Daylight Saving Time: Yay or Nay? We’d like to help you understand the clock change debate. Every spring and fall, most of us go through the same ritual. We walk around the house changing clocks, resetting the microwave, and trying to remember whether we’re supposed to lose an hour of sleep or gain one. Daylight Saving Time, often shortened to DST, has been part of American life for over a century, yet it remains one of the most debated topics. So is it a blessing or a burden? Let’s look at where it came from, why it started, and whether it’s actually doing what it was designed to do.
My Thoughts
Twice a year, I have to think about: “Spring Ahead or Fall Back.” I remember as a young mother, it was hard on my little girls. It was either “I’m not tired yet,” or “It’s still light outside.” Then the following morning, we had what I call grumpy girls. They were either too tired to get up “early” to go to school, or they were “wide awake” at night. This may seem silly, but it always seemed to happen around Halloween time. It was dark at night to take the trick-or-treaters out. Trivial, I know, but it wasn’t at the time with our young girls.
I can see instances where farmers would prefer cooler mornings or evenings to harvest. We don’t have a farm, so I can’t say for sure. I would love to hear from all of you about your thoughts on DST. It’s hard when you have family members in, say, Arizona, and they’re sometimes one hour ahead or the same. I can’t remember which one applies when it comes to contacting our loved ones in AZ. LOL!
When Did Daylight Saving Time Start
Daylight saving time was first adopted in the United States in 1918 as an effort to conserve fuel during World War I. It was brought back during World War II for the same reason and to support national security and defense efforts. The regular twice-a-year time change most of us know today has been consistent since the 1960s.
There’s a common myth that farmers pushed for Daylight Saving Time so they could have more daylight hours to work their land. In truth, farmers were among its strongest opponents from the very beginning. Rural and working-class Americans argued that the change mostly benefited office workers and city dwellers who enjoyed extra evening daylight, while farmers were left doing their early morning chores in the dark. It’s a good reminder that history isn’t always what popular assumptions tell us.
Why It Started
The original idea behind Daylight Saving Time was simple. By shifting the clock forward an hour in the warmer months, people would need less artificial light in the evening, which, in theory, would save fuel and electricity. During wartime, every bit of conserved energy mattered, so the practice made sense to lawmakers at the time.
The Pros of Daylight Saving Time
Supporters of Daylight Saving Time point to a few consistent benefits. Some studies suggest that more natural evening light can improve road safety and has been linked to reductions in pedestrian accidents and certain types of crime during DST months. Longer evening daylight also tends to encourage families to get outside after dinner for a walk, a bike ride, or a trip to the park. Proponents argue that extra evening light supports outdoor recreation and can help offset the sedentary habits of modern life, while local businesses such as restaurants and shops often see increased evening activity.
The Cons of Daylight Saving Time
On the other side, the drawbacks are just as real. Health experts have pointed to a connection between the time change and disrupted sleep and circadian rhythm, and some research has linked the spring shift to a higher risk of stroke and motor vehicle accidents in the days that follow. Government studies over the decades, including a Department of Transportation review in 1974 and a Department of Energy study in 2008, found little to no meaningful difference in energy savings from the time change. In other words, the original reason for Daylight Saving Time may no longer hold up the way it once did.
Is Daylight Saving Time Beneficial
Honestly, the answer depends on who you ask. Dr David Prerau, who has served as an expert consultant on Daylight Saving Time for both the United States Congress and the British Parliament, points out that focusing only on the one lost hour of sleep in spring overlooks the many months of lighter evenings that follow. On the other hand, sleep researchers tend to favor sticking with one consistent time year-round, arguing that our bodies function best when our daily rhythm lines up naturally with sunrise and sunset. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has stated that permanent Standard Time is preferable because it aligns more closely with our natural circadian rhythms.
What’s Happening With Daylight Saving Time Right Now
This is a topic that’s actually moving in Washington as I write this post. Nineteen states, most recently Texas in 2025, have already passed laws or resolutions in favor of permanent Daylight Saving Time, though none of those can take effect without a change in federal law. Just yesterday, on July 14, 2026, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce advanced a companion bill, and the full House passed it by a vote of 308 to 117 to keep Daylight Saving Time throughout the year. The bill now heads to the Senate. Public opinion on the whole issue remains mixed, with only about a third of Americans in recent polling saying they see much purpose in the twice-yearly clock change at all.
What This Means For Your Family
Regardless of where lawmakers land, here are a few gentle ways to help your family adjust each time the clocks change.
Start shifting bedtime by fifteen minutes a few days before the change rather than all at once.
Get outside in natural morning light as soon as you can after the change to help reset your body clock.
Keep mealtimes consistent even if the clock feels off, since routine helps children and adults alike adjust faster.
Be patient with little ones and pets, since it often takes about a week for sleep schedules to fully settle.
Whether you consider yourself a yay or a nay on Daylight Saving Time, it’s one of those quirky traditions that touches nearly every household in America twice a year. Understanding where it came from and what the research actually shows can help take some of the frustration out of it, even if we can’t control what Congress decides to do next.
States That Stayed Standard Time Year Round
Hawaii and most of Arizona have chosen to stay on Standard Time year-round rather than observe Daylight Saving Time. Hawaii’s proximity to the equator means its daylight hours stay fairly consistent throughout the year, so shifting the clocks forward in summer would offer little practical benefit and would only push sunset even later into the evening. Arizona opted out for a different reason, largely tied to its desert climate. With such intense summer heat, an extra hour of evening daylight would mean an extra hour of scorching temperatures before the cooler evening hours set in, so the state decided against the change.
Interestingly, the Navajo Nation, which sits within Arizona’s borders, does observe Daylight Saving Time, since its reservation extends into neighboring Utah and New Mexico, both of which follow the time change. Keeping the same time across the entire reservation helps avoid confusion for residents, schools, and businesses that operate across state lines.
Daylight Saving Time may seem like a small twice-a-year inconvenience, but it touches nearly every part of family life, from school mornings to bedtime routines. Understanding its history and the honest tradeoffs behind it can help us all feel a little less frustrated when the clocks change, no matter which side of the debate you land on. For those of us preppers who grow a garden, I don’t think it will make much difference in the larger scheme of things. May God bless this world, Linda
Copyright Images: Daylight Savings Time Banner Depositphotos_312494146_S, Blue and White Alarm Clock Depositphotos_163795616_S
When people think about the immune system, they often think about a pill bottle. That is the wrong place to start. During a long emergency, your immune system is not helped by one magic herb or one expensive supplement. It is helped by the daily basics: enough protein, enough calories, clean water, decent sleep, lower […]
Walk into your garage right now and look around. Somewhere in that clutter sits something capable of killing you, and it’s probably been sitting there for years without a second thought.
It’s the gas can by the door. The propane tank behind the mower. The extinguisher you’ve never once checked. Ordinary items, hiding in plain sight, waiting for the one moment you’ll actually need them to work.
That moment usually arrives during a crisis, when the power’s out, your hands are shaking, and you’re moving fast in a dark garage grabbing whatever you think will save you. It’s exactly the wrong time to discover that what you were counting on has been quietly failing you for months.
Old Gasoline That’s Turned to Varnish
Gasoline left sitting for six months to a year breaks down into a gummy, acidic residue that clogs fuel lines and seizes small engines. That means the generator you’re counting on to keep your fridge running during a blackout might refuse to start at the exact moment you need it. Rotate your fuel supply every few months and store it in approved containers, and that failure point disappears completely.
Why does this happen? Gasoline is a blend of volatile hydrocarbons, and as it ages, the lighter compounds evaporate first, leaving behind a heavier residue that thickens over time. Ethanol-blended fuel, which is most of what you’ll find at the pump today, breaks down even faster than pure gasoline because ethanol absorbs moisture from the air. That absorbed water settles at the bottom of the tank and corrodes metal components from the inside.
The secret to extending usable storage life to about a year? Go to buginguide.com and find out how to store gasoline long-term, plus other useful tips that you need before it’s too late.
A Car Battery Left to Freeze or Overheat
Extreme cold can crack a battery casing, while extreme heat can cause it to vent hydrogen gas in a poorly ventilated space, meaning your vehicle might fail you the moment you need to evacuate fastest.
A dead or dying battery makes this worse than you’d expect. When a battery is fully charged, the acid inside can handle temperatures far below zero. But a discharged battery is mostly water inside, and it freezes almost as easily as a puddle. One cold night can split the casing and leak sulfuric acid across your garage floor, and trying to recharge a frozen battery can make it rupture entirely.
And if you’ve already got a dead battery sitting in your garage, don’t let it corrode into a hazard. Put it to work instead. I used to toss dead batteries until I tried the method in EZ Battery Reconditioning on a car battery I’d written off, and it came back holding a charge like new. Now every battery in my house gets a second life before it ever sees the trash.
Propane Tanks with Corroded Valves
A rusted or corroded valve can leak propane slowly enough that you won’t smell it until it’s already filled an enclosed space, and one spark from a nearby appliance is all it takes after that. This gets more dangerous the closer your garage sits to your living space.
That’s why you need to inspect every tank before storing it long-term, and a genuine hazard turns into a dependable backup fuel source.
Expired Fire Extinguishers
An extinguisher past its inspection date hands you the worst kind of false confidence. You grab it during a fire, assuming it’ll work, pull the pin, and nothing happens. Check the pressure gauge every few months, so the one tool built for this exact emergency actually performs when you need it to.
Most home extinguishers are rated for a specific class of fire, and using the wrong type can make things worse instead of better. A standard ABC dry chemical extinguisher handles ordinary combustibles, flammable liquids, and electrical fires, which covers most garage scenarios.
But if yours has been sitting near a workbench for a decade, the dry chemical inside can settle and compact, meaning even a fully pressurized unit might not discharge properly. Give it a firm shake every couple of months to keep the powder loose, and replace any unit older than twelve years regardless of how the gauge reads, since the internal seals degrade even when the extinguisher looks untouched.
Paint Cans and Solvents Stacked Near Anything That Sparks
Old paint and solvents release flammable vapors even through a sealed lid, and a hot summer afternoon can push those vapors past their flash point without a single spark involved.
Move these away from your workbench, outlets, and any pilot light, and you close off one of the most common causes of garage fires before it ever starts.
Rodent-Chewed Wiring You Haven’t Noticed
Mice chew through wire insulation constantly, and a frayed cord running to your freezer can spark a fire without warning, especially under the extra load a crisis puts on your electrical system. Walk your garage’s wiring once a season with a flashlight, and you’ll catch the damage long before it catches fire.
Rodents target wiring specifically because the insulation is often made from soy-based compounds in newer vehicles and appliances, which mice find genuinely appealing to chew.
If you store a chest freezer or a second refrigerator in the garage, that cord deserves extra attention, since a compromised line feeding a freezer full of meat can fail silently for days before anyone notices the food has spoiled.
Stacked Lumber or Cardboard Against the Water Heater
Scrap wood and moving boxes end up leaning against the one appliance in the garage with an open flame more often than anyone wants to admit, and that’s how an ordinary afternoon turns into a house fire. Keep three feet of clearance around any gas appliance, and you eliminate one of the easiest fires to prevent entirely.
Ladders and Tools with Structural Damage
A cracked ladder rung or a loose tool head might get handled carefully on a normal day, but a crisis pushes people to move fast and skip caution, which is exactly when that hidden damage causes a fall you can’t easily treat if help isn’t coming quickly. Inspect your ladders and tools now, and you’ll trust them fully when speed actually matters most.
Standing Water in Buckets or Old Containers
A forgotten bucket or a low spot in a tarp turns into a real hazard fast. Near outlets or a generator setup, it’s an electrocution risk waiting for you to stumble through a dark garage in a hurry. Left sitting more than a few days, it becomes a mosquito breeding ground, and in a crisis where medical care is already stretched thin, a mosquito-borne illness is the last complication your family needs.
Storing water on purpose is a different story, but only if you do it right. Use white oak barrels if you can, since the tight grain keeps water clean far longer than most containers. If you prefer plastic, make sure it’s food-grade HDPE (look for the #2 stamp), never a repurposed milk jug or chemical container, and keep it sealed and away from sunlight so algae and bacteria can’t take hold.
Better yet, skip the standing water problem entirely with a military-style water generator, which pulls drinking water from the air and runs it through a built-in filter, so there’s nothing sitting stagnant anywhere in your garage. The bad part is the price. A whole-home unit runs $13,999 to $34,999, plus another $10,000 to $25,000 for installation, which puts it out of reach for regular families.
If you’re a fan of DIY projects or just want a fun weekend build, there’s the Backpack Water Generator, inspired by those same military devices at a small fraction of the cost, around $40. Build one, see how it performs, and you can always add more later.
My final take? It’s definitely worth a try, and you’ve got nothing to lose.
A Generator Stored Without Ever Being Test-Run
A generator that’s never been started can hide a gummed-up carburetor, a dried-out gasket, or a seized starter cord, and none of it shows up until the grid goes down and your family is standing there watching you pull the cord. Run yours under load for fifteen minutes every couple of months, and you’ll know exactly what it can do before your life depends on it.
I did that routine for years, and honestly, I got tired of it. Tired of the stale gas, the maintenance schedule, the wondering. Then a reader mentioned a design our own military studied during the Cold War, built to keep equipment running through the kind of blackout that was supposed to end the world. I figured it was another internet legend until I dug into the Cold War Generator plans myself.
The thing runs without gasoline, so nothing gums up and nothing goes stale in your garage. I put mine together over a weekend with parts that cost less than a season’s worth of generator fuel, and it’s been sitting ready ever since. Unlike my old gas unit, I don’t wonder anymore. I know.
The Underrated Danger You Need to Solve ASAP
Ask any burglar which door he’d try first and he’ll point at the garage. Yours probably has a lock on the side entry and a camera over the driveway. On a normal Tuesday night that’s plenty, because the guy casing your street knows the police are a phone call away.
Take the police out of the equation and everything changes. A blackout that stretches past the third day puts desperate people on foot. A garage door gives to a crowbar faster than anything else on your house, and your camera’s been dead since the first hour. Whoever gets that door open is standing ten feet from the kitchen. The 911 lines, if they work at all, have a three-hour queue of people just like you.
I started looking into what still protects a home after the usual systems quit. That’s how I ended up reading Guerrilla Home Defense. The whole thing assumes nobody’s coming to help, and the methods run on stuff sitting around the average household right now. I opened it expecting recycled alarm-company advice. I closed it wondering why I’d spent years securing every door except the one that actually matters.
And this week only, we want to give something back to you. Click the banner below and grab Guerrilla Home Defense at a special price. Seven days, then it’s over.
What Twenty Minutes Tonight Could Save You From
None of these twelve things are dangerous because they’re old or forgotten. They’re dangerous because a crisis changes what your garage is for. It stops being storage and becomes the place you’re pulling fuel, tools, and equipment from under pressure, often in the dark, often with your hands shaking and no time to think twice.
The families who get through a crisis without a second disaster on top of the first one aren’t lucky. They’re the ones who walked through their garage on an ordinary Tuesday, flashlight in hand, and fixed what needed fixing before it mattered.
You have that Tuesday right now. Take the twenty minutes. The next time you need something out of that garage, you won’t get the luxury of finding out it failed you first.
It Boggles the Mind to Think that Allowing Food to Rot Would Make it Taste Better, Last Longer, and Actually Be Good for You… But it Does.
We eat this stuff all the time and don’t even know it. Everything from bread and cheese to beer, wine, and simple things like sauerkraut, Kimchi, and yogurt are the result of a little-understood process known as fermentation.
Fermentation 101
Fermentation has been around for thousands of years. It was probably the result of a happy accident and a very hungry person. Even a caveman would have second thoughts about eating rotten food, but someone did and decided they liked it.
Good Rotten Science
Fermentation results from the release of natural compounds from something that converts sugar, carbohydrates, and starches into alcohol or organic acids like lactose. This eventually causes the nature, flavor, and appearance of the food to change.
That “something” is actually bacterial microbes at work, but they fall in the category of “good” bacteria (Lactobacillus- fermentation bacteria) that are not harmful to us, and actually inhibit the growth and development of harmful bacteria (Clostridium botulinum -spoiling bacteria).
If that explanation causes you any alarm, remember that more than 30% of the foods we eat are fermented and it’s all the result of the good bacteria. But this process comes with a price.
Fermentation Microbes Release a Waste Product
We don’t commonly associate the idea of waste products as an ingredient in our foods, but in this instance, we’re largely talking about carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is a waste product of fermentation and we should remember we exhale carbon dioxide as a waste product with every breath we take. In fact, you may have to “burp” any foods you are fermenting in a jar to release the carbon dioxide buildup if you are using a canning jar with a tight-fitting lid.
It’s best to do this outside, once a day. Doing it in the kitchen will leave some aromas and odors in the kitchen that some family members may take exception to. After a couple of weeks, things will calm down and your need to “burp” a jar will slow down and stop.
Temperature and Fermentation
The ideal temperature for fermentation is between 60 degrees and 70 degrees Fahrenheit or 15.5 degrees Centigrade to 21 degrees Centigrade. Any temperature above or below will compromise the ideal fermentation process. It’s because of the effect temperature has on the “good” bacteria that are driving the fermentation.
A basement may be a good place to consider or a pantry protected from direct sunlight. If the temperature rises above the ideal temperature range, there’s no cause for alarm, but extreme temperatures above 100 F. or close to or below freezing will actually kill the good bacteria and the bad bacteria will be in a position to grow unchecked.
The Tools of the Trade
Before you dive in, it's worth having a few key pieces of equipment on hand. None of it is expensive, and you probably have most of it already.
A good kitchen scale is worth having. Weighing your salt is more accurate than measuring by volume, and fermentation is one of those things where ratios actually matter. A general rule of thumb is about 2% salt by weight of whatever vegetable you're fermenting.
A fermentation weight is a small glass disc or even a zip-lock bag filled with brine. It keeps your vegetables submerged below the liquid. Anything that pokes above the surface is exposed to air, and air is where the bad bacteria live.
Finally, consider a wide-mouth mason jar with an airlock lid. These are inexpensive and eliminate the need to burp your jars daily. The airlock lets carbon dioxide escape without letting air back in. It's not strictly necessary, but it does make the whole process more forgiving.
Surprise! Fermented Foods are Really Good For You
We’ve all heard of the benefits of probiotics, and that’s what fermented foods are all about. Probiotic foods are fermented foods and they aid our digestive tract by providing us with the “good” bacteria that aid digestion.
Yogurts have been promoted for this benefit, but it crosses the line to other fermented foods from apple-cider vinegar to sauerkraut, other fermented vegetables, cheeses, breads, and the list goes on.
The telegram is: eat your bacteria. Our gut is run by certain forms of “good” bacteria and without them as a digestive aid, we simply don’t assimilate the nutrients from foods the way we should. They also contribute to regularity and prevent many other forms of gastrointestinal distress.
But it Gets Better
Some clinical studies indicate that fermented foods high in probiotics help prevent many diseases before they get started. The bottom line is that fermenting food is not only good for your diet, it also makes sense from a preparedness and cost-saving standpoint.
When Fermentation Goes Wrong
It's rare, but it happens. Here's how to tell the difference between normal fermentation behavior and a batch you should throw out.
White film on the surface: This is usually kahm yeast, a harmless but unappetizing film that develops when vegetables are exposed to air. Skim it off and make sure everything is submerged. The ferment underneath is almost certainly fine.
Pink or black mold: This is a problem. Toss the batch and start over. Clean your jar thoroughly with hot water before using it again.
Mushy texture: A little softening is normal. Complete mushiness usually means the ferment was too warm or the salt ratio was too low. It's not necessarily unsafe, but the texture won't be enjoyable.
No bubbling at all: If you see zero activity after 3 to 4 days, something is off. The most common culprit is iodized salt, which inhibits fermentation bacteria. This is exactly why the recipes call for sea salt, kosher salt, or pickling salt.
Fermentation as a Preservative
Good news and bad news when it comes to fermentation as a food preservative. The good news is that it works and will extend the shelf-life of any food that is fermented. The question is: how long and under what conditions? The general recommendation is that any fermented food be refrigerated or stored in a cold-storage space like a root-cellar once the fermentation process has stopped or significantly slowed down.
The irony is that processing fermented foods in a hot water bath or subjecting it to freezing temperatures kills the good bacteria and allows the bad bacteria to spread and multiply if the food is not consumed in a short period of time. A cold, refrigerated or cold-storage environment is ideal, especially after you open a jar. But be mindful of what you’ve fermented.
Yogurt can be good for up to 2 weeks under refrigeration while sauerkraut can be good for up to a year or more under the same conditions. The key is a simple series of common-sense tests you should perform with any food kept for any length of time:
Look at it. Does it look like what you expect? Is there any indication of mold or fungus growing? Is the color “off?”
Smell it. Does it smell like what you expect? If it has a mildew smell or other off-odor, pitch it. When in doubt, throw it out.
Taste it. Take a small taste and assess whether it tastes like what you would expect. If you have any doubt, stop after a small taste and see how you feel in a few hours. Common signs of food poisoning include sweating, vomiting, diarrhea, and fever. If any of these symptoms show up, you probably don’t want to take another taste.
Remember when. Anything you pickle or ferment should be clearly marked with the date that you first put food in the jar, can or crock. It should also clearly identify the contents. Fermentation and other home-processing approaches can alter the appearance of food. Don’t trust your memory. Write it down on the jar.
Key ingredients for Fermentation
On a fundamental level, the fermentation of anything typically begins with a fruit, vegetable, grain or milk. But they all need other ingredients to activate the fermentation process. This could include but is not limited to:
Salt
Sea salt, Kosher salt or Pickling salt are preferred. Iodized table salt or any flavored salt is not recommended.
Sugar
White sugar is the sugar of choice although honey or maple syrup can be used as a replacement.
Yeast
Active dry-yeast for breads and baked goods. Brewer’s yeast for beer, wine and spirits.
Parts of the same previously fermented foods
This is the classic Sourdough lesson. Keep a little of the old fermented stuff and add the new ingredients to keep it going. The good bacteria already present will jump-start the new mix. Koreans do this with Kimchi and Germans always did this with a bit of left-over sauerkraut. The point is: don’t throw the old good stuff away if it’s been fermented. Let it start the next cycle of fermentation.
Vinegar
This starts to get into pickling and may cause you to wonder how pickling is related to fermentation. It’s fairly straightforward. The primary ingredient in any pickling recipe is vinegar. Where does vinegar come from? Fermentation. We’ll include a traditional apple-cider vinegar recipe and, just so you know, anything you pickle in vinegar is made with a fermented liquid that provides all of the benefits of fermentation.
Dry Ferment vs. Wet Brine: What's the Difference?
You'll notice that the recipes below fall into two different camps. The sauerkraut and kimchi recipes use a dry ferment method. Salt draws moisture directly out of the vegetables, which creates its own brine. The radishes and beets use a wet brine method, where you dissolve salt in water and pour it over the vegetables.
Neither is better. Vegetables with high water content like cabbage do well with a dry ferment. Denser, drier vegetables like beets and radishes generally benefit from a prepared brine. Knowing which method applies to what you're fermenting will save you a lot of head-scratching down the road.
Fermented Foods Recipes
We’re going to take a bit of a logical approach here. We’re going to start with apple cider vinegar and slowly move into more complex fermented foods, ending with yogurt which is not really complicated, but a bit different from most of what we’re exploring.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Anyone who takes homesteading or preparedness seriously should know how to make apple cider vinegar. Vinegar has many benefits from food preservation to sanitation and health benefits as well.
Any Apple Works
Some recipes get very fussy about apple varieties for apple cider vinegar, but any apple will make a great vinegar including crab apples. Use what you have available to you and you should get a good result.
It’s a Curious Two-Step Process
Making apple cider vinegar essentially starts with making Hard Cider. The alcohol of the hard cider will then convert to a dilution of acetic acid leaving you with apple cider vinegar. You’ll need to taste the solution when you believe you’re reached the hard cider stage. Some of us enjoy this step more than others.
You then allow the hard cider solution to continue to ferment until the alcohol has converted to vinegar. You can scale up this recipe by multiplying the fundamental ingredients and proportions.
Apple Cider Vinegar Recipe
EQUIPMENT:
A large, 1-gallon glass jar or crock.
Layers of cheesecloth or a fine-mesh piece of fabric.
A large rubber band to tightly fit over the top of the jar.
Filter material like fine-mesh strainers and coffee filters or fine-mesh fabric.
Enough glass jars with lids or bottles to store your apple cider vinegar.
INGREDIENTS:
An assortment of apples that are chopped until they fill a 1-gallon glass jar half-way.
Enough fresh water at room temperature to fill the jar within two inches of the top of the jar.
1 cup of honey or sugar.
DIRECTIONS:
Wash and coarsely chop the apples and place into a clean, 1-gallon glass jar until they fill the jar half-way.
Add the water until the apples are immersed up to 2-inches from the top of the jar. The apples will float and that’s okay.
Pour in the honey or sugar and stir until dissolved and distributed in the solution.
Cover the top of the jar with multiple layers of cheesecloth or a fine-weave piece of cotton fabric and secure tightly like a drum-head with a rubber band around the lid.
Store in a place where the temperature averages 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit or 15.5 to 21 degrees Centigrade and let sit for 1 to 2 weeks. You should see bubbles and some aroma of the increasing alcohol will emerge from the jar.
Taste the solution after a week and take note of the apple chunks. If they stop rising and falling in the solution or the cider has a definite alcohol taste, you’re ready for the second step.
Strain the hard cider through a mesh strainer to remove the chunks and pour the solution back into the rinsed 1-gallon jar.
Cover again with your cheesecloth or fine-fabric cover and seal again with the rubber band. Let it sit for another 3 to 4 weeks. The alcohol will now slowly convert to vinegar. You’ll probably see some sediment on the bottom and some scum on the surface. This is normal, and you’ll clear it out with your final filtering.
After 3 to 4 weeks taste your cider vinegar. When it suits your taste, you’re done. If it’s too weak, give it another week. If it’s too strong you can always add a little water to calm it down.
Filter into 1-quart jars through layers of cheese cloth above a coffee filter until the cider vinegar steeps through the filters into the jar. Seal and store in a pantry or root cellar.
One thing worth watching for during your second ferment is the formation of a “mother.” This is a gelatinous, somewhat unappetizing-looking mass that develops on the surface of the vinegar.
Don't throw it out. The mother is a colony of beneficial bacteria, the same thing that makes commercial raw apple cider vinegar so valuable. You can transfer it to your next batch to jump-start the process, exactly like saving a sourdough starter.
Fermented Radishes
In Japan, fermented radishes are a delicacy and often accompany many meals, especially at lunch as a side-dish in a traditional Bento box. You can use any radishes including white radishes, red radishes, or the traditional Japanese Daikon radish.
You’ll need a canning jar with a tight-fitting lid. This recipe calls for a 1-quart jar, but you can cut the recipe in half for a 1-pint serving or double it if you have a lot of radishes for a 1-gallon jar.
Fermented Radishes Recipe
INGREDIENTS:
4 cups of water
3 Tablespoons of sea salt or Kosher salt or pickling salt
Enough sliced radishes to fill the jar
Optional seasonings seeds such as dill, mustard, caraway, etc.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Prepare the brine by completely dissolving the salt in 4 cups of water.
Wash the radishes and cut into slices.
Place the optional spices or seasonings in the bottom of the jar and pack the radishes into the jar and fill with water until about 1-inch from the top of the lid.
Cover the jar with the lid and let sit at 60 to 70 degrees F. for 2 weeks. Burp the lid once a day by opening and closing it.
Taste the radishes and if satisfied, store in the refrigerator or root cellar. If they need more time, give them another week. They should have a mellow but somewhat piquant or tart flavor. In cold storage they should be good for 2 to 3 months.
Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut is a classic Eastern European recipe that’s very popular across Germany, Austria, and Poland. White cabbage is the traditional source but red cabbage and even Napa cabbage or Chinese cabbage can also be used.
Sauerkraut Recipe
INGREDIENTS:
1 Medium Head of Cabbage
3 tablespoons of seal salt or kosher salt or pickling salt
Caraway seeds as an optional seasoning
DIRECTIONS:
1. Cut the cabbage into shreds and sprinkle with the salt.
2. Knead the cabbage with clean hands. You might want to wear rubber gloves. Do this for 10 minutes until the cabbage releases its juices.
3. Sprinkle the caraway seeds on the cabbage and blend with your hands and stuff the cabbage into the jar and make sure to press the cabbage underneath the liquid. Add a bit of water if you need to completely cover the cabbage.
4. Check the liquid level. After packing the cabbage into the jar, the liquid should rise above the cabbage within a few minutes. If it doesn't, add a small amount of 2% salt water (about 1 teaspoon of salt dissolved in 1 cup of water) just until the cabbage is fully submerged. This is important — cabbage exposed to air above the brine line can develop mold. A small plate, a folded cabbage leaf, or a fermentation weight can help hold things down.
5. Cover the jar and let sit at 60 to 70 degrees F. for 2 weeks. Burp the jar once a day.
6. Taste the sauerkraut and if it’s to your liking, seal the jar and store in the refrigerator or root cellar. It should last for 6 to 12 months but once opened, finish it within a month.
Fermented Sweet Beets
Fermented sweet beets are very popular across Russia and many other parts of Eastern Europe. Any size of beets can be used but they should be peeled and sliced into thick slices. This recipe calls for a 1-gallon glass canning jar, but you can downsize the recipe if you like.
Fermented Sweet Beets Recipe
INGREDIENTS:
1 quart of water
3 tablespoons of sea salt or kosher salt or pickling salt
3 pounds of beets cut into thick slices
DIRECTIONS:
Dissolve the salt in water.
Place the beet slices in the jar and pour the liquid over the beets, leaving 1-2 inches of headspace at the top of the jar.
Cover the jar and let sit at 60-70 degrees F. for 2 to 3 weeks. Burp the jar daily.
Taste a beet and if you like the flavor and the texture, you’re done. If not, let them ferment for another week.
Seal the beets in the jar and store in a refrigerator or root cellar. They should be good for 3 to 6 months but once opened, eat them within a month.
Kimchi
Kimchi is the signature dish of Korea. If you go to a Korean restaurant a bowl of Kimchi is set on the table much like a basket of bread in the U.S. The recipe is a bit complicated and you should wear rubber gloves when handling the cabbage and the spices to make the Kimchi.
Napa cabbage also knows as Chinese cabbage is the cabbage of choice. The result is a spicy and highly flavorful fermented food.
Kimchi Recipe
INGREDIENTS:
2 heads of Napa or Chinese cabbage
1 ¼ cups of sea salt or kosher salt or pickling salt
1 tablespoon of fish sauce
½ small white onion minced
2 cloves of garlic chopped
2 tablespoons of sugar
5 teaspoons of chile powder
½ teaspoon of ground ginger
DIRECTIONS:
1. Cut the cabbages into 2- inch square pieces.
2. Place the cabbage into large resealable bags and sprinkle salt on the leaves so they are evenly coated. Use your hands to rub the salt in to the leaves. Seal the bags and leave at room temperature for 6 hours.
3. Rinse the salt from the cabbage leaves and then drain and squeeze out any excess liquid.
4. Place the cabbage in a bowl.
5. Stir in the fish sauce, green onions, white onion, garlic, sugar and ginger. Sprinkle the chile powder over the mixture. Put on some plastic gloves and rub the chile powder into the cabbage leaves until evenly coated.
6. Carefully pack the Kimchi into a jar and seal the jar.
7. Seal the container and let sit at 60 to 70 degrees F. for 4 days. Burp daily. Refrigerate before serving, and store in the refrigerator or root cellar for up to 1 month.
Yogurt
Yogurt is an invention of the Middle-East and Mediterranean. It’s fermented milk and is highly touted these days for its probiotic properties. It’s easy to make and you can flavor it any way you like once it’s done. Some people add fresh fruit, vanilla or shaved coconut and even instant coffee crystals. That’s up to you.
Yogurt Recipe
INGREDIENTS:
1⁄2 gallon of whole milk
1⁄2 cup of store-bought, plain Greek yogurt
DIRECTIONS:
Bring milk to just a boil and set aside to cool until warm to the touch.
Pour the warm milk into a 1-gallon glass canning jar and add the ½ cup of Greek yogurt. Stir in the yogurt starter and cover the jar with small washcloths.
Keep it warm. Yogurt cultures need warmth to do their job. A few reliable methods: wrap the jar in a towel and set it inside a turned-off oven with just the oven light on, place it in a small cooler with a jar of hot water, or set it on a heating pad on the lowest setting. The target temperature is around 100 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Too cool and the bacteria won't activate. Too hot and you'll kill them.
Let sit at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours.
Taste and if to your liking refrigerate for 8 hours or add a flavoring of your choice before refrigerating. It should be good for up to 2 weeks.
Cyclosporiasis Diarrhea Outbreak: What Is It? If you’ve been hearing about a stomach bug spreading across the country this summer, you’re not imagining things. Health officials in dozens of states are tracking a rise in cases of an intestinal illness called cyclosporiasis, and it’s worth taking a few minutes to understand what it is, where it comes from, and what to do if you or someone in your family starts feeling sick.
Cyclosporiasis Diarrhea Outbreak: What Is It?
Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by a tiny parasite called Cyclospora cayetanensis. Cases are currently being reported in nearly three dozen states, and the most common symptom is watery diarrhea, sometimes with frequent and explosive bowel movements. More than 30 states have reported cases so far this year, with over 5,000 reported nationwide and dozens of hospitalizations. Keep in mind, these numbers will change daily. Check the CDC Cyclosporiasis for more information.
The parasite typically spreads through food or water contaminated with human feces. People become infected by eating food or drinking water contaminated with the parasite, and previous outbreaks have been traced back to fresh produce such as cilantro, basil, leafy greens, raspberries, and salad mixes, since these foods are commonly eaten raw with little or no cooking to destroy the parasite. Right now, health officials in several states are still working to pin down the exact food source behind this year’s rise in cases. This is a good reminder that food safety isn’t something we can fully control at the grocery store level. It starts all the way back with how food is grown, watered, harvested, and shipped.
Symptoms can include watery diarrhea, loss of appetite, cramping, nausea, fatigue, and weight loss over time, if the illness lingers. The time between exposure and symptoms is generally around 7 to 10 days, though it can vary widely. Because symptoms can take over a week to appear, it can be hard to pinpoint exactly which meal or ingredient caused the illness, which is part of why outbreak investigations take so long.
I want to be very clear here. I’m not a doctor, a nurse, or anyone in the medical field. I’m simply a mom who cares about her readers and wants to share trustworthy information. If you or anyone in your family has ongoing watery diarrhea, especially if it lasts more than a few days, please contact your doctor or healthcare provider. Health officials specifically recommend seeing your healthcare provider if you have symptoms of cyclosporiasis. Cyclosporiasis is generally treated with an oral antibiotic, most commonly Bactrim, Septra, or Cotrim, taken for about 10 days. A doctor can determine whether this or another treatment is right for your situation, especially if anyone in your home has allergies or other health conditions. While you wait to be seen, focus on staying hydrated and resting, as diarrheal illnesses can quickly cause dehydration, especially in young children and older family members.
None of us can control what happens at the farm level, but there are a few simple habits that can help lower risk at home. Wash all fresh produce thoroughly under running water, including herbs like cilantro and basil, even if you plan to peel it. Cut away any bruised or damaged parts of fruits and vegetables before eating. Refrigerate any pre-cut or pre-prepared produce promptly. Cooking produce is an effective way to reduce risk, since heating food to 158 degrees Fahrenheit or higher kills the parasite, though this isn’t practical for a fresh salad, so washing and careful handling become even more important for foods eaten raw. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before and after handling raw fruits and vegetables.
I know reading about outbreaks can feel unsettling, especially when you’re the one responsible for feeding your family every single day. Please don’t let this steal your peace. There’s no reason to panic, but there is good reason to stay informed. Wash your produce, wash your hands, keep a close eye on how everyone in your home is feeling, and reach out to your doctor if something seems off. That’s really all any of us can do, and it’s enough.
This post is for general information only and is not medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare provider for any questions about symptoms, diagnosis, or treatment. When in doubt, contact your doctor.
Cyclosporiasis vs. Norovirus
Cyclosporiasis and norovirus are often confused because both cause stomach trouble, but they’re quite different illnesses. Cyclosporiasis is caused by a microscopic parasite that usually spreads through contaminated food or water, often fresh produce, and it tends to bring on watery diarrhea that can last for days or even weeks if untreated, along with loss of appetite and fatigue.
Norovirus, on the other hand, is a virus rather than a parasite, and it spreads very easily from person to person, via contaminated surfaces or food handled by someone who is sick. Norovirus usually hits fast and hard, with sudden vomiting and diarrhea, but it typically clears up within a day or two, whereas cyclosporiasis can linger much longer and generally requires antibiotics to fully resolve. Knowing the difference matters because norovirus often runs its course on its own, while cyclosporiasis usually calls for a visit to the doctor.
Washing your hands with soap and water is still the gold standard, especially for conditions like cyclosporiasis and other foodborne illnesses. The proper method is to wet your hands, apply soap, and scrub every surface, including between your fingers, under your nails, and the backs of your hands, for at least twenty seconds before rinsing well and drying with a clean towel. Hand sanitizer is a helpful backup when soap and water aren’t available, but it’s not a perfect substitute. Sanitizer works well against many germs, yet it’s far less effective against certain parasites and viruses, and it doesn’t physically remove dirt, grease, or organic material the way washing does. For that reason, after handling raw produce, using the bathroom, or caring for someone who is sick, soap and water should always be your first choice, with hand sanitizer reserved for those moments in between when a sink simply isn’t nearby.
Final Word
Friends, food safety is something we think about often here, and this summer it feels especially close to home. Wash your produce well, keep an eye on how your family is feeling, and never hesitate to call your doctor if something seems off. A little care in the kitchen goes a long way toward keeping the people you love healthy. May God bless this world, Linda
Copyright Images: Health Care Concept Cyclosporiasis Depositphotos_421650378_S, Diarrhea Photo Sign Depositphotos_43647805_S
