool summer night gown, most from repurchased sheets. A bag to carry my phone while I walk each morning...Thank you so much! May God continue to bless you. Aha, add more sugar after 1 to 2 weeks, missed that before! Cool Oh, when do I strain it? Sorry to be so long...🙂
I actually now recommend not adding sugar after the first week. It is not supposed to stay bubbly forever, usually at the two week mark the bubbles stop and that is what it should do, it means it has entered the phase of turning from wine to vinegar
Can I use already cooked citrus peels when starting vinegar? I made an immune booster drink using lemons (ginger; cranberries, turmeric; black pepper, cinnamon and honey) and I hate throwing out my cooked peels. Thanks in advance... great video!
I think you could but would recommend you add some sort of fresh herb or fruit to it as the yeasts that are on these things that help get the vinegar going will be gone from the cooked peels.
Thanks! They’re so potent and smell so good so I’m going to try putting them in a decanter of sorts in the refrigerator and the bottom of garbage cans to deodorize and maybe even around the garden where pests/weeds are a problem. ❤️
Love the idea of keeping peels and adding them to a jar. Am wondering, have you tried mixing sugar water and then adding the peels as you go along? I don't have much room in my fridge and this method would be a big help if it works. Oh, and we often have black bananas left over, can they be added to the jar? Thanks Heidi!
Great question and yes, I do add peels as I go, in fact, that is mostly how I do it and I just started another batch this morning with nothing but the peel from one lemon but will be adding to it each day. I had just wanted to start off with a bunch for the video so people can see how much I use total. EDIT: missed the banana question the first time, I have yet to try banana peel because I read somewhere years ago someone tried it and it turned out nasty, not sure about the fruit itself but it may be worth a try
@@RainCountryHomestead in an American Homestead video on winemaking he suggests a banana added to wine makes a better wine and I have 2 jugs going now one with banana+frozen plums+raisin fermentation starter+sugar and some water and the second with frozen plums+commercial wine starter+sugar+water and the one with the banana has been working so hard I had to split into a second jar to contain the mess and foamy white bubbles keep coming. Will let you know if it turns out.
picked a ton of oranges from a friends tree. Now I know what to do with the peels after we juice them! - BYW if you need assistance with Rain Water Harvesting products or ideas please feel free to reach out www.aquabarrel.com/
Thank you once again for the information. I have a well, but we have a water softener to counteract our extremely hard water. We have a filter on our refrigerator water dispenser for drinking, but I don't have one on my kitchen tap. I was just wondering if you had spoken to anyone that has made vinegar with water with a softener and if it affected the results.
Isn't just salt used in that? If so, it is doubtful it is enough to affect the ferment. If other chemicals are used, that is something that should be looked into.
@@RainCountryHomestead Yes just salt. I've not been able to find a lot of information on it's effects when canning etc. Consequently, when I can I've been using spring water. And as I'm typing this I realized I could probably find out from my local extension office. lol Thanks. :)
Hi Heidi! I’m trying to make citrus vinegar with rosemary, it’s week one😊 Are you using the vinegar in the spray bottle straight for cleaning? Also, how much vinegar are you putting in the carpet cleaner? Thanks 🌸
Yes, I use straight vinegar in the spray bottle though one can dilute it if they wish. I put about a cup of vinegar in the hot water I use in the tank of the carpet cleaner
Have you ever made malt vinegar, I bought some very dark malted barley, and just started a vinegar with water and sugar and starter.... and although the colour looked great is tasted almost like coffee... I was reading the other day, apparently one needs to make a dark beer, and when the beer hass ready, then let that beer turn to vinegar... I must have another try one day.
I actually prefer stainless steel and use them most, however, the nylon ones are tighter weave so they strain out more than stainless. But when I am really trying to get out all the fine stuff, I will use cloth over the stainless
I have found there to be no need for the scoby so I never use them for starting vinegar, I just feed them to my chickens, they love them and are very healthy for them, however, if people seem to have problems getting their vinegar going, tossing in some of the mother either in the form of the sediment found at the bottom of the jar or bottle or the scoby itself might be helpful
❤. Thanks for showing me how to make vinegar from scratch with the peels from citrus. I love that.❤ you’re so creative.❤ do you have instructions on how to make floral vinegar’s from scratch so I could use it on my hair? Because I don’t see anything about making floral vinegars from scratch on your playlist?
There are a few in there, one of the old ones is specifically on Calendula vinegar: ua-cam.com/video/srqq69hBOQ8/v-deo.html then I have one showing how to use dried herbs (and flowers) to make vinegar: ua-cam.com/video/lEKCVoq7-8Y/v-deo.html And here is another one using mint, pansy and dandelion: ua-cam.com/video/JdbfriS46qU/v-deo.html
Hi! Thank you for your videos. I've never heard of this process before. I'm trying it right now with some lemon peels. I hope it works for me. Do you happen to know how long it might take for the water/sugar/lemon peels to start the fermentation process? It's in a warm room. Thank you for any replies!
if we make a vinegar just for cleaning, could we use uglier fruit like maybe if a worm or was moldy already a little bit then just cut off? as long as its dried out then can be made into a vinegar? Thanks for the great video.
I have a Jamaican lime tree in my yard.. Those are so sour they aren't fit for much. But they smell great. I'm thinking I'd like to make at least a gallon of vinegar at once, instead of jars. Do you think it would be fine to just cut the whole lime into quarters and use them, or do you think I should just use the peels?
I just found your channel and am currently binge watching! What temperature would be ideal? I live in the tropics where the summer is scorching, can I put it directly under the sun or should I put in the shade? Also,is it ok to use plastic jars or stainless steel utensils? I’m not sure if I have glass or mason jars.
I do not recommend plastic because of the toxins, especially when making vinegar because it may possibly release more of the toxins from the plastic and into the vinegar itself. Stainless steel should be fine but do not use any other kind of metal. I personally try to avoid all metals when making vinegar. If you buy any large jars of anything like pickles and such, you can use those. I actually bought a couple of good sized pickle jars at a garage sale one time for 50 cents each. They are at least a half gallon but appear bigger than my half gallon mason jars I have. O yes. welcome to our channel and I hope you enjoy it here! :D
QUESTION: I really learned a lot from this and every other video you have but I have a question concerning oranges. My backyard sour orange tree is loaded (couple hundred) with sour oranges that have a great orange flavour but are so very sour. It is native to North Florida and I need some help in using the fruit. I'd like to make a huge batch of vinegar and wondered if it would work in a plastic tub? I have well water, totally organic oranges and cane sugar. What should I do differently since I have so many oranges to use? Also, the skin is really bitter so drying it produces even more bitter skin. I have a pie recipe that is like a lemon meringue crossed with key lime pie and is delicious but only takes 2/3 cup juice per pie. I freeze bags of prepared fruit to make this pie but need other choices. I could freeze the juice but that sure would take a lot of freezer space and if I can it, I think I will loose the Vitamin C benefit. HELP Not a lot of info on Sour Orange but I assume it is like the Bitter Orange that grows in Cuba which they use for meat tenderizer and marinades.
For the vinegar, Follow the same idea as here just in a larger amount. While you CAN make it in plastic, it is really not recommended as the acidity of the vinegar can possibly break down the plastic some and cause the toxins to leach into the vinegar. May not be so bad if you are only going to use it for cleaning but if you want to use it for more than that, then I suggest finding 1 gallon jars to make it in or even a large crock or stainless steel pot
Hi Heidi, thank you for sharing your knowledge, I've learned much from you!! I made a carrot vinegar that turned out great. Question, I tried making vinegar with unripe lemons (half gallon with half cup sugar and well water), but after 4 weeks all fruit has settled to the bottom, but it smells like rotten lemons, not vinegar. Is this normal? Did do something wrong? Thank you in advance!!
I have not read the instructions on your strips but from my experience with aquaria, you are not supposed to dip the pH strips into your water. I would not dip those into my vinegar. Those pH strips have chemical reagents in them that you are putting into your water. Instead, simply suction out a little of your vinegar with a dropper or use a ladle and test that water instead.
I made my citrus vinegar...its already a month in....I loved the process....I like to make my own cleaning products so this was perfect for my low waste lifestyle....I love the herb addition ideas....I have plenty of dry herbs I will be using to make some hair rinses...thank you Heidi for all that you and Mr. Rain do for us...Blessings to you and yours always
:D
If anyone here makes hot wings with Frank's Hot Sauce, save the bottles, sprayers fit right onto the bottle and its glass so it can handle a bit of essential oils added to your mixtures :)
Whenever I buy anything I look at the bottle it comes in to see how I can reuse it.
Love ya Heidi, thank you for the knowledge and love you share ❤
I have a video just on recycling bottles and jars! One of my more popular recent uploads
I buy somethings just so I can collect more jars for canning or storing my tinctures in colored jars.
We love saving our Frank's Hot Sauce bottles!
Smart!!! Great idea!
HP Sauce bottles are dark brown glass and worth saving.
Hi..I just watched Mary's Nest on an apple cider vinegar and she speaks well of you so here I am. Thanks for lots of info and a new item for me to try making. New to all of the self sufficient and healthier agenda so sometimes I gorge on videos then I have to back off to play catch-up on all the chores. Jesus bless.
I can't believe I have wasted all my citrus peels over the years on compost, when I could have been making vinegar!!! Thanks very much for enlightening me!! 😃
I do a lot with citrus peels. I also make a fermented drink, which is basically the same way I start the vinegar but stop it at day three or four:ua-cam.com/video/muMAU560AGQ/v-deo.html
and here are other ideas: ua-cam.com/video/y_nykxfVVGE/v-deo.html
This is SO INTERESTING! I had no idea that white vinegar is made using GMO crop. That makes me so mad because I try so hard to never eat GMO. Thank you for letting us know. I'll have to start making my vinegar homemade now. I'm looking forward to trying your recipes! I especially love how you make floral ones for your hair!
as far as i know, all potatoes, corn, tomatoes, and a slew of other fresh veg in any grocery stores are all gmo to produce higher yield, better ripening after early harvesting, and longer shelf life because so much of our food is trucked across country to get to major cities, towns, and generally populace areas.
I'm a huge advocate of folks learning to grow their own veg locally as well as establishment of community gardens. Then you can invest in heirlooms and seed-saving to avoid a lack of bio-diversity in our food systems, and you have complete control over how pests and weeds are controlled.
I didn’t know either... so frustrating they put GMO in everything
-Newest BS is "b i o - e n g i n e e r e d food ingredients."
-They've only recently been required to label things as such.
-Those labels are intentionally vague.
-The words used don't always mean what you think they do. (In fact, they often don't.) See "organic" and "natural flavoring" as just two examples of this.
-Those l e t t e r a g e n c i e s aren't there to protect YOU. Always remember that. F D A doesn't stand for Fine n Dandy Agriculture. Follow the money. Every. Single. Time.
Hi Heidi, Thank you so much for sharing your wealth of knowledge!! That was so interesting about the honey. We don’t have bees either, so I wouldn’t use honey to make vinegar because it is expensive but it was fascinating to learn that it can do well with ferments! I always learn so much from you! Love, Mary❤️😘❤️
I just found your videos yesterday and you are a goldmine of homestead “how to’s”
Thank you for sharing your wisdom. I simply adore the scent of orange vinegar!!! Of course I add a cinnamon stick, cloves and nutmeg to make my own “thieves” cleaner. 😎
What an awesome idea!!
Hi, I came to re-check the method to make vinegar. I have going quite a few: 6 jars of citrus peel vinegar, 1 jar of apple vinegar, and as an experiment I have a melon vinegar and 2 quince vinegars. We’ll see the final result. Thanks for all the fantastic videos.
Heidi,
I can watch all your videos over and over again; as you have such good information and knowledge for all you do. Thank you another great video.
Thank you my friend!
Very informative. My mother in law lived with us, she recently passed and has a lot home made vinegar on our counter. I want keep her traditions going as best I can. Ty
I just want to thank you for giving me a whole new hobby.
I'm a long time fermenter but I have only been making vinegar since I discovered your channel in January. Wow!
I have always kept a spray bottle of vinegar in the bathroom for hair and spritzing the spots of caulking that are prone to mould. Yesterday I refilled it with my DIY lemon rind vinegar. With a bit of trepidation, I used it on my very fair (white and blonde) wet hair before the final rinse. My hair has never been so smooth, sleek and shiny. Even the Big Fella noticed and that's saying a lot!
My first batch was lime rind and it turned out beautifully, pale green, tart and refreshing. The second batch of lime is now brewing.
I also took all the dried fruit that had been in my pantry too long and made vinegar with those too. The raisin vinegar is awesome in stir fries so I don't plan to waste it on my hair. It's actually tasty neat, right off the spoon. The fig, date and blueberry are now ready for decanting and I expect them to be a lot like the raisin.
I tried thick-skinned pomelo rinds and they quickly turned syrupy. I hadn't trimmed off any pith. I decided that I had too much rind for the volume of water. It was almost like it was quickly forming one big scoby with the rinds trapped in it. I split it into 2 jars and added more water and a bit more sugar. It is still a little more opaque than my other citrus rind vinegars but it smells amazing. I haven't decided what to use it for once it's finished but I'm leaning toward escabeche.
FWIW, my house is probably a bit cooler than yours. We keep the main living areas at 65F in winter; the less frequently used rooms at 55F. I have been consistently getting 3.5 pH. It's still full on winter here in my part of Canada but I can't wait till spring so I can experiment with weeds, herbs and blossoms; goldenrod and wild apples in the fall. Based on comments below, I think I will wait till summer, well after the sap stops running, before trying cedar. The possibilities are endless.
Thanks again. I'm having such fun. Peace and sunshine!
It has been colder than usual in our house this year but still the vinegar seems to do quite well and I have gone back to moving it into the rec room, where it is even colder, because I have so much going I need to get it off my kitchen counter, haha
I live in Canada also. And we too keep our homes on the cool side. So I put my vinegars on a seed warming pad. It’s just a gentle heat but it works. Also close to the stove.
Thanks so much for the vinegar I'm going to do next!! I've made rose petal, lavender, rosemary and bay leaf vinegar, rose petal and lavender vinegar and, now, the orange and lemon cleaning vinegar. I want to make a cedar, pine needle, bay leaf, and holly with holly berries. (For a holiday spritzer). You've been an inspiration! I enjoy so much the scripture verses at the end of your videos.
Extremely informative Mrs. Rain, you are a fountain of knowledge!
I just love your videos. I have been trying my best to do most things at home, like gardening and preserving as much as I can, plus others. But I found your videos, whether be for the house or everywhere in my large lot because I have lived alone for a long time and because of the finances and my age I've been changing what I have to pay for. I raised 3 children pretty much by myself and did it basically the way we lived 40 yrs ago. Your videos made my live more easier. Thank you. I will continue watch as long as yous still produce your videos. God bless you two
Hi there Judy,
It maybe a big chance of you viewing this, but just want to say that like you Judy Taylor I too love videos like this as I have been trying my best to do most things at home because of the pandemic taking my husband away and am learning to try to make ends meet more, with myself with health issues and two adult son's with health issues
too and trying to cope with great increased costs of living, with energy costs taking the whole pension I am trying to grow more to eat, but again cannot afford a heated greenhouse and living in England our weather this year has not given us a true spring and so food growing/plants has been slower, made more difficult but like you I enjoy watching videos like Heidi makes as wanting to learn how I could do better and greatly appreciate people like her and yourself who are down to earth and greatly know a thing or two for the rest of us to learn from, so you stay well and stay safe and if there is a god I ask of him to take care of both of you.
Maureen
I trink you are the vinegar Queen ♡. Because of you I started to make my own vinegar and I also wash my hair with my own vinegar. Thank you for sharing all your knowledge. Good bless you and your family!
I have a orange & blood orange peel with rosemary vinegar cooking & an orange peel sage & yellow zinger teabag vinegar.
What do you use it for??
@@anncolburn3722 vinegars can be used for cleaning or cooking, hair rinse after shampooing ( leave in 5 minutes then just rinse out with plain water. ) for really soft hair 1x a week.
It's up to you. I love the smell when wiping down shelves.
I greatly appreciate the time and energy you spend making these videos to share with us. Your Vinegar playlist has largely demystified the vinegar making process for me enough that I now have a half gallon of citrus vinegar brewing on the kitchen counter. I’m excited to observe its transformation over the next few weeks!
I’m looking forward to experimenting with combinations to make some fun vinegars for the house. I use waaaay too much vinegar at home to not be proficient at making my own 😅
Thank you again!
Thanks again for sharing your knowledge with us. I like the way you teach and are honest with how you feel about certain things. God bless you
Thanks for the reminder! It was time to soak my toilet in vinegar so I just did it and it looks a lot better.
Vinegar of various kinds for many uses. Thank you.
I am so excited to make vinegar!
I don't consume vinegar products, but I do like to use it for cleaning. Thank you for this tutorial.
To much is bad for the stomach.
@@CopperHueCollectionsChippewa exactly
Mary sent me.
I really like your videos. You seem very well-rounded. And very knowledgeable about everything.
My husband loves vinegar especially extra in his pickles he likes to drink it every day
Thank you Heidi, your complexion looks so good.. ;-)
Thank you!
Heidi, you've got me making a bunch of vinegars and am I ever having fun! Started a lilac vinegar a week or so ago, as well as dandelion flower vinegar and a hair vinegar with a bunch of flowers and herbs. Recently I've been making and researching Ivan chai, an ancient Russian fermented tea made using fireweed leaves - absolutely incredible. Thanks for your inspiration!
~Amberlin
Lilac vinegar.... ohhhhh, the possibilities!!! 💜💜
Our neighbors’ apple tree is quite large and hangs over our fence. Im going to take some of those apples this year for vinegar making!!! 😉. Great information as always. Great that nothing is wasted because the rest of the fruit scrap ends up in the compost!
And my chickens just LOVE fruit scraps leftover from making vinegar, especially the apple and berry ones :D
I would make cuttings from branch hangout out
Thank you for Sharing!
Thank you Heidi. ❤
I am looking forward to making my own vinegar from my apple tree this year.
Thank you! Trying to learn new things
Awesome video! So much information. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you!
Love this video! I've been wanting to make something like this. Tfs and God Bless ❣
Heidi: commercial white vinegar is great as a substitute for fabric softener. It neutralizes chlorine, it removes soap residue and keeps the inside of the washer free of mineral build up like calcium and lime.
Right, and I have covered this in other videos but I instead use homemade vinegar in my laundry though.
I tried a store bought Blueberry Mint Kombucha & it was good so I'm gonna try to make that flavor Kombucha flavor with my vinegar mother. Ty.
I need more half gallon jars! I want to try so many different ingredients from the garden. I use vinegar to rinse my hair and use it for cleaning and laundry. I have an orange vinegar and a lilac flower vinegar going. I want to make a rosemary and citrus one next. Our lavender is blooming also.
I use lavender a lot in making vinegar, it makes the strongest scent. Though I usually mix the lavender with rose petals and other flowers and use for washing my hair
Hi Heidi thanks again for sharing this video on making Citrus vinegar I didn’t know that the white vinegar was a GMO product either good to know that.
Great video---I have been wondering about the citrus vinegar--thanks a bunch--on my way to make it for the homestead! Thank you for all you guys do--Rich & Dawn in MN--blessings to you from us! :)
Thank you!!
Thank you Peace be with you and yours!
Loving your videos. What an inspiration.
😂. I love that you are able to make good use of those apples.
Made some island lime vinegar today. Ty for posting this. Blessings!
Sounds like that will be a good one for sure!
@@RainCountryHomestead Ty! I hope so.
Just popped in to say Hey and let ya know I’m still watching! I try to watch at least one or two favorites a day if not I binge watch in bed and catch up everyone. By then I’m pooped tho and don’t comment. LOL It’s still crazy here. You know why. I should have an update on some things tomorrow or the next day. I’ll let ya know. Anywhooooo...Love hugs and blessings always to you and Dad 😉 and the family ~The Kid! ❤️
Good to "hear" from you and praying you are holding up my dear
Ty
I tried a cedar and a pine vinegar. Love them!
Ooh! Pine would be a nice one too!
@@RainCountryHomestead It smells like Pine Sol!
I am going to try to make juniper pine how much sugar do I need for a quart jar?
@@homesteadrewind3948 You will only need enough to come 3/4 of the way up the jar, giving you room to stir it every day. I use 1 tablespoon sugar per cup of water. I also add at least a quarter teaspoon raw vinegar and a pinch of yeast per cup of water. I heat the water to skin temperature, if it's cold. Half a jar of needles should stir good, with water to cover. I add another tablespoon of sugar, every few days, when it stops bubbling until it starts to smell vinegary.
@@lindachandler2293 fantastic directions!! Thank you!
Thank you 🙏🙏🙏
Thank you wonderful video
Thank you for sharing this info!! I was wondering if you have a video on natural remedies for allergies. I know about honey but was wondering if there are any other suggestions. Thanks again for all your tips🤗
The only one I have (that I can think of) is the saline rinse one that published last week
Country Homestead Preacher there are more. Start with Little Jordan Farm vids. There are other places to find info too.
Oh I would like some of the recipes for your flowers vinegars and your others
I have a lot of vinegar videos, including the floral ones like this one:
ua-cam.com/video/srqq69hBOQ8/v-deo.html
I love this thank you for sharing.
This is awesome! Thanks for sharing 💜
Nice video. Thanks
I used to have a business where I set up and maintained fish tanks for people and businesses. I always did routine water changes on the tanks, a requirement for healthy tanks and fish. But that requires water that is free from chlorine which can kill your fish. So you can either buy "water conditioner" which is not cheap in the quantities I was using it, OR you can set the water out for 24 hours to let the chlorine evaporate. I used the chemical on my client tanks because I didn't have time to wait for the water but for my personal tanks, I'd always have water sitting out to prepare it. Obviously you can't use the "water conditioner" on your homemade vinegar but I just wanted to lend support to Heidi's claim that you can let it sit out. The only caveat to that is that nowadays, many cities use chloramine instead of plain chlorine. Chloramine has an ammonia compound in it which is not good and does not evaporate. So I don't know what you'd do about that. I'll probably filter my water through a Berkey filter before using it for vinegar. Berkey filters do have a special filter to remove fluoride if you are interested in that.
Right. However, chloromine WILL boil out so boiling water for 10 minutes is the quickest most efficient and inexpensive way. Still will not remove the fluoride though.
Love this video
Hi Heidi. I am very lucky to be introduced to your channel! I'm new at vinegar making and your videos are very informative. I have a couple of questions: do I need to keep the jars in a dark place? Is it correct to say that molds are opaque where as scoby are transparent? I started a batch a little more than 2 weeks ago and had been getring this opaque white layer at the top. Should I keep stirring the content until the solid sink to the bottom of the jar? Thank you!
Wow. That got complicated. I like the rain water idea. I just bought a distiller for $90.00usd(Vevor) to remove the fluoride. 5.5 gallon pot doesn't fit on my stove. kek. I have to buy something to heat it up, now. I was searching for white vinegar, but it looks like it may have to be processed and may cost less to buy it. I do well just not cleaning stuff. I'm a dude that lives alone. kek. I'm gonna check out your other vids, but I've noticed that NOBODY seems to talk about how important the sun is for cleaning and heating. Thanks for the vid.
Well, NOBODY is not true as I have mentioned it in several other videos on other things, in particular with laundry, but yes, you are correct that sun is excellent at disinfecting and we use sun for solar power that we then use for many other things.
I’ll be getting a citrus peel jar started tomorrow! I’ve been wanting to use up our scraps! Thanks! I’m going to start with a quart mason jar! See how I do my first go around! I have oregano Oil and fresh thyme. Can I do anything with these to make effective cleaners?
You can add a drop or two of the oil to your vinegar and/or make a thyme vinegar
I even put my peels in the freezer
Great info, tfs, blessings 😊
Love this
Thank you for sharing ☺️ ✌️🙏 👣
Hi Heidi, I noticed you use a plastic lid after it's turned into vinegar. Do you recommend them over a metal one? Also, have you ever used hydrangea flowers to make vinegar or use them for any other medicinal purposes? I just can't get enough of your videos! God has sure given you a teaching talent!! 😊
Yes, I recommend plastic with a silicone liner to give it an air tight seal. The reason not metal (I say this from experience) is that the vinegar will degrade the metal and cause it to rust terribly and it may be nearly impossible to remove it from the jar as it practically becomes cemented onto it
Morning Heidi! Wonderful step by step video! These questions r odd (then again, I am an odd one myself) 🤭 the stuff under the mother, is that thrown out, or can it be eaten, the mother herself, u said it can be fed to the chickens, if they can eat it...can’t we eat it??? The thought has never occurred to me till now, so I’m just wondering because what we consume, is what made her. By the way, I love the orange cloth we the citrus peels, it’s cool 👍🏼 Thank u. PS I do not know what went wrong with my attempt to make cedar vinegar, I don’t have those strips, it never smelled or tasted (yeah, I did a finger taste) like vinegar, had lots of bubbles, I gave it a month...BUT, I added sugar to it throughout the month, cook that have been my problem seeing u used a 1/4 cup for the month??? Thank u
Those are not weird questions at all. Yes, all parts of the vinegar can be consumed. The cloudy stuff at the bottom I typically leave in - the only way to get it completely out is to distill it but it is good for you so best to leave it. I personally would have no interest in eating the scoby, I think it is gross, but yes, it is good for you too.
I have had either a juniper or cedar vinegar never turn to vinegar, I believe this is a result of the sap from the plant that has high antimicrobial and anti fungal properties. This would kill the bacteria and yeast that cause it all to ferment so it can be tricky working with those things. Also, if you keep adding sugar, then you keep extending the time it takes for it to turn to vinegar because it is not vinegar until ALL the sugar has been consumed
Rain Country Thanks Heidi!!! I learned just as much good info from ur reply as I did from ur video! I’m gonna do another cedar vinegar (I want cedar sent n my hair 😉) but this time I’ll only do 1/4 cup sugar, adding no more. As for the scoby, gross huh, Lol, sounds like u haven’t tried it, I’m guessing it’s gross do to the look/feel of it, ah, take a nibble (I’m just ribbing u) I’ve yet to experience it, once I do, I’ll have to try it! Thanks for the info Heidi!!!
Rosemary grows wild where I live. Do you think rosemary and citrus would be a good combo for a cleaning vinegar?
Yep, that is a great option. I actually make a grapefruit rosemary soap. I love the blend of the two
Yes
I love all of your videos and have made the floral and citrus vinegars. I love the way the floral vinegar makes my hair smell. I do dilute it and use it with my natural conditioner as my hair tends to be dry and tangles.
My question regarding the citrus vinegars is do you dilute yours for cleaning? If I don’t it leaves my counters sticky and with a film, so I’ve been making a peroxide, alcohol blend with essential oils and add about a quarter of a cup of the citrus vinegar. Should I use more vinegar and less of the other ingredients? Thoughts? Thank you for all you share!
I do not dilute but if it is leaving a sticky residue, that means t here is still sugar present in the vinegar so it was not finished.
Thanks Heidi like to do it.😊
😊. Hi Heidi, Informative video. Thank you. I enjoy watching your videos. I'm going to try this method. If I want to add roses or florals, when do I add them (can i do it at the beginning with the lemons and citrus fruit peelings?) I'm so excited to try this. God bless you.
Yes, you can add whatever you want. :)
😊 Thank you so much I'm going to do a citrus batch and I have some dried Rose's that I might add. I dont want to waste them. 😊. I'm also planning to make some rose water. I love making my own products. Thank you for taking time to share yourknowledge. The Bible says we are destroyed for rejected knowledge that God has given us. I hope to start a channel or something one day to share what I know.😊
I absolutely love your vinegars. Question, you mentioned using honey. I was told not to use honey because of its anti bacterial and anti fungal properties. Have you used honey itch good results?
Honey actually ferments excellently. Though I have not used it in vinegar, I have used it to make honey wine (AKA Mead) and fermentation starters for other things. It actually ferments better than regular sugar, I just do not use it for vinegar and such because it is not cheap for us right now, at least not until we get our own bees
Hi Heidi, I started my first citrus vinegar a couple of weeks ago. When it's ready and has been strained. Does it matter if the bottle is plastic or glass? Love your videos! You rock as a teacher!! God bless.❤
If you are just using it for cleaning, plastic is fine
@@RainCountryHomestead thanks for the clarification. I was reading conflicting information on it. 😊👍
I’m a fan of Mary’s Nest and decided to check out this site since Mary speaks well of Heidi.
My question is, do you dilute the citrus vinegar before using it as a spray cleaner?
I personally do not but some may want to depending on how they are using it
I have a 40 year old grapefruit tree that I plan on making a cleaning vinegar for next year’s Christmas gifts?
I know this is an older video, I hope you see this; I made apple peel vinegar last month (or longer?), and stopped stirring after awhile, it now has that kahm yeast on top, not sure what to do with it, aha, hearing as I write, to just scrape it out, thanks! ...but I had watched again, and started another jar, ever the optimist! I realized when I made the raisin starter ferment, I forget what you call it, I remember adding sugar every few days...so, I am stirring, it has been a week maybe, running out of fizz, not sure if I need to add sugar? Thanks so much!
Also, because of making your skirt, and watching you make tops and other items, I have become brave enough to make my own patterns, I make jumpers already, but made a whole and 2 half slips, and a cool summer night gown, most from repurchased sheets. A bag to carry my phone while I walk each morning...Thank you so much! May God continue to bless you.
Aha, add more sugar after 1 to 2 weeks, missed that before! Cool
Oh, when do I strain it? Sorry to be so long...🙂
I actually now recommend not adding sugar after the first week. It is not supposed to stay bubbly forever, usually at the two week mark the bubbles stop and that is what it should do, it means it has entered the phase of turning from wine to vinegar
@@RainCountryHomestead thank you so much!
Can I use already cooked citrus peels when starting vinegar? I made an immune booster drink using lemons (ginger; cranberries, turmeric; black pepper, cinnamon and honey) and I hate throwing out my cooked peels. Thanks in advance... great video!
I think you could but would recommend you add some sort of fresh herb or fruit to it as the yeasts that are on these things that help get the vinegar going will be gone from the cooked peels.
Heidi do u put any vinegar in jar to start ?
How much would you use in the washer and do you use it full strength for your hair? I love your videos and so much wonderful info. Many thanks
I use about a half cup in the laundry and water it down when using in my hair, about 2 ounces to 6 ounces water.
We have chloramine. It does not evaporate. A lot of cities use both.
Chloramine can be removed by boiling
Jarring all my new vinegars! Thank you! Is there something I can use the spent peels, mint, and juniper for?
I always just compost the strained out herbs, fruits, etc
Thanks! They’re so potent and smell so good so I’m going to try putting them in a decanter of sorts in the refrigerator and the bottom of garbage cans to deodorize and maybe even around the garden where pests/weeds are a problem. ❤️
Love the idea of keeping peels and adding them to a jar. Am wondering, have you tried mixing sugar water and then adding the peels as you go along? I don't have much room in my fridge and this method would be a big help if it works.
Oh, and we often have black bananas left over, can they be added to the jar?
Thanks Heidi!
Great question and yes, I do add peels as I go, in fact, that is mostly how I do it and I just started another batch this morning with nothing but the peel from one lemon but will be adding to it each day. I had just wanted to start off with a bunch for the video so people can see how much I use total.
EDIT: missed the banana question the first time, I have yet to try banana peel because I read somewhere years ago someone tried it and it turned out nasty, not sure about the fruit itself but it may be worth a try
@@RainCountryHomestead in an American Homestead video on winemaking he suggests a banana added to wine makes a better wine and I have 2 jugs going now one with banana+frozen plums+raisin fermentation starter+sugar and some water and the second with frozen plums+commercial wine starter+sugar+water and the one with the banana has been working so hard I had to split into a second jar to contain the mess and foamy white bubbles keep coming. Will let you know if it turns out.
picked a ton of oranges from a friends tree. Now I know what to do with the peels after we juice them! - BYW if you need assistance with Rain Water Harvesting products or ideas please feel free to reach out www.aquabarrel.com/
I have a spring on my property. I could use that. I don’t have method to catch rain water yet.
Yep, that will work
Thank you once again for the information. I have a well, but we have a water softener to counteract our extremely hard water. We have a filter on our refrigerator water dispenser for drinking, but I don't have one on my kitchen tap. I was just wondering if you had spoken to anyone that has made vinegar with water with a softener and if it affected the results.
Isn't just salt used in that? If so, it is doubtful it is enough to affect the ferment. If other chemicals are used, that is something that should be looked into.
@@RainCountryHomestead Yes just salt. I've not been able to find a lot of information on it's effects when canning etc. Consequently, when I can I've been using spring water. And as I'm typing this I realized I could probably find out from my local extension office. lol Thanks. :)
Hi Heidi! I’m trying to make citrus vinegar with rosemary, it’s week one😊 Are you using the vinegar in the spray bottle straight for cleaning? Also, how much vinegar are you putting in the carpet cleaner? Thanks 🌸
Yes, I use straight vinegar in the spray bottle though one can dilute it if they wish. I put about a cup of vinegar in the hot water I use in the tank of the carpet cleaner
Rain Country thanks 😊
Have you ever made malt vinegar, I bought some very dark malted barley, and just started a vinegar with water and sugar and starter.... and although the colour looked great is tasted almost like coffee... I was reading the other day, apparently one needs to make a dark beer, and when the beer hass ready, then let that beer turn to vinegar... I must have another try one day.
I'm interested in malt vinegar as well for my hubby. I think you are right about the procedure.
This may sound silly but do the peeling need to be free of any of the pith or fruit? Thank you for sharing!
I just put them in as is, I do not remove the pith
I'm going to try cantaloupe peels
Oh I think that would be great!
Love this! why do you prefer nylon strainers vs stainless steel?
I actually prefer stainless steel and use them most, however, the nylon ones are tighter weave so they strain out more than stainless. But when I am really trying to get out all the fine stuff, I will use cloth over the stainless
i have been using one scoby, when done, to start a new batch of vinegar, seems to be working find
Flo aka mystepedals wow! heidi, what do you think about this, please?
I have found there to be no need for the scoby so I never use them for starting vinegar, I just feed them to my chickens, they love them and are very healthy for them, however, if people seem to have problems getting their vinegar going, tossing in some of the mother either in the form of the sediment found at the bottom of the jar or bottle or the scoby itself might be helpful
❤. Thanks for showing me how to make vinegar from scratch with the peels from citrus. I love that.❤ you’re so creative.❤ do you have instructions on how to make floral vinegar’s from scratch so I could use it on my hair? Because I don’t see anything about making floral vinegars from scratch on your playlist?
There are a few in there, one of the old ones is specifically on Calendula vinegar: ua-cam.com/video/srqq69hBOQ8/v-deo.html then I have one showing how to use dried herbs (and flowers) to make vinegar: ua-cam.com/video/lEKCVoq7-8Y/v-deo.html
And here is another one using mint, pansy and dandelion: ua-cam.com/video/JdbfriS46qU/v-deo.html
This maybe a question for another video, but. What vinegar do you use for canning? Thank you so much for all your knowledge 🌻
I rarely can wiht vinegar but when I do use it, I use whatever strong vinegar I have. Usually it is going to be apple, banana, or peach.
Hi! Thank you for your videos. I've never heard of this process before. I'm trying it right now with some lemon peels. I hope it works for me. Do you happen to know how long it might take for the water/sugar/lemon peels to start the fermentation process? It's in a warm room. Thank you for any replies!
It takes three to five days to start seeing bubbles
@@RainCountryHomestead thank you! :)
15 to 30 min Low impact exercise 3 to 4 days a week due to disability. That about 1 mile or 1600 to 2500 steps.
if we make a vinegar just for cleaning, could we use uglier fruit like maybe if a worm or was moldy already a little bit then just cut off? as long as its dried out then can be made into a vinegar? Thanks for the great video.
I often use old fruit that has gone past its prime for making such vinegars but yes, I do cut off the bad parts.
I have a Jamaican lime tree in my yard.. Those are so sour they aren't fit for much. But they smell great. I'm thinking I'd like to make at least a gallon of vinegar at once, instead of jars. Do you think it would be fine to just cut the whole lime into quarters and use them, or do you think I should just use the peels?
O certainly, I would think it would turn out amazing!
I just found your channel and am currently binge watching! What temperature would be ideal? I live in the tropics where the summer is scorching, can I put it directly under the sun or should I put in the shade? Also,is it ok to use plastic jars or stainless steel utensils? I’m not sure if I have glass or mason jars.
I do not recommend plastic because of the toxins, especially when making vinegar because it may possibly release more of the toxins from the plastic and into the vinegar itself. Stainless steel should be fine but do not use any other kind of metal. I personally try to avoid all metals when making vinegar. If you buy any large jars of anything like pickles and such, you can use those. I actually bought a couple of good sized pickle jars at a garage sale one time for 50 cents each. They are at least a half gallon but appear bigger than my half gallon mason jars I have.
O yes. welcome to our channel and I hope you enjoy it here! :D
QUESTION: I really learned a lot from this and every other video you have but I have a question concerning oranges. My backyard sour orange tree is loaded (couple hundred) with sour oranges that have a great orange flavour but are so very sour. It is native to North Florida and I need some help in using the fruit. I'd like to make a huge batch of vinegar and wondered if it would work in a plastic tub? I have well water, totally organic oranges and cane sugar. What should I do differently since I have so many oranges to use? Also, the skin is really bitter so drying it produces even more bitter skin. I have a pie recipe that is like a lemon meringue crossed with key lime pie and is delicious but only takes 2/3 cup juice per pie. I freeze bags of prepared fruit to make this pie but need other choices. I could freeze the juice but that sure would take a lot of freezer space and if I can it, I think I will loose the Vitamin C benefit. HELP Not a lot of info on Sour Orange but I assume it is like the Bitter Orange that grows in Cuba which they use for meat tenderizer and marinades.
For the vinegar, Follow the same idea as here just in a larger amount. While you CAN make it in plastic, it is really not recommended as the acidity of the vinegar can possibly break down the plastic some and cause the toxins to leach into the vinegar. May not be so bad if you are only going to use it for cleaning but if you want to use it for more than that, then I suggest finding 1 gallon jars to make it in or even a large crock or stainless steel pot
MAKE marlamade
Hi Heidi, thank you for sharing your knowledge, I've learned much from you!! I made a carrot vinegar that turned out great. Question, I tried making vinegar with unripe lemons (half gallon with half cup sugar and well water), but after 4 weeks all fruit has settled to the bottom, but it smells like rotten lemons, not vinegar. Is this normal? Did do something wrong? Thank you in advance!!
You may have to strain it out first, then do a smell test. It may be fine but sometimes they can have an odd smell before strained
Thank you I'll give it a try!! Blessings to ya!!