Fermentation inspires me for many reasons. Those communities of bacteria and fungi never fail to get me excited with their sugar-transforming processes. I may be a weirdo, but I know that I’m not alone in my weirdness. In addition to the communities of bacteria and fungi that compose cultures and make things ferment, there are the communities of people who share cultures and culture, tips and tricks and an endless flow of information about the practice. Those communities are just as important to fermentation as the microbes are, in my humble opinion. Without fermenting friends it would be so much less fun to gain an understanding of of these old and new traditions.
That’s why I’m so grateful to be a part of the community of fermenters supporting this Kickstarter project from FARMcurious. Nicole, the founder, is set on helping new fermenters feel comfortable with the help of her BPA-free kits. This Kickstarter will give her the funds to put these kits into production. And if you land yourself a kit, you’ll get products to make you comfy during your initial fermentation trials. And as I mentioned last week, the reCAP lids bring other benefits as well. They keep the fermentation odors to a minimum, prevent the build-up of CO2 that can lead to leaks or bursts and have a more sophisticated demeanor than my double jar/napkin habit look.
The kits are pretty, neat and pretty neat! If you give to the Kickstarter, you’ll have access to even cooler prizes including a recipe booklet with recipes from some of my favorite peeps, like Sean of Punk Domestics and Jane of the Fermenter’s Kitchen Facebook group. I contributed a new and improved version of my celery root pickle recipe.
The Kickstarter will continue for another few weeks but to share with the greater community of fermenters, Nicole is offering a kit to the readers of fermenty blogs from all over, including some of my favorites! To enter to win a kit of your own, leave a comment about a fermentation fear you have or used to have but have overcome!
Contest is open to Continental United States residents only. FARMcurious will provide one reader/commenter with a fermentation kit, retail value $25. Kit includes two reCAP mason jar lids with airlocks and fittings, packaging and recipe/use booklet. Contest is over.
CONGRATULATIONS TO WINNER CHRISTINE!
Mark says
Mold growing overnight after a few weeks of perfect fermentation.
Andrew says
This set looks great! and much simpler to use then my current burp regularly method. Sometimes imagine what the housesitter thought when I went on vacation and told her the jars had to be burped…lol
Ali says
A fear, or perhaps more accurately a ferment defeat, is the overnight bloom of mold. Last week an entire batch of kombucha (2 jars) succumb to an air born mold.
Kristin says
This looks incredible! I used to be terrified of mold, and specifically I was afraid my ferment would go bad, I wouldn’t realize it, and I’d get ingest it and get sick. Of course, it’s pretty noticeable when something goes bad and while I still freak out when I see a furry top on my ferments, it’s not nearly so scary as it was and I continue on. Something like this would be amazing to have!
Amy Schmelzer says
I guess a fear of mine was that I needed to have an exact recipe or else I couldn’t ferment. Now I play around with things because I know that it is more about the method and the ratios than anything. If I want to add another veggie to my kraut or a different spice, then I go for it, weigh my veggies, and add a 2% brine solution and it’s usually good to go.
Ginger says
I had a lot of fear about how I could tell if good bacteria or bad bacteria were growing on my ferment.
Michelle says
I have been a follower of Nicole’s FarmCurious blog for a while now and can’t wait to see these available for sale! Makes me much less anxious about trying my hand at fermenting. 🙂
Kat K. says
My worst fear is making someone sick from my ferments. I’ve learned to trust my eyes and nose. If it smells wrong, throw it out. I’d rather be out a few quarts of fermented food than unintentionally making someone ill.
Jodi M says
I wonder about the taste of fermented food versus pickled. I really enjoy the tang of pickled foods and hope that isn’t lost in the fermentation process!
Laura says
I was afraid of the whole process. Worried it wouldn’t turn out, and I’d waste food. I finally got over my fear and jumped in. So glad that I did.
Ryan Gillespie says
I’ve got a similar kit made by rlmprovisions dot com that is a glass swing top jar with an airlock hole drilled in the lid. This kit is cool for being small batch friendly. (I’ve also backed the kickstarter).
Valerie F says
I never know when the ferment is done! i just did a sauerkraut ferment & it tasted baaaaaaad! then i discovered anaerobic fermenting. i think it’s safer
Christine says
I was definitely afraid of mold, and of my kitchen smelling like hot garbage! It seems like I won’t have to worry about that with the reCAP Kit! Fingers crossed!
Loretta says
Sometimes I worry what my dad will say. His mom used to make a smelly crock of kraut in her basement, and now every time I mention fermenting foods he gets a funny look on his face…. o_O
Eileen says
Ooh, what a great giveaway! The biggest fermenting fear I had was the potential for lingering smells…but then I tried out a batch of sauerkraut and found that the smell was minimal and I didn’t mind it even a little. Fear conquered! Now all I need to do is get a whole host of kimchi vats going. 🙂 Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!
Lisa P says
I was worried about mold, but once I fermented a few different things, I gained more confidence!
Aimee Campbell says
Every year I look into starting to ferment things, starting with sauerkraut, but I have never made it because it is so foreign to me. I think this system would simplify things and really introduce me to this whole new world!
leila says
I would love to try to make plum wine with fresh ume and souchu!
Sarah Woltjer says
The biggest fear I have overcome with fermenting is the sour smells. The way I was raised, if it smelled sour you throw it out! I have learned through fermenting that it can be a very good thing. Great give-away! Thank you!
Elisa says
I’m afraid I’ll take classes to learn how to ferment and invest money on the equipment only to learn it’s too time consume and it will sit in a cabinet collecting dust (the equipment that is, not the ferments, Lol.) But from all that I’ve read about fermentation, including the wonderful heath benefits and how easy people claim it is, I’m optimistic and excited to give it a try and hope it will become a routine for me!
timothina says
I am still nervous about fermenting, but I am glad I started. I have made sauerkraut and fermented citrus. I hope to start fermenting my garden’s bounty this summer.
Mark Zumkeller says
I just want ti get into fermenting! I have never done this before. I hope it isn’t too hard!
sarah says
never tried! i really want to try!
ktr says
I grew up making sauer kraut so I was never afraid of ferments … but I don’t have a basement to make them in (like we did when I was a kid) so I do fear that my house will smell like them in the winter when the house is closed up.
Laura says
I was always afraid that the smell would overwhelm my house. But I realized that it’s not so bad! I have so many fermentation projects going now, but the biggest scent I get is from sourdough bread… Mmmmmm….
Amanda says
I’m with you, Laura. I love the smell of my ferments (except lacto cauliflower which is horrible).
Lynn says
Mold, mold, mold. but considering the number of cabbage starter plants I purchased. I am going to need to get over this fear.
Jennifer says
Mold! And also that the batch won’t turn out well when I experiment with something new.
Angelina Littrell says
A fear of beginning. I have been so reluctant to start but bubbies sauerkraut is getting expensive. These recap jar lid fermenting kits look easy even to me. 🙂
Amanda says
You can do it, Angelina! Just keep it submerged and give it time. You’ll be overjoyed when you’ve got it.
Ann says
I think my biggest fear is that I won’t like the taste of it. That has rarely happened, but it has happened a couple of times. I know some ferments take repeated tastings to develop a “friendship” with them. I keep trying even if I don’t like it the first time. I just end up fermenting small batches of ones like that. Rejuvelac is one of those I’m still working on.
Eric McNew says
Keeping everything submerged… even though most of the mold is harmless, I’d rather not take a chance!
Barbra C says
That my ferment will turn into a moldy mess or that it’ll be bad/rotten. I don’t want to waste food, and I especially don’t want to make anyone sick.
Misha says
Soggy ferments make me nervous – as does mold. I haven’t had mold yet!
helen says
I made fermented carrot/ginger according to a recipe and it turned out slimey. I have been afraid to try it again.
Nate says
I’m afraid of the jar that sat in the back of the fridge a bit too long – even when it turns out good, sometimes it gets lost back there!
Lindsey Beech says
I’m afraid I’m going to do it all wrong and get me and my family sick.
Kelly Scott says
I’m afraid of kombucha bursting, and do I’ve never tried to make it even though I really want to! That would be my first project with these, I think.
Shelby says
I fear spending all the time and money making something then finally eating it and not liking it or no one in my family liking it. If we don’t like it, there’s no one else I know I can pawn it off on!
Judy says
I’m new to this & worry that I might make someone ill.
Andrea G says
Making something that I don’t like the taste.
Debra Lee says
I just don’t know where to start!
Julie says
My fear with fermenting is getting started the right way so I don’t make someone sick. Contributed to the kickstarter. These look so neat, can’t wait to try.
Caitlin Frates says
My fear is that I had no clue what I was doing and was afraid to try. But you’ve gotta start somewhere, right!!?!? Worst case is you just start over. Life could be worse 😉
Karen D says
I have discovered that my house is too cold in the winter to ferment my tempeh. So now it is a ‘summer’ project. Even using the oven with the pilot lit is not quite warm enough to give the culture a good, healthy start.
PrepNow says
I always pictured an old woman with a shawl around her shoulders, a scarf covering her head, digging up a crock under the cover of darkness. Then lifting the lid to see live strands of kraut wiggling like Canadian crawlers on the bottom of the crock…she screams and runs back to her meager home to get her shotgun. Now, that’s a fear of fermenting. I hope I get a chance to prove my fears are off base 😉
Marya says
My biggest fear right now is screwing up- wasting food, getting sick, exploding things. In the long run though, all these food preservation experiments are going to help me get to a place where I can afford to have to throw out a little food, or miss a few days of work. It’s kinda fun fermenting stuff, and watching the little changes.
Kate says
It really freaked me out the first time I made mesophilic yogurt. But after really considering the history of yogurt, it made a lot of sense to me to leave dairy out at room temperature to ferment. Once I tasted it, it rocked my world!
Brandon K. says
My biggest fear would be having to throw out a large batch. All that work for nothing!
Gabby says
I’m also terrified of the mold!! I just get a feeling in my stomache when I see mold growing on top and it sometimes I can’t bring myself to eat it. I’m also afraid of bugs!! I’ve had a few issues with bugs and I’ve wasted gallons of food because of them.
Rebecca H says
When I started making water kefir and jun, I didn’t want to do a second fermentation for fear of exploding bottles. Instead I put flavoring in and put them in the fridge. Then I realized that since I am bottling in spaghetti jars, I can monitor them by pressing the button on the lid, and let them ferment in a small cooler to keep things contained. World of difference!
Vicky C. says
I am afraid of consuming too much of an acidic type of food. I know how probiotic it is but is it too acidic? I am a kickstarter supporter and would love to win this so my sister and I could do this together. We are beginners.Thanks.
Michael says
Not having a good method currently for releasing gases, I am definitely afraid of forgetting too long and having exploding jars.
Pickling Novice says
I was afraid to ferment at all because I thought my parents would be super judgmental about it. As it turns out, while they weren’t so thrilled about the smell when I tried pickling kale ribs, they were on the positive side of “meh” when it came to the idea of doing it. I’m glad I didn’t just throw them in the trash while wishing I’d used them.
charj says
I’m concerned about the ferments getting to warm sitting on the counter. My kitchen can get very hot during the summer even without turning on the stove.
Teresa says
I am afraid to try it and it not turn out. It hard enough to get my family to eat vegetables.
Teresa says
I am afraid to try it and either if won’t turn out or no one will like it. It’s hard enough to get my family to eat vegetables.
David says
Making sure the product fermented correctly, I.e. Ph levels and such
jennifer says
I’ve always been afraid of not using the proper amount of salt or brine and ruining the whole batch. The more times I make a batch of cabbage, the less I worry. It is time to try new veggies!
leila says
I would try doing meats or fish, like herring or chicken or pork, I think it would be interesting
Jonathon says
definitely not afraid to make mistakes in fermentation. you learn more from screwing things up than you do from getting it right on the first try. tasting off flavors gives a lot of insight on what is actually going on in the process and also gives you more appreciation for a successful batch. connecting an off flavor with the cause is essential to not repeating the same mistake!
I’m afraid that because I never write recipes down and never will (I like to trust my instincts in the moment) that when I do create something magical, I will not be able to replicate it consistently.
I’m afraid of forgetting to put in that one last ingredient in at the very end. IE oops I just forgot to add those finishing hops and I already chilled the beer and pitched the yeast OR oops my dough is finished mixing and I forgot to add the [insert ingredient here].
Lastly, definitely afraid to cultivate Koji (even from a starter). Seems like you really need spend a lot of time taking care of it. Definitely going to try anyways (just ordered 4 different starters haha).
Anne Figge says
A “fear” I have is having to deal with mold on top, but not a big deal. Getting started with lacto-fermenting was MUCH easier that getting over my fear of pressure cookers. (I managed that just fine.)
I contributed to the Kickstarter campaign!
David Bell says
I’m new to fermenting. Still learning and hoping I get it right