Fermenting Your Garden Bounty! Learn with us...or on your own!

[Kathleen]

Blissful shared information to take a freebie Fermentation Class! Several of us are interested in doing this together but cannot do it prior to Jan. 1.

--------------snip, snip----------------------------From Blissful:
I took a free online course from Harvard about happiness recently. It was great I loved it.
I see there is a class on fermentation. I may have to take it. When it says that a class takes 2-3 hours/week for 14 weeks, they aren't exaggerating, they are pretty accurate in how much time it takes to get through the weeks.

Food Fermentation: The Science of Cooking with Microbes | Harvard University​

Explore the roles that microbes play in the production, preservation, and enhancement of diverse foods in a variety of culinary traditions, and learn about the history of food fermentations.

-----------------snip, snip ----------------------------------

I had been looking for a class on fermenting other things besides wine....which I learned a decade or several back!

-----------------snip, snip -------------------------From Blissful:
I'm so happy there is interest in the class. Just as a heads up, the first time you take a harvard ex class, there is an intro course to taking courses online called DEMOx. It kind of shows you around all the formats for videos and community communication, reading, and testing/surveys for all of Harvard ex courses. It doesn't take very long to take the DEMOx.
https://www.edx.org/learn/how-to-learn/edx-demox It says it is a one week class.

---------------snip, snip ----------------------------------------

It's something we can do together in that we can discuss as we learn on our own.

If you are interested, let us know here!

 

[blissful]

I don't know if you can sign up for DemoX without signing up for the class. https://www.edx.org/learn/how-to-learn/edx-demox
The class on fermentation though only gives you 14 weeks, so you might want to wait until you sign up for the class to do the DemoX. I'll be signing up in January. Thanks for starting the thread @Kathleen .

I'm hoping our homework doesn't require us to ferment everything in the class description. Some of the items take much longer to ferment, like cheeses, or wines. I wouldn't mind starting a little batch of mead, maybe.

 

[Kathleen]

Once you sign up for an account with edx, you can take the demo course. It did not take an hour to complete, but I will admit that I read through some of the videos.

 

[dragnlaw]

I'm interested but time wise at the moment is not possble. Perhaps come February but meanwhile I'll try to keep motivated and learn vicariously thru you guys.

 

[taxlady]

I am definitely interested. I have tried fermenting different things with not terribly good luck. I have had success with yogourt, quark, and honey fermented cranberries. But TBH, I'm not convinced that there is any actual fermentation going on with the honey fermented cranberries.

 

[blissful]

@taxlady, if the honey cranberries began to ferment, little bubbles would have formed and displaced honey, pushing the level higher, and then risen to the top. There would have to be some moisture from the cranberries that seeped into the honey in order for it to ferment. They would need to be fresh/fresh frozen, then most likely, they'd need holes poked in them so the moisture would come out. Since I haven't tried it, you'll have to take this with a grain of salt.
I've never tried it since we started harvesting honey. (we still have cases of jars of canned plain cranberries in the pantry)

 

[taxlady]

@taxlady, if the honey cranberries began to ferment, little bubbles would have formed and displaced honey, pushing the level higher, and then risen to the top. There would have to be some moisture from the cranberries that seeped into the honey in order for it to ferment. They would need to be fresh/fresh frozen, then most likely, they'd need holes poked in them so the moisture would come out. Since I haven't tried it, you'll have to take this with a grain of salt.
I've never tried it since we started harvesting honey. (we still have cases of jars of canned plain cranberries in the pantry)

There were no bubbles. That's why I'm skeptical. I used fresh cranberries with holes poked in the skin. Juice did leak out of the cranberries and get replaced with honey. After the eight weeks, the honey was far less sweet and the cranberries had their tartness, and slight bitterness and astringency mellowed out.

 

[jennyema]

I’m in!

 

[taxlady]

There were no bubbles. That's why I'm skeptical. I used fresh cranberries with holes poked in the skin. Juice did leak out of the cranberries and get replaced with honey. After the eight weeks, the honey was far less sweet and the cranberries had their tartness, and slight bitterness and astringency mellowed out.

I just remembered. By the time the cranberries were ready, honey was thinner, like a syrup, rather than the thicker consistency of honey

 

[Kathleen]

It is near enough to January...and I am taking another class through my extension office on sustainable horticulture (not free.) I think I am going to register for this class now. Besides, my hip is complaining so I am not moving about too much today. I do hope others join in!

 

[blissful]

I've been looking forward to the fermenting class. Every time I saw a new fermenting project I had to talk myself OUT OF IT, so I could enjoy fermenting when we all took the class!
@Kathleen I hope your hip gives you some relief soon! I'm so excited for the fermentation class.

 

[blissful]

Sign up for the free class, "audit" the class for free or sign up, pay a fee for a certificate once you finish. https://www.edx.org/learn/cooking/h...entation-the-science-of-cooking-with-microbes
Everyone is welcome, it's going to be so fun and full of microbes! Mead makers, sauerkraut makers, wine makers, bread makers?, fungus growers, you are all welcome!

 

[Kathleen]

As someone who is auditing, I just completed a teeny bit of the first lesson. It is engaging, easy to follow, and allows for sharing of ideas and thoughts. Plus there is a surprising amount of interaction with immediate feedback via their content delivery engine. There are also hands-on labs that you can do within your kitchen for each lesson. I'm very excited.

 

[blissful]

Mr bliss is terrified at what will happen to his food supply.
But on the other hand he is thrilled that I am happy to start into yet another area of learning. He is happy because it makes me happy.
@Kathleen I want my desk next to yours.

 

[Kathleen]

The first lab is making mead or making no-knead bread. One could choose between the labs, but I want to try them both. To make mead, I opted to get a different kind of yeast so I ordered a pack for less than $10. If it turns out well, I may be hitting Bliss up for some raw honey!

Frank refused to take the class with me, so the space by me is empty, Bliss!

 

[blissful]

@Kathleen, cool! You might want to try finding a bee keeper up the road, local, because shipping costs are so much. A good price for a quart of honey is 24-30 $.

Boston and surrounding counties in Massachusetts Honey: Find a local hive, apiary or beekeeper near you in Boston and surrounding counties in Massachusetts for fresh local honey, combs, beeswax and more!

Find Boston and surrounding counties in Massachusetts's local beekeepers, apiaries and beehives for local honey, raw or pasteurized, honeycombs, beeswax, pollen and more!

localhoneyfinder.org

Or try this $56 for 6 lbs? https://bostonhoneycompany.com/northeast-harvest-honey-6lb.html

 

[dragnlaw]

Following you guys closely on this!
I'd love to do it but my concentration and "stick with it powers" are at the moment in a tailspin.

Both the mead and no-knead bread sound interesting. I've done what has been purportedly no-knead breads before and not been impressed - at all!

 

[blissful]

Following you guys closely on this!
I'd love to do it but my concentration and "stick with it powers" are at the moment in a tailspin.

Both the mead and no-knead bread sound interesting. I've done what has been purportedly no-knead breads before and not been impressed - at all!

if you AUDIT the class, you don't have to do any parts you aren't interested in. You could just do some of the labs maybe only the ones you like? It's up to you.

 

[blissful]

I ordered some yeast to try to make mead, some air locks for wide mouth lids. They'll be here Jan 3. I decided not to invest in a hydrometer just now as I don't see us making lots of mead. Maybe maybe not.
I just bought some soy milk and some cultured soy yogurt, and I'll be doing that lab (if there is one) to make more yogurt to use in dips/sauces and I might strain it to make a cream cheese.
@Kathleen, I'm all signed up, read the syllabus, and I'm ready to start more reading/videos to start into week 1 starting Jan 1st. Woo hoo I loved school.

 

[Kathleen]

I'm pleasantly surprised that I find the format engaging.