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Maria Brindle, our class instructor, and me with my
Lacto-fermented jar of Kimchi, beautiful!
Now for the story of my adventure in pictures....
This is one of the beautiful scenes from the top of Maria's mountain. As I drove, I was trying to remember how I heard about this class; I think it was through the beekeeper's workshop I attended at Auburn, but I'm not sure.
As promised in thorough, regular emails, the sign is located by the mailbox...
My adventure begins...
This drive has been beautiful and relaxing...very much a respite...
It is going to be a great day! Look who welcomed me...
Chickens...loving it already...
The Brindle home is totally solar powered and the walls
are built from wheat not hay...
Our work stations are set up in the side entrance to the house...
perfect...the day is overcast but not hot at all...
Plenty of room to work,
but not so far apart that we can't
get to know others attending...
Charlotte (left), one I understand has great knowledge of seeds
and has a seed bank, and
Pat (center), who rescues dogs and finds homes
for them, were helping Maria with the class today...
All of my things ready to go to work...
The living room of Maria's home
and our classroom area...
The kitchen...
The wood heater/stove just inside the kitchen...
One of the classmates washing the vegetables...
The side porch...
love the shoe rack and the feeder...
plus there was a swing and rocker that I enjoyed during our breaks.
The solar panels are just beyond the garden...
...a view of the garden...
The south side of the house receiving the most sun...
This was the most well organized class I have ever attended...
The work stations were adequate and we had plenty of room.
There was plenty of equipment provided as well as vegetables.
Maria and her husband, Alden, compost and use
everything they have...I loved watching the chickens
especially hash over our scraps from the vegetables.
Can't wait to get our chickens...
Another view of the raised gardens...
Maria teaching our class...
she also teaches yoga which she lightly brought into the class...
Maria showed several jars of the Lacto-fermentation of
various types of vegetables and how they are stored.
When I left, I felt very comfortable doing this myself and trying a
variety of items and combinations.
Maria is explaining the traditional canning verses lacto-fermentation...
A sample of how thorough the notes I received...
I was soooo pleased with not only the step-by-step written instructions
but the hands-on tutelage we received as well.
Most of the cabbage came from the teachers gardens,
but oh how my mouth was watering! I love to eat raw cabbage...
Maria's husband made these and
we used them to press our ingredients into the jars...
Salt was pre-measured for us and then seasoning was added...
Martha (left) and Maria...
Pat (left with head down),
Martha (next to Pat)
...Charlotte (far right with black vest)
The "KNIFE", me and the pepper...
The mixture for the Baechu (Cabbage) Kimchi...
My mess lol...
The mixture after it set for about 20 minutes...
aren't the colors amazing!!!
The weigh station...
An amazing rosemary bush next to the kitchen door...wow!
We let the mixture set in the jar for 30 minutes...
...wrapped in a towel...
...while Maria was teaching the second portion of our class...
THIS was sitting behind us...LUNCH! ARGH...amazing smells of a wonderful lunch...
I think we didn't pay enough, people...
Someone was selling homemade soaps/laundry detergents and homegrown eggs..
After the mixture set for 30 minutes,
we pressed the mixture down...
Throughout the pressing process, Maria continually
demonstrated how to press by "showing" us on our own hands
the delicate process...this just added to my confidence of the hands on experience.
...brine was added...pressed a bit more...
...folded leaves were added to the top...
This keeps the mixture suppressed under the brine
and allows breathing room for the mixture...
Then the air-lock system and lid is added...
...check out that color!!!
Again, Maria was an amazing teacher and
very kind in helping everyone as were all the teachers...
Time for lunch...
Maria preparing the toppings for the soup...
As I said earlier, I think we got more than our portion of the fee we paid! WOW! It was an amazing day spent in an amazing setting with a very well planned class and lesson plan. There were so many tips passed out throughout the day that I carried home with me more than a simple recipe and how to create my own lacto-fermentation of Kimchi. I took home the new awareness of a lifestyle that I can adapt to my home in tiny ways that will impact my life for the better in not only food but in everyday life. I am very excited about that. I can't wait to share the results of this day in just 2 short weeks!!! =) Thanks, Maria, Charlotte, Pat and Martha...
Hugs, Rita
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