Lacto-fermented Veggies

Although this was not a failure like the sprouted wheat bread, it did not turn out exactly as I had hoped... 

Throughout my current internship, the other livestock intern and I have made a point of visiting other farms to learn from more experienced farmers.  On one such visit, we were invited into the house to taste all sorts of fresh and seasonal treats, including lacto-fermented vegetables. 

The lacto-fermented green beans that they served us were amazing.  They tasted like pickled beans (dilly beans) and so I was excited to learn how to make them myself with veggies out of the farm garden.  I was told that it was super easy (and it was) and that you can ferment all sorts of vegetables.  And so I tried with farm cucumber, okra, and green beans.

You chop up the desired vegetables and fill a quart jar with them.  Add some fresh dill and whole, peeled garlic cloves.  Then, put in:
2 Tbs. whey (like from making cheese or yogurt - strain it through cheesecloth or a t-shirt so no cheese/yogurt particles get in)
2 tsp. salt
And fill the jar with water with a little air space on top.  You want to make sure that none of the vegetables are sticking out of the surface of the water, so you can boil a flat rock (to sterilize it) and place it on top of the vegetables to hold them down.  Close the jar.

Leave your jars out at room temperature for 3 days and then refrigerate and enjoy!

Well, other people liked these fermented vegetables I made, but to me, they were pretty sub-par. 

Maybe when initially served it, I was just hungry or after coming in from being out in the heat anything tasted good.  Or maybe it was that I used whey from yogurt and they had used whey from cheese.  Whatever it was, I was not impressed by what I had made.  Hopefully yours turns out better!