I’m really sorry it has been so long since I’ve written anything. (Going back to school kind of took precedence.) Well, I’ve written a ton of things actually, just not about fermentation. The only thing I’ve fermented the past couple of years has been mead and ciser, at least until this week.

I’ve had friends who were preppers or survivalists at various times. And I’m a military veteran. I strongly believe in “hoping for the best and planning for the worst.” Last year we had a water main break in my town that left us without tap water for several days. I began storing water in Aquabricks. To keep the water fresh, I also got some little drops that are supposed to work for five years.

I’ve also been buying food that can be stored long term, like rice, beans, and dehydrated fruits & veggies. A couple of weeks ago, when the first cases of Covid-19 were announced on the west coast I went to CostCo and stocked up our pantry with stuff that’s easy to prepare, like soup and snacky stuff.

But then I started thinking that we really needed to boost our microbiomes in order to help us stay healthy. I got out my Fermdamentals Guide to Fermentation, made my shopping list, and headed back to the grocery store to get my ingredients for sauerkraut and kimchi. I spent a couple of hours chopping veggies and massaging the salt and spices into them before putting them in jars. I ended up with two jars of each ferment. I also went through another fermentation cookbook, The Kimchi Cookbook, and found a recipe for cucumber kimchi that I’m about to make too.

I think some of my friends and family may have raised an eyebrow or two when I told them that I had been doing some “doomsday prepping,” but I’m sure glad I did it now! Last night the chancellor of my university cancelled all non-essential travel and face-to-face classes for an indeterminate amount of time. I woke up this morning feeling under the weather. Hopefully it’s nothing serious. I’m reasonably healthy, so I don’t feel like I’m in any real danger. I did, however, decide to work from home today. I don’t want to infect anyone else with whatever it is I may have picked up.

So hurry and get your cabbage and get your veggies fermenting. If nothing else, you’ll have crisp, delicious veggies that will stay good for a long time. Above all else, be safe!