Reaping Through the October Harvest Ron Eichner

Reaping Through the October Harvest

By Ron Eichner

Hi folks, October is about harvesting and storing crops, canning, freezing, and preserving the harvest. Most vegetables and fruits are stored in the refrigerator. Brussels sprouts, which is a long-season crop, become available in October. Some say light frosts on Brussels sprouts and cabbage makes them sweeter.

The hunter’s moon is October 9. On a clear night, the moon will be very bright. The whole month of October is when most people, kids, and grandkids seek out pumpkins to carve for Halloween on October 31. Try roasting pumpkin seeds for a treat. Area farm markets are excellent places to purchase pumpkins, gourds, and corn stalks.

Our Grandpa Eichner was born and raised in the Bavarian part of Germany. Growing up and working on his dad’s dairy farm with his two brothers, Grandpap was sponsored in 1926 to the United States. His cousin had a ranch in Montana, and his brother (Uncle) Joe was sponsored in 1927. Their dream was to work hard, save their money, and start a farm. Western Pennsylvania and Wexford was a magnet for working on their dream. Their brother John and his family nurtured the family farm in Germany, which is still in our family today.

Like all of Munich, our German cousins enjoy the Bavarian festival, Oktoberfest, which takes place each year in Munich, Germany. The annual festival lasts 16 days, from mid-September until the first Sunday in October. The festival has been held since 1810. Although there was a two-year hiatus in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid. It returned this past September 17.

Oktoberfest is known as the largest folk festival in the world. Mineral water is the most purchased and consumed beverage in Germany in 2021. The starting dates were moved into September because the days were longer and warmer. As a result, Oktoberfest visitors could stay out later to enjoy the gardens that make up the festival grounds without getting chilly.

The Munich festival is about drinking beer and gorging on grilled sausages and giant pretzels. The traditional Oktoberfest costumes are lederhosen for men and drindl for women.

Bratwurst sausage originated in Germany and has become a favorite grilling and tailgating food. Bratwurst is the traditional main meal with German potato salad, sweet or sour cabbage, and sauerkraut on the side.

Our farm family has made bratwurst and fermented sauerkraut for generations. There are many bratwurst recipes, and our homemade brats are 80% lean ground pork and 20% lean ground beef, five spices, whole eggs, and milk. Mix the meat and stuff the meat in natural casings. We make our bratwurst fresh, putting five links in a package, and freezing them for resale in our farm market.

In Germany, “bratwurst” is a catch-all term for all sausages. Brat means ground meat, and wurst means sausage. Bratwurst typically consists of pork and veal, but I am not a fan of veal for many reasons, and lean ground beef is a better choice.

When it comes to sauerkraut, all are not equal. The canned kraut uses a unique heating process to sterilize the cabbage, then it is put into cans or glass jars. Raw kraut is fermented in a container at room temperature and then transferred to a cooler or refrigerator to slow the fermentation process and is ready to cook or eat raw.

Canned or commercially processed sauerkraut is typically pasteurized during the canning process, which destroys the active probiotics and therefore makes it less beneficial than raw fermented sauerkraut. Conversely, naturally fermented sauerkraut is rich in digestive enzymes and gut-healing probiotics.

It is often asked how much-fermented sauerkraut you can eat a day for probiotic benefits? One tablespoon, fork-full, or 10 grams per day. Fermented sauerkraut contains more lactobacillus than most yogurts, making it an excellent source of probiotics.

So, if you want to experience what I shared, you are welcome to stop by Eichner’s Whole Farm and Greenhouses and let us be a fall destination. Happy Halloween! Bring a friend and be a friend at 285 Richard Road, Wexford, and get “the rest of the story.” n

IT’S A GOOD TIME TO SELL YOUR HOME.

The current real estate market is hot and inventory is at a record low. I would love to provide a complimentary market consultation and market analysis.