Practical Skills for a Changing Climate

Fermentation has come full circle: from an age-old method of food preservation, it has emerged as a pathway to sustainability, cultural heritage, and food sovereignty. Beyond adding flavor and nutrition, fermented foods like sauerkraut and kimchi support gut health, enhance immunity, and provide added value for farmers economically.

By Najee Quashie
Reporting from Massachusetts

Why Fermentation Matters

Scientifically, fermentation is a metabolic process whereby sugars are changed to acids, gases, or alcohol with the help of microorganisms such as bacteria and yeast. Fermentation preserves vegetables, enhances flavor, and increases nutritional value in food. The lactic acid bacteria on the surface of vegetables help convert sugars into lactic acid, which acts as a natural preservative.

Fermentation is the practice of preserving surplus food over time rather than allowing it to rot. It is about bringing food full circle to the dinner table. From the small-scale farmer to the BIPOC grower, it means adding value to vegetables like cabbage, radish, and carrots by creating longer shelf lives, thus increasing profit margins.

Fermentation is the flavorful space between fresh and rotten.

– Sandor Katz, Fermentation Revivalist & Author of The Art of Fermentation.

Fermented foods are a strong contributor to public health. Foods like sauerkraut and kimchi are rich in probiotics, vitamins, and enzymes, which support gut health, boost immunity, and add vibrancy to food. This aligns with the growing movement for food sovereignty and holistic well-being in historically excluded communities.

Some more benefits include:

  • Improved digestion: Probiotics help maintain a healthy balance of gut bacteria, hence improving digestion and reducing the symptoms of bloating, gas, and constipation.
  • Improved Immune Response: Studies show that a clean gut microbiome leads to a strong immune system.
  • Easy-to-absorb nutrients: Fermented foods can increase the bioavailability of certain nutrients, making them easier for your body to absorb.

Learn more about the Process of Fermentation on Olive My Pickle

Getting Started with Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut requires only two ingredients: cabbage and salt.

Here’s a simple recipe to try:

  • Prepare Your Cabbage: Start with 2-3 pounds of fresh, organic cabbage—ideally, one you’ve grown or sourced from a local farmer. Remove the outer leaves, then slice the cabbage thinly. You can also shred the cabbage using a knife, mandoline, or food processor.
  • Add Salt: Place the cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle with 1 to 2 tablespoons of non-iodized salt (e.g., sea or kosher salt) per pound of cabbage. Salt helps draw out water, creating the brine necessary for fermentation while preventing harmful bacteria from growing.
  • Massage and Get Your Hands Dirty: Massage the salt into the cabbage for about 5-10 minutes or until it releases liquid.
  • Pack: Put the cabbage and its brine firmly into a clean jar or fermentation crock. Press down to remove air pockets and ensure the cabbage is fully submerged under the brine. Use the reserved outer leaves to cover the top of the sliced (or shredded) cabbage, then place a weight on top to keep it submerged.
  • Ferment: Cover the jar with a breathable lid or clean cloth for fermentation. Let it ferment at room temperature for 1-4 weeks, checking every once in a while to ensure the cabbage stays submerged. Taste occasionally until the flavor reaches your desired taste.
  • Store: Once fermented, put the sauerkraut in the refrigerator to slow down the fermentation process. It can be kept for several months.

An overview of sauerkraut benefits by Nikki Yelton

A Cultural Connection Through Kimchi

Kimchi is a Korean cuisine staple open to even more creative interpretation. While it is traditionally made with napa cabbage, you can get creative and ferment vegetables such as daikon radishes, carrots, and scallions.

This recipe is a good place to start:

  • Prepare the Vegetables: Cut the napa cabbage into quarters lengthwise, then chop it into bite-sized pieces. Place the cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle with a ¼ cup of non-iodized salt (e.g., sea or kosher salt). Soak it in a saltwater brine for 2–4 hours, tossing occasionally. The cabbage should become limp and release liquid. Rinse it thoroughly under cold water and drain. Add thinly sliced radishes or carrots for extra crunch.
  • Make the Paste: In a small bowl, blend 3-4 cloves of garlic (minced), one tablespoon of grated ginger, 1-2 tablespoons of Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru), one tablespoon of fish or soy sauce (optional), and a touch of sugar or fruit like a pear. Adjust the spice level to suit your taste. Mix well to form a paste.
  • Combine: In a large bowl, combine the drained cabbage, 1-2 green onions (chopped), and one medium daikon radish or carrot, julienned. Smear the paste on the vegetables, coating them evenly.
  • Pack: Transfer the kimchi mixture into glass jars or fermentation crock, pressing to let out air pockets, and ensure the vegetables are submerged in the brine to prevent spoilage. You can place a weight on top to help keep the vegetables submerged.
  • Ferment: Cover the jar with a clean cloth or lid to keep out dust or insects. Store it at room temperature and away from direct sunlight. The fermentation process should take 7-14 days, but taste it periodically until it is fermented to your liking.
  • Store: Store in the refrigerator once it reaches the desired flavor. It can be stored for several months.

Ideal fermentation temperatures from Make Sauerkraut.

Fermentation as Resistance and Resilience

BIPOC farmers and food system advocates see fermentation as an act of cultural preservation and resilience. It is a practice that has been passed down for generations. This practice is embedded in the stories of possibilities for life on land, healthy nutrition, and sustenance when there is no abundance.

Fermentation is a pathway back to the authenticity of flavor and nutritional integrity in today’s food systems, which often take the flavor and nutritional value out of food. It also can transform surplus crops into added value for farmers and growers. It allows people to reclaim their sense of agency in their diets and embrace all that earth has to offer.

Begin Fermenting Today

Fermentation gives farmers diversity in their products, and the food advocates food sovereignty. All you need to start is a head of cabbage, a handful of salt, and a jar. As you reconnect with these age-old ways, know that, in making sauerkraut or kimchi, you are connecting to the tree of life from the past to the present, from the earth to your soul.
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