Pears on tree in fruit garden. Adobe Stock by Africa Studio
Pollination by hand is not uncommon. It is often used for better crops like squash and melons. This year, I’m going to be using a paintbrush to hand-pollinate my pear trees. The goal isn’t to create paintings of my farm (though that would be delightful). The goal is to improve the pollination of my pear trees and generate a better pear harvest. My humble paintbrush is going to become a creative addition to my arsenal of farm tools.
Pollinate Plants
A few years back, I planted two types of pear trees in my young orchard: Early Gold and Ure. I’ve read varying reports on the fertility of the Early Gold; some say it’s self-fertile, others say it does better with a pollinator and some say it definitely needs a pollinator. I was told at the nursery that Early Gold would benefit from having Ure as a pollinator, hence their pairing in my orchard.
I enjoyed a few pears off the Early Gold in the year of planting, for the trees were already of decent size and the Early Gold had been pollinated at the nursery. The Early Gold has blossomed beautifully every year since, but the Ure pear has been slower to mature, contributing anywhere from zero to a handful of blossoms per year.
The lackluster flower show from my Ure pear has left my Early Gold pear without pollination for its numerous blossoms, and it hasn’t produced any pears since that first year. I’m hopeful my Ure pear will burst into glorious full bloom this spring and solve the problem on its own, but whether it does or not, I’m going to take matters into my own hands and pollinate plants with a paintbrush.
Pollinating squash flowers with a paintbrush.
Pollination Power
Last year, my mother was having trouble in her garden with the pollination of squash plants. There were honey bees around, but they were focusing on other plants and neglecting the squash flowers. So my mother took an ordinary paintbrush and used it to transfer pollen from the male flowers to the female flowers. The resulting squash harvest was abundant.
I plan to replicate my mother’s success by using a small watercolor paintbrush to pollinate my pear trees. Pear trees have bisexual flowers with both male and female parts, so the key will be transferring pollen from one tree to the other, rather than from male flowers to female flowers. Assuming I get at least a few blossoms on the Ure pear, I’ll gather pollen from those blossoms and deposit them in the blossoms on my Early Gold pear. And I’ll repeat the process in reverse, transferring pollen from my Early Gold blossoms to the Ure blossoms.
It may take a little bit of time and effort, as the two trees are planted 90 feet apart, and it’s my understanding that pollen must be transferred multiple times to each flower to ensure pollination. When you pollinate plants with a paintbrush, you might not get a masterpiece the first try. But if I can get even a dozen Early Gold and Ure pears to grow, I’ll be happy.
And if my Ure pear doesn’t blossom this year? Well, I won’t be deterred. There’s a very old, very large pear tree growing on a different part of my farm, and it blossoms abundantly every year. If I have to take a handful of paintbrushes, gather a bunch of pollen from the old pear tree, and transfer it to my Early Gold blossoms… so be it! Inspired by my mother and her miracle-working squash blossom paintbrush, I’m definitely going to enjoy a pear harvest this year.
This story about hand pollination was written for Hobby Farms magazine online. Click here to subscribe.
German sauerkraut recipe—utter these words and your mind is filled with images of cozy kitchens and yummy food. Sauerkraut has a culinary heritage with recipes from plain cabbage-fermented sauerkraut to gingery beet kraut and Hawaiian kraut, that have been passed down for generations. It’s a dish celebrated for its tangy flavor and health benefits.
German Sauerkraut Recipe
Yields: one to two quart jars of sauerkraut
Ingredients
1 head of green cabbage (about 2 to 2½ pounds)
1 to 1½ tablespoon kosher salt
6 bay leaves
20 whole black peppercorns
Preparation
Remove the outer leaves from the cabbage and discard. Wash the cabbage with cold water. Cut in half lengthwise, and remove the core from each half. Shred the cabbage into thinly sliced shreds, about 1/8-inch thick. You can also use a mandolin or cabbage shredder for this step. Try to keep the shreds uniform in size so that they ferment evenly.
Collect shreds in a nonreactive bowl, such as glass, plastic or solid stainless steel. Add salt and mix well. Use clean hands (remove nail polish and jewelry or wear food-safe gloves) to mix the salt with the shredded produce, squeezing and mashing with your fists to tenderize the cabbage. You can also use a wooden tamping tool for this process, but be intentional about not over-mashing the produce or it will turn into a mushy ferment.
Massage the cabbage mixture until you can pick up a fistful and squeeze liquid from your fist. Once the liquid drains out, you’re ready to transfer the cabbage shreds into a clean quart jar. At this point, mix in the peppercorns so that they’re evenly spread throughout the kraut.
Jarring Sauerkraut
Transfer the kraut into a clean quart jar, and gently stick the bay leaves within the kraut and the side of the jar, careful not to break the leaves. Leave one to two inches of headspace (room from the cabbage mixture to the rim of the jar). Use your fist or cabbage tamper to tightly fill the jar. Pour any excess liquid from the bowl into the jar(s) as well. This liquid is the brine that the sauerkraut will ferment in.
Once filled, there should be enough brine to cover the kraut shreds. If there is not enough liquid, check again in the morning, and often, enough will be produced overnight. You’ll need some weight to keep the cabbage pushed under the brine. Keeping the shreds submerged under the brine is the key to a successful ferment. There are weights specifically made to fit jars, but you can also get creative – see the “tips section” below for alternative options. Wipe off the rim of the jar, add the mason jar canning lid, and tightly screw on the ring.
German Sauerkraut Fermentation
In this traditional German sauerkraut recipe, fermentation will happen for two to three weeks and can go up to six. The temperature of the space where you are fermenting will determine how long it takes. The warmer a room, the faster it will ferment. Ideally, you should ferment between 60 to 75°F. Keep out of direct sunlight.
Burp the jar daily, especially at first when the ferment is very active; unscrew the lid briefly and tighten it back on to allow any built-up gas to release. At least once per day, you’ll have to use a clean utensil to push down the weight and submerge the cabbage again. Scoop away any pieces of food floating on top of the brine to avoid mold.
Taste test the ferment after the second week. If it still tastes of raw cabbage, allow it to ferment another week and taste again. Some people prefer a very sour and soft sauerkraut and therefore will ferment closer to the six-week range. Once fermentation in this German sauerkraut recipe is complete to your liking, transfer the jar into the refrigerator, with the brine and all.
Fermentation does not stop once the ferment is transferred to the refrigerator, however, it does slow the process down. The taste and texture will continue to change; therefore, it’s best enjoyed within six months.
We enjoy this German sauerkraut recipe with many meals in our household and view it as a finished veggie side dish that can be added to a variety of meals; it’s not just for bratwursts and pork chops.
Sauerkraut Tips & Tricks
If you don’t have a glass jar weight, you can improvise by using an easily removable small food-grade glass dish that fits inside the jar. If you have a smaller glass canning jar that can fit into the mouth of the jar you are fermenting with, you can use that to keep the produce pushed under the brine.
You may substitute fine sea salt instead of coarse kosher salt. Consult a salt conversion chart.
Expect foam-like bubbling, at least in the first week of this ferment. It’s completely normal.
Baby chicks are a springtime staple at feed stores and farm supply stores. A visit to the store is usually accompanied by the unmistakable peeping of baby chicks. Here’s a look at what you may find and how to get what you want.
Baby Chicks in the Store
In the center of the store, under a sea of heat lamps, there are usually stock tanks with assorted levels of peeping. Common varieties like amberlinks, golden comets, black sex links and red stars, are all hybrids with an excellent track record as backyard birds. These fluffy babies bring smiles to shoppers.
Unfortunately, though, just because a store sells something, that does not mean its employees are experts on the inventory. Most staffers are simply trying to earn a living wage, with little or no knowledge of everyday animal husbandry. Ask about the different breeds of baby chicks, and, well, caveat emptor: Let the buyer beware.
Here are some mistakes I have witnessed…
A tank of chocolate khaki campbell ducklings mislabeled as Pekin ducklings (which are sunshine yellow).
A tank of easter eggers mislabeled (and misspelled) as “Americanas, a common barnyard bird.” (True ameraucanas are not common barnyard birds.)
A tank of golden baby chicks misidentified as barred rocks (barred rock chicks are black with creamy underbellies and a creamy white spot on their heads).
A tank of sandy-beige chicks misidentified as Plymouth blues (the breed/variety is blue Plymouth rocks; the chicks are very similar in appearance to barred [Plymouth] rocks).
Mislabeling like this is sadly common. Not a single Chick Days event has gone by without my encountering at least one incorrectly identified set of baby birds at a local feed store or farm supply center. While I’m well versed enough in poultry breeds not to be misled by erroneous signs, not everybody is. Avoid coming home with cornish crosses when you were planning on buff orpingtons by following these suggestions.
Shutterstock
1. Know Your Baby Chicken Varieties
Determine which chicken varieties you want before you head to the store. Having a specific variety of bird in mind keeps you from being overwhelmed by the assortment of chicks your store might stock. Going in knowing you are looking for silver-laced wyandotte chicks, for example, keeps you on track instead of melting over every bit of baby fluff you see.
2. Know What Different Chicken Breeds Look Like
Familiarize yourself with the appearance of your desired breed’s chicks. If you want Rhode Island reds, recognize that these chicks are auburn with pale-yellow chests. Looking for white-crested black polish babies? Those pale-yellow chicks look like they are wearing little black vests and cream-colored pompom hats. If you can, save a photo of the chicks you want on your smartphone as a reference to use for comparison while you are at the store.
3. Know What Baby Chicks Your Store Carries
Call the store to confirm which breeds they have in stock. Ask whoever answers to check the inventory list provided to the store by its supplying hatchery. This master list is frequently set aside and forgotten when it comes time to unbox the new arrivals, which is why tanks are often mislabeled or just marked as “assorted pullets.”
4. Know Your Chicken Breed’s Desired Traits
If you haven’t decided on a specific breed or variety of bird, make a list of the traits you want in your backyard flock. Bring your list and a chicken reference book, such as Storey’s Illustrated Guide to Poultry, with you to the store. This way, you can narrow down your in-store selections according to the characteristics you desire, such as which breeds are cold hardy, which are active foragers, which are docile, which go broody and so on.
5. Know Your Store’s Shortcomings
Assume that the staff members at your farm store could just as easily be stocking cereal at a supermarket as they are stocking chick and duck grower feed. If you’re lucky, your sales associate will readily admit to having limited knowledge when it comes to poultry. If you’re not so lucky, be polite as you thank your salesperson for inaccurate (or flagrantly incorrect) information, make your intended purchases, and then let the store management know what transpired.
This feedback is crucial because it might help your fellow flock-keepers down the road. You don’t want to discover six months after your purchase that your assorted bantam chicks are bobwhite quail. Why wish this on anyone else? Keeping a store informed and responsible for its poultry stock can prevent future mixups on the floor and in the barnyard.
This story about buying baby chicks was written for Hobby Farms magazine online. Click here to subscribe.
Tractor belts are the unsung heroes of farm equipment maintenance, often overlooked until a breakdown occurs. Having spare tractor belts on standby can be a game-changer when this happens.
Routine Farm Maintenance
I take good care of my garden tractors. I stay on top of oil changes. I regularly clean and/or replace oil and air filters. I top off other fluids (such as hydraulic fluid and coolant) when needed. I change the mower blades, and I clean leaves and grass clippings out of the mower deck regularly.
This care extends to the snow blower attachment I use with one of my garden tractors. I make sure the gearbox stays filled with gearbox oil. I’m careful not to scrape up gravel from my driveway when clearing snow. And I keep spare shear pins on hand so I won’t be out of luck if something causes the snow blower to break a shear pin, disconnecting the blades from the power of the engine.
Tractor Belts & Snow Removal
Even the most diligent farmer can occasionally overlook an area of maintenance that requires attention, such as the tractor belt that transfers power from my garden tractor to the snow blower.
My garden tractor with its snow blower, had been hooked up to the snow blower the previous year, and at the start of winter, I’d gone through a maintenance checklist and concluded everything was in order.
I hooked it up and cleared a couple of passes up and down my driveway when the snow blower abruptly stopped working. A quick visual survey revealed the problem: the tractor belt had snapped.
I’d never thought to check the condition of the belt because, in all my years of mowing with garden tractors, I don’t believe I’ve ever had a belt wear out. A little lawn tractor wore out a belt once, but that was a long time ago. Mower belts, in my experience, go for years and years without issue, and I wasn’t expecting anything different from the snow blower belt.
Then again, I’d purchased the snow blower used, so I can’t say for sure how many hours had been put on that belt. It didn’t strike me as worn the first time I installed it on my tractor, and the belt went through one winter without issue. But the strain of its first job back in action proved too much to handle.
Fortunately, there wasn’t so much snow as to be unmanageable, so I was able to get by with a smaller self-powered snowblower while I ordered a new belt and waited for it to arrive.
Tractor Belts: Lessons Learned
Suffice it to say, I’ve learned a lesson. It can be easy to forget about belt maintenance since they often go for years without issue and there isn’t a regular schedule for replacing them. But from now on, I’ll visually inspect the condition of my snow blower belt before winter each year, and I’ll always make sure to have a spare on hand. Who knows, next time, it might snap when there are 18 inches of snow in the driveway and I need to get it cleared right away. And I don’t want to be stuck without a replacement at a time like that.
This story about hand pollination was written for Hobby Farms magazine online. Click here to subscribe.
Herdwick sheep are domestic sheep from the mountainous Lake District of England, raised for carpet wool and meat. Lambs are born all black and then mature into their distinctive white face and legs. Their name comes from Old Norse “herdvyck” which means “sheep pasture.” Here’s a close-up look at a flock of Herdwicks and their owner…
Moving to the Countryside
Nestled in the Dutch countryside, Dagmar tends to a flock of Herdwick sheep on the hobby farm she oversees alongside her husband. “My dream of having my own small farm has always been significant,” Dagmar says. “After living in Hong Kong for five-and-a-half years, me and my husband were fortunate to fulfill our dream and buy a house with a little land in The Netherlands.”
Having secured the land, Dagmar has been building up the farm to branch out from Herdwick sheep to include chickens, ducks, rabbits and a couple of miniature donkeys.
Taking a moment from caring for her flock, we spoke to Dagmar about researching breeds of sheep and her early farming influences. We also got to know an adorable sheep called Sear.
Growing up, Dagmar’s parents didn’t live on a farm, but they did find a way to keep some cows and sheep.
“We had land near our house where the animals grazed in the summer,” she says. “In winter, they were kept in stables. As a young girl, I loved accompanying my father, especially during lambing season.”
Furthermore, when lambs were rejected by their mother, Dagmar would help to bring them into the homestead. “I enjoyed taking care of them and walking them on the street,” she says.
When Dagmar and her husband began to plan their hobby farm, they started out searching for miniature donkeys alongside a “robust and strong” breed of sheep that also “looked sweet and cute.”
While browsing Pinterest one day, Dagmar came across Herdwick sheep in the Lake District of the United Kingdom. She instantly fell in love.
“I searched for a breeder in The Netherlands,” she says, “and in September 2018, I got my first three Herdwick lambs: Saar, Julie and Noor. Sheep are just fantastic animals; they are really important to me and I enjoy spending time with them every day!”
Sear is one of the stars at Dagmar’s hobby farm. “She’s a very sweet, calm and amusing little sheep,” she explains. “When I have a treat for my sheep, she’s always the last to arrive. She also has this way of looking around as if she’s seeing something extraordinary; she’s just a very relaxed sheep. It’s just hard not to fall in love with Saar’s adorable little face.”
Looking back at 2023, Dagmar says that she noticed many of her sheep seemed to be shy. “They wouldn’t let themselves be petted or even let me come close to them,” she says.
However, by investing a lot of time in them and demonstrating a large amount of patience, Dagmar managed to gain their trust. “This makes me very happy!” she says.
Reflecting on her hobby farming journey so far, Dagmar says that she takes joy from knowing that she can provide her animals “with a beautiful happy life.” She adds that whenever she feels like she’s having a grumpy day, her animals “always bring a smile” back to her face.
“Life on a farm allows you to spend a lot of time outdoors and enjoy the nature around you,” continues Dagmar. “We try to do everything as organically as possible to further increase our biodiversity. That’s why we hope to buy more land in the future, so we can give the animals more space and give the land back to nature.”
This story about Herdwick sheep was written for Hobby Farms magazine online. Click here to subscribe.
Dahlias are perhaps one of the most popular cut flowers in the garden for many small cut-flower farmers and gardeners alike, and knowing how to overwinter and store dahlias is something you should know. Dahlias are stunning, giant blooms that put on a beautiful display from mid-summer to late into the fall, and they come in a range of colors, shapes and sizes.
Why Grow Dahlias?
Dahlias have quickly grown to be a staple “crop” in the cut-flower and garden industry for a few key reasons. The first of which is simply that their delicate petal structure means that they don’t ship very well, leaving an opportunity for small farmers to supply dahlias as cut flowers to local florists and floral designers.
If that alone wasn’t enough, dahlias have a unique ability to easily replicate, via tubers. Each plant creates large fingerlike tubers that can be split, divided and used to create clones of the mother plant. This allows gardens and cut flower farmers alike to purchase just a few dahlias and rapidly increase their stock year after year. Meaning you can keep the same dahlia root stock every single year with proper care, but how do you overwinter and store dahlias’ tubers?
Should I Dig Up Dahlias?
One of the biggest questions folks ask is “do I have to dig up my dahlias?” Well, the answer is yes and no. In gardening zones 7 and colder, dahlias should be dug up every fall to protect them from potentially freezing and rotting in the field over winter.
In warmer zones, they can be left over winter. With that said, many gardens and growers in zone 7 and 6, have found success with deep mulching methods or winter row covers to help insulate the tender tubers, and successfully overwinter outside.
One of the biggest dangers of overwintering dahlias in the ground is their chance of rotting. Ensure the soil is free draining and free of standing water to give them the best chance.
Digging and Storing Dahlias Tubers
Dahlias storing
If you’re in a colder zone, you’ll need to dig your dahlia tubers in late fall, and that means you will need to store them as well.
To dig and store dahlia tubers:
Cut back the dahlia foliage leaving only a few inches of stem. Use a shovel or pitchfork to carefully loosen the soil around the dahlia avoiding cutting any tubers by accident. Shake off the excess dirt and soil.
Once dug, many growers have differing opinions. Many believe you should rinse your dahlias of all additional soil prior to storage, while other growers believe that leaving a thin layer of soil is beneficial. Regardless, you should trim away any rotten bits, to ensure the tubers don’t rot in storage.
The biggest key to successful tuber storage is ensuring your tubers stay in a cool, dark and dry space. Use vermiculite, wood shavings or peat moss. Store in milk crates, mesh bags, bulb crates, basically anything that allows for ample air circulation.
You can choose to divide tubers prior to storage, after storage, or not at all. I have had the best success storing tubers in full clumps dividing in spring a bit before planting, but feel free to experiment and see what works best in your home. Regardless, it’s critical to check in, and examine tubers for rot or mold throughout winter to avoid spoiling all your tubers.
And just like that, you’ve overwintered your dahlia tubers like a pro, and you’re ready to get planting!
The Consumer Electronic Show 2024 has wrapped up, and quite a few unique announcements occurred in the food and agricultural category. This category is always dominated by John Deere’s showcases, and in past years, they’ve won Innovation Awards for the John Deere autonomous tractor, a self-driving tractor with GPS, and the See & Spray, a crop sprayer. Both are arm implements with artificial intelligence built in.
This year John Deere theme was ‘From Dirt to Shirt,” and they showcased different business models including the possibility of pay as you go so all farmers can spread out payments and access John Deere smart technology for use on their farm. There are also solutions as service, a concept that lets farmers pay for only the tech they plan on using.
Beyond John Deere, the Consumer Electronic Show’s farm and agricultural category had a few smaller brands who also won Innovation Awards this year. Could they eventually be as dominant as John Deere in the category? You never know. Here’s a look at a few of the biggest announcements at the Consumer Electronic Show 2024.
AirFarm
Some hobby farms are 10, 20 or more acres, so the idea of farming in a small, contained space might seem a bit odd. But there are a lot of uses for a small farm space in urban areas, and it’s even better if that farm is inflatable.
AirFarm, the world’s first inflatable farm, is made up of air-inflated seed beds, and it only takes half a day to set it up. One of the reasons the company won an innovation award is because of how the system can slash water use by 99% over traditional farm use. It uses a reciprocal system that converts moisture in the air into water and then recirculates that moisture back to the roots of the plants. The AirFarm is also a lightweight, easily movable system you can set up virtually anywhere.
Minefarm
Not everyone may want an AirFarm, but a MineFarm is something most hobby farmers could make use of. The MineFarm Showcase looks like a small refrigerator, but it’s an indoor growing system with artificial intelligence. It can manage water, light, and the growth cycle, and it will use the data it collects to learn how to best grow your specific plant. There are a lot of different seeds you can grow in Minefarm, and setting up your plants is as easy as scanning a QR code on one of Minefarm’s Seedkits.
Minefarm could be a helpful addition to a hobby farm because you could use it to start seedlings indoors. Not all seedlings thrive, and Minefarm may be able to analyze why some seeds do better than others on your farm.
Rise Roma
Most indoor hydroponic gardens grow small plants like microgreens. Rise Roma, a winner of the CES Innovation award, can think bigger. It’s able to grow large plants including tomatoes, egg plants, or small dwarf trees. It can grow plants or trees up to 38 inches in height, has a modular design so you can put a few together, and you can also grow small plants like spinach or lettuce.
Rise Roma is app controlled and monitored, so anytime you want to check and see how healthy your plants are, all you have to do is open the app. With a circular water system and a large water tank, you can save on water too.
Can chickens eat wild bird food? In the past decade, there have been a handful of times that I’ve looked out my kitchen window, expecting to see nuthatches and chickadees at the wild-bird feeders hanging on my deck, only to find one of my hens precariously perched on the deck rail, happily gobbling up bird seed. I was amused at first. But the hilarity curtailed quickly when I realized how much birdseed my Orpington oinkers cost me.
I eventually switched to squirrel-proof—and poultry-proof—feeders, which solved that situation. Still, whenever I haul out the sacks of feed to refill the wild-bird feeders, my chickens suddenly dash towards the deck, hoping to get some seeds scattered their way.
I shared this story with an old friend not too long ago. Karen doesn’t keep chickens, but all colors, shapes and sizes of wild-bird feeders literally bedazzle her deck. She smiled as she visualized my Buff Orpington hens gorging themselves at my tube feeder. She then asked me, “Well, why not?”
Why Not?!
Why not? I schooled my expression and changed the subject. But once I was home I practically ranted at my husband, Jae, about this exchange.
Feeding chickens bird seed, I remarked. Can you imagine? Jae just looked at me and replied, “Well, why not? They’re already eating it.”
When he saw my bewildered expression, he continued that surely it would be easier to just buy more sunflower and safflower seed than to also buy starter, grower and layer rations.
Two thoughts sprang to my mind.
One, my husband obviously was not reading all of my articles. Two, if Jae thought feeding our chickens a diet of bird seed was acceptable, then there surely must be other flock owners who might harbor the same mistaken notion.
Can chickens eat wild bird food? In addition to not having the right nutrients, wild bird feed is also high in fat and calories, neither of which are good for domestic chickens. A handful of sunflower seeds tossed to a flock every now and then as a treat is fine. Feeding chickens nothing but wild bird feed can start them down a dangerous path of bad health … or worse.
Depending on the manufacturer and the type of feed — starter, grower, or layer rations — a 50-pound sack of chicken feed costs approximately $17 (at least it does here in Michigan). A 40-pound bag of black-oil sunflower seed, however, costs $27. That may not seem like a huge difference, but it adds up. A 200-pound poultry feed purchase comes out to $68, while a 200-pound sunflower seed purchase totals $135. The wild-bird feed prices out at twice the cost of the poultry feed.
2. Biosecurity Issues
Migratory birds can carry and transmit such infectious bird diseases as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) and exotic Newcastle disease (END) to backyard flocks. Research conducted by a team including Sonia Hernandez (professor of wildlife disease at the University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine) detected 14 wild bird species—all considered at high risk for pathogen transmission—regularly entering backyard chicken coops to share the food and water meant for the flocks and a total of 72 species intermingling with chickens.
One can only assume that the contamination rate would only increase if backyard flocks were fed a diet intended for wild birds.
Poultry feed is scientifically formulated to provide chickens with the nutrition they need for proper growth and development at each stage of their life. If you’re wondering can chickens eat wild bird food, without the right balance of vitamins, minerals and nutrients, poultry can fail to thrive, suffer from deficiency-related conditions, and become incapacitated if affected severely enough.
It is crucial to provide chickens with the right diet to keep them healthy. It is for this same reason that our flocks cannot be fed scratch grains or any other supplement as their main nutritional source.
This story about can chickens eat wild bird food appeared at Hobby Farms online and is regularly updated for accuracy. Click here to subscribe.
Do you know how to make homemade fermented sauerrüben? We pretty much always have some blend of homemade sauerkraut bubbling away on the counter or stashed away in the refrigerator. But years ago, while looking through my mother-in-law’s German cookbooks, I saw a recipe for sauerrüben.
Sauerrüben is similar to sauerkraut in regard to the method used to ferment it and also by how it’s enjoyed. But instead of cabbage, homemade fermented sauerrüben is made with turnips and rutabagas.
As much as I like the traditional blend of root vegetables for sauerrüben, I actually prefer it made with just rutabagas. Unlike traditional plain cabbage kraut that ferments in five-plus weeks, this ferment only takes five to seven days. It’s a quick alternative to the usual plain kraut and a unique twist that isn’t quite as common here in the states.
Homemade Sauerrüben Recip
Yield: 1 quart jar
Sauerrüben
Ingredients
2 pounds rutabagas (about 3-4 small rutabagas)
1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt (more if desired)
Directions
Wash rutabagas, trim ends, but leave on the skin. Shred the rutabagas with a large coarse grater (not fine). Collect shreds in a nonreactive bowl, such as glass, plastic or solid stainless steel. Add in the salt and mix well.
Mix until you can pick up a handful and squeeze liquid from your fist. Once liquid accumulates, you can transfer the rutabaga into a clean quart jar. Leave 1 to 2 inches of headspace. Use your fist to tightly fill the jar, removing any air pockets. Pour in any excess liquid from the bowl in the jar as well. This liquid is the brine that the rutabaga will ferment in.
Once the jars are filled there should be enough brine to cover the shreds. If there is not enough liquid, check again in the morning and more often than not, there will be enough. You will need some sort of weight to keep the grated rutabaga pushed under the brine.
Keeping the shreds submerged under the brine is the key to a successful ferment. There are weights specifically made to fit jars, but you can also get creative; see notes section below on alternative options. Wipe off the rim of the jar with a clean dampened towel, and add the mason jar canning lid and tightly screw on the ring.
Fermentation
This is a 5-to-7 day ferment. The temperature in the space where you are fermenting in will declare how long it takes. The warmer a room, the faster it will ferment. Ideally, ferment between 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit and keep out of direct sunlight.
Burp the jar daily, especially at first when the ferment is very active – unscrew the lid briefly and tighten it back on to allow any built-up gas to release. At least once per day, you’ll have to use a clean utensil to push down the weight and submerge the rutabaga again. Scoop away any pieces of food floating on top of the brine to avoid mold.
Taste test the ferment after 5 days. If it still tastes raw, allow it to ferment another couple of days and taste again. Once fermentation is complete to your liking, transfer the jar into the refrigerator, with the brine and all.
Fermentation doesn’t stop once the ferment is transferred to the refrigerator, however it does slow the process way down. The taste and texture will continue to change, therefore it’s best enjoyed ideally within 6 months.
Notes
As with traditional sauerkraut, this recipe can be tweaked to your liking by adding other vegetables, such as carrots, onions or hot peppers. Or, add additional seasoning such as toasted caraway seeds or bay leaves.
If you don’t have a glass jar weight, improvise by using an easily removable small food-grade glass dish that fits inside the jar. Or, if you have a smaller glass canning jar that can fit into the mouth of the jar you are fermenting with, you can use that to keep the produce pushed under the brine.
You may substitute fine sea salt instead of coarse kosher salt if you prefer. Consult a salt conversion chart.
This homemade fermented sauerrüben recipe has been adapted from Stephanie Thurow’s WECK Home Preserving, with permission from Skyhorse Publishing, Inc. For another great fermenting recipe, try Fermented Dilly Pickled Cauliflower.
Imagine visitors strolling through a well-stocked farm market or picking from a field of multi-colored flowers. Maybe they’re bunking down on a working ranch or vacationing in a well-appointed apartment overlooking a dairy farm. Perhaps they’re taking a road trip to an on-farm ice-cream parlor showcasing the rich milk produced onsite. These agritourism activities are just a few of many with potential to augment a farming operation’s bottom line.
With farmers a shrinking 1 percent of the United States population and the popularity of the farm-to-table and buy-local movements, the public is eager to reconnect with agriculture. They want to purchase homegrown products and channel their “inner farmer” through in-person visits. Adding an agritourism venture to an existing farm may be an opportunity for extra income with the bonus of the chance to serve as an ambassador for agriculture, educating customers as you work.
Agritourism Defined
The term agritourism can be used interchangeably with “agrotourism,” “farm tourism,” “agricultural tourism” or “agritainment.” While most states have legal descriptions of what agritourism is, a simple definition is whenever the public intersects with the agriculture sector to purchase goods or services or for education, recreation or entertainment.
The National Agricultural Law Center gives a more expansive definition of agritourism: “It is the crossroads of tourism and agriculture. Stated more technically, agritourism can be defined as a form of commercial enterprise that links agricultural production and/or processing with tourism to attract visitors onto a farm, ranch or other agricultural business for the purposes of entertaining and/or educating the visitors while generating income for the farm, ranch or business owner. Any definition of agritourism should include the following four factors:
combines the essential elements of the tourism and agriculture industries
attracts members of the public to visit agricultural operations
is designed to increase farm income
provides recreation, entertainment, and/or educational experiences to visitors
According to the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center, the U.S. Census of Agriculture shows an increasing trend in agritourism as well as direct-to-consumer sales of agricultural products. The Census of Agriculture first used the term “agritourism” in a question in their 2007 survey. By 2017, they recorded a 67 percent increase over the 10-year span between the surveys.
The 2017 survey identified 28,575 farms offering agritourism and recreational services resulting in $949 million in sales. That survey also reported direct sales of agricultural products brought in $2.8 billion for 130,056 farms.
There are numerous ideas for agritourism ventures you may consider. To name just a few, there are on-farm stays, farm produce stands, you-pick vegetable, fruit or flower farms/orchards, cut-your-own Christmas tree farms, hayrides, corn mazes, petting zoos, and vineyards, breweries and distilleries with tasting menus. The list goes on.
Although it may not immediately spring to mind, charging for recreational activities on your farm or ranch are also forms of agritourism. Allowing fishing, hunting (wild game, geodes, fossils, arrowheads, mushrooms, wildflowers, etc.), professional photography, horseback, bike and ATV riding, skiing and snowmobiling, and the like—these are all use of agricultural land for recreational purposes. Adding an event center to the property, perhaps with farm-to-table catering services, for weddings, meetings and reunions would also be considered agritourism. Educational events such as farm open houses, school tours, farming demonstrations and agriculture history museums would also fall under the agritourism umbrella.
Allen MacMillan
Does It Fit Your Farm?
When considering if agritourism is right for you and your farm, you must consider a number factors. However, the critical question is whether you—and/or whoever from your family and staff would be handling customer relations—enjoy dealing with people? At the core agritourism involves interacting with people with an emphasis on public relations and customer service.
In addition to being farmers and customer service providers, agritourism operators are also business managers, salespeople and educators. Additionally, they often wear other hats—chefs, gardeners, animal scientists, artists, mechanics and carpenters, event planners and more. Are these abilities that you have? If not, are you willing to research and learn new skills? Or will you hire others for some of these tasks?
Getting Started
If you’ve answered “yes” to the “Are you a people-person?” question, begin by assessing the strong points, assets and resources you have to draw from on your farm. Take stock of things such as:
available buildings, equipment and supplies
your location with respect to major thoroughfares and population centers
the skill sets and availability of staff and family members to help in the business
available space for retail sales, events, parking and possibly hosting overnight guests
available cash and credit for start-up costs
Also, make a list of what you would need to build or acquire to begin operating an agritourism enterprise. Evaluate what it would take to install facilities such as public restrooms, parking lots, a business office, a sales floor, dining space, lodging and so on. Are you willing and able to put time and money into adding any needed equipment and facility upgrades to open the proposed agribusiness?
Next, you’ll need to define your goals for new business and, based on those, narrow down the list of possible agritourism businesses you want to consider. Things to think through would include but not be limited to:
What type of agritourism venture fits into your work and family schedule?
What type of guest experience and goods and services do you intend to offer?
Based on your current or proposed facilities and the area where you live, what types of agritourism would be a good fit?
Do you want seasonal business such as you-pick produce or a year-round one such as an on-farm bed and breakfast?
Do you want to host people at your farm or would you rather interact with them off the farm at area farmers’ markets or make deliveries to their residences?
Do you have, or can you acquire, the knowledge and facilities to offer an authentic, unique, safe, fun and educational experience to customers?
Business & Financial Planning
One crucial step that many find daunting is budgeting and funding. Establishing a good working relationship with a banker will be important if you need to borrow to begin business, but also if long-term plans include expansion of the agritourism venture down the road. Sandy Hacker, a commercial/agriculture loan specialist, has worked in banking for 11 years with six at Bippus State Bank, located in northeastern Indiana. The bank has a long history of working with farmers since opening in 1911.
Hacker offers important advice to prepare before meeting with a banker.
“Be realistic with your anticipated costs and earnings,” she says. “As a lender, we will look at your projections with a conservative eye. When your proposal is added onto your baseline financials, we want to see that you have the realistic potential to generate enough earnings to cover all your expenses and debt obligations, along with family living expenses and taxes, and still have a cushion upon which to grow.
“If the numbers aren’t falling into place, it might be an opportunity to consider funding or guarantees offered by the United States Department of Agriculture or the U.S. Small Business Administration to help mitigate some of the risk involved. Commercial lenders often work in conjunction with those agencies to meet a borrower’s needs.”
She says that the bank will do a standard credit analysis. They’ll ask to see a current balance sheet or financial statement that shows what you own versus what you owe and the most recent three years of federal tax returns (personal and business entity). Hacker explains from that information the bank can piece together the trends of various financial indicators to see if you’re generating enough earnings to cover your existing debts and still have enough left for a cushion against a bad year.
If things are a go, then the bank would like to see your plans for the new venture. These could include: a building/project proposal; drawings or plans; cost estimates; additional equipment needed; increased labor needs; permits; insurance, including liability; packaging and marketing. It could also include any other items that will put the finishing touches on your venture such as special training, professional advisors, etc. Finally, they’ll want to see what you will use for collateral or down payment.
While this sounds like a lot of homework on your part, keep in mind that you’re asking a lender to put a considerable amount of money into your vision.
“Please do what you can to help us see your vision as clearly as you do,” Hacker says. “We want to set you up for success, but if the conditions aren’t right, the answer may be a ‘no’—for now. Go back, sharpen your pencil, be realistic with your expectations and build your cash reserves—whatever it may take to make your vision a reality down the road.”
Once you’ve established a relationship with your lender, keep the conversation going. Plan visits at the office or on the farm, give timely annual business reviews and discuss future plans. Hacker urges business owners to be proactive when things go off track and stay in touch with their lender who can explore ways to help with a potential snag before it becomes a bigger problem.
Another possible source of funding may be applying for grants through various government programs, business organizations and agriculture groups. Writing successful grant proposals takes practice, so research the process and ask for help from those with experience.
Four more key business-planning tasks are staffing (job descriptions, hiring and pay scale), creating a goods and services price list, signage and marketing. When starting a new agritourism business here is some other paperwork that needs to be on the checklist:
building and business permits and inspections (might include retail food sales, food service and liquor licenses if applicable)
sales tax paperwork
registering a business name and creating a legal business entity
keeping employee records, possibly providing employee health insurance, reporting FICA tax withholding and filing I-9 forms
filing business tax returns and issuing W2s and 1099 forms
completing annual property tax report forms
reviewing land and water use and sewage regulations and zoning laws
Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography
Safe & Secure
Another critical piece of the business planning puzzle is to assess public and employee safety, security and insurance coverage. Develop an emergency preparedness plan that would include things such as fire and accident prevention, emergency evacuation, how to deal with medical emergencies and so on. Theft prevention and what to do if property is damaged should also be considered.
Turning to insurance, consider the need for specialized or increased liability coverage and possibly additional coverage for property loss and damage of things related to the agritourism venture. (Liability and property insurance are two different types of coverage.)
Adam Stroup is a premier agent with Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance. He says that Farm Bureau does offer coverage to their clients with an agritourism business, and they have a list of their “generally accepted” types of agritourism activities. They provide agritourism liability coverage as an endorsement on a customer’s farm policy, and they can add additional property protection to the farm policy, as needed, for any agritourism buildings, equipment and inventory.
If an agribusiness exceeds $100,000 in revenue per year, then it would need to be covered through a commercial liability policy instead. “It’s best to speak to your insurance agent regarding this coverage and evaluate if it meets the ‘agribusiness’ criteria or potentially needs covered through a commercial insurance policy,” Stroup says.
With Farm Bureau liability pricing for this coverage depends on the type of business, but generally costs $100 to $200 per year, he says. “Then there can be added cost for any structures insured for loss and damage that are specifically used for the agribusiness. Check with your own agent for specifics on pricing and coverage.”
Stroup stresses that there really needs to be thorough discussion with your agent about all activities that would take place with the agribusiness to ensure the appropriate coverages are included.
“Another very important item is to include any business entities for the farm and/or agribusiness onto the liability,” he says. “For instance, if they create an LLC [limited liability company] for a corn maze, that LLC also needs to be added onto the policy, not just the endorsement for the agribusiness liability. And, liability coverage should be reviewed on their policy. Typically the maximum liability coverage available on a policy is $1,000,000, and the price for it is very reasonable.”
One caution, if you plan to incorporate any type of equine activity into your agribusiness or just have equines on your farm, check with your insurance agent on how equine liability insurance is handled by the company you use. Farm Bureau has a specific equine form to complete; it helps the company determine what type of coverage is needed for your equestrian activities. And, of course, coverage for death of or injury to an animal is an entirely different type of policy which may require an agency and company that specializes in that.
Stroup says posting signs with agribusiness liability state laws (and equine liability, if applicable) on your property is a good idea, too. Indiana Farm Bureau offers the agribusiness liability signs to their members, so look for a similar sign for your state. Many state horse councils have the equine liability signs available for purchase.
Another safety assessment task is to research biosecurity and implement measures to safeguard farm visitors and staff as well as your livestock, pets and crops. Consult your veterinarian and/or crop specialists as well as state departments of agriculture, the USDA and university extension programs for more information on adopting biosecurity measures on your farm. Create signage and “house rules” to help visitors understand why biosecurity is important to keep them and everyone on your farm safe.
Finally, consider you and your staff taking CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and basic first-aid courses, offered through the American Red Cross. Click here to learn about training and certification offered by the Red Cross. Have a first-aid kit available at your business. Also, post the phone numbers for police, fire and rescue, a local hospital and an urgent-care clinic, and your insurance agent, as well as a plan for emergency evacuation and where to shelter in a severe storm.
If your head is spinning after reading this, consider it good practice for owning a business! Then, take a deep breath and take it step by step as you develop ideas for operating your dream agritourism business. Do your homework; review as many references as possible and talk to successful agritourism business owners. Take your time to thoroughly refine a business plan and accept that it will likely take longer than you originally expected.
Happy planning!
More Information
Marketing
An agritourism business can be interesting, innovative and fun, but if no one knows about it, then it probably won’t stay in business for long. Marketing is a must do, yet advertising costs money, so creative promotions and doing research about how best to apply the dollars you have to spend will help. Here are some ideas.
Research the local, area, state and national media markets and decide on the target market best for you at the time so your advertising dollars are spent wisely.
Consider a mix of print and web-based media, radio and television and social media to spread the word about your business.
Reach out to key publication editors and local television/radio stations and tell your story. They may be inspired to do a feature on your business, which is free promotion!
Sign up for free or low-cost listings of your business through local, regional and state tourism bureaus, chambers of commerce and Farm Bureau chapters. Many publish print and/or online tourism guides.
Form strategic partnerships; team up with other businesses so you may each feature the other’s products and services in your business.
Join agriculture and tourism organizations and your local chamber of commerce since those organizations often feature member business lists online and in print.
Create a business logo to use on cards, signs and promotional items.
Use signs to attract attention to your location and make sure signs are strategically placed.
Have a booth at local trade and agricultural fairs to spread the word about your business. If booth space is pricey, share the cost and the booth with a complementary business.
Consider using coupons and promotions to attract new customers or increase business at slower times of the year.
This article originally appeared in the Nov./Dec. 2023 issue of Hobby Farms magazine.
