Starter Kit from Fermentools

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

I have been wanting to try some additional fermenting foods so I was excited to review the Starter Kit from Fermentools. A number of years ago, I had been reading about the benefits of fermented foods for our family, and having access to a bountiful supply of fresh fruits and vegetables from Amish farms in our area, my husband and I began making our own sauerkraut. But I knew there was more that we could be making, including fermenting pickles, fermenting vegetables, and more. So when we had the opportunity to review this kit I knew this was the perfect chance for me to expand our fermented foods repertoire.

Fermentools understands everyone is at a different place regarding health as well as culinary skills. But the company also recognizes that fermenting can be for everyone. They have a desire to provide tools from the novice to the restaurant chef to be able to fit fermenting into their everyday life. The company offers stainless steel lids, gaskets, airlock systems, rubber gaskets, and glass weights. These products are designed to turn any ordinary mason jar into the ideal vessel for fermenting. For this review, we received the Starter Kit that included:

- 1 Stainless Steel Lid
- 1 Glass Fermentation Weight – made for a wide mouth mason jar
- 1 Air Lock.
- 2 Rubber Stoppers (1 with a hole for airlock –and 1 solid).
- 1 Rubber Canning Gasket.
- Himalayan Powdered Salt

Because we were already familiar with the process of making sauerkraut in an urn, we decided to start with making it. To save time, we elected to use the premade Cole Slaw mix we bought from a warehouse store. I am glad we already had experience making sauerkraut because the directions provided may have been hard for some to follow. The amount of salt we should add was not given, and with us being used to making large quantities of salsa, we were able to estimate the amount we believed we need to add for the quantity of coleslaw mix we were using.

Making Fermented Sauerkraut

We added the salt to our mix, kneaded it to get the liquids flowing, put it in the jar, and then put the lid, stopper, and airlock system on and let it sit for several days. In the end, the sauerkraut turned out perfect. For me, it was a little stronger than I would have liked, so the next time, I plan on letting it sit for a shorter number of days. I have to say having the carrots and purple cabbage gave the sauerkraut a beautiful pink tint.

Making Fermented Sals

For our second fermentation experience, I found a canning book with a fermented salsa recipe in it. For this one, we followed the directions in the book along with the general fermentation instructions on the Fermentools’ website. We will have the opportunity to try it tomorrow. I have to say though, the salsa in the jar looks perfect. I can not wait to try it.

Here are pictures of our finished sauerkraut and our almost finished salsa.

Our Finished Sauerkraut & almost finished Salsa

You can find Fermentools on Social Media on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest at the following links.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fermentools/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/fermentools/
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/fermentools/

Fermentools is giving you a 15 % discount coupon valid from now until June 30th. The coupon code is Crew2020.

fermentools-discount-coupon-april-to-june-2020

My one caution with this product would be to make sure to read the instructions carefully. If you are not sure of what something means, ask someone who does including reaching out to the company.

So if you already like fermenting food or if you want to learn about fermenting vegetables, including fermented pickles or sauerkraut, with an easy fermenting process, check out this company for yourself. I definitely think the Starter Kit from Fermentools is worth checking out.

Other members of the Home School Review are sharing their thoughts about their experiences with Fermentools. So click here or on the graphic below to read their reviews.

#hsreviews #fermenting #easyfermenting

About the Book

Book: The Wait Will Not Be Wasted

Author: Lauren Lianne

Genre: Non-fiction/Christian Living

Release Date: February 14, 2020

You’ve probably imagined the job, the spouse, the kids—and you knew what age you wanted it all to happen. However, all too often such plans go up in smoke, and you may feel confused and forgotten when reality doesn’t match your expectations. When life doesn’t go like you planned, can you still trust that God knows how to write the best stories? Instead of taking the pen to your own story, author Lauren Walton suggests refocusing on your Creator.

After spending years frustrated because life wasn’t going according to her plans, Lauren decided to give up control. It was then she learned God’s graciousness wasn’t based on getting what she wanted and that God’s perfect plan included an unexpected season. She wrote The Wait Will Not Be Wasted to help other single women during times of unfulfilled hopes. Lauren shares how self-reflection, journaling, and practical experience have led her to find deep fulfillment and a God-given purpose while she waits. It is her hope that her journey will help others see God’s goodness even during the most difficult times.

Though directed at single women, the concepts apply to any woman waiting for God to move in her life.

Click here to get your copy!

While I was growing up, I had dreams of what I wanted my life to look like. Initially, I wanted to be a nurse but I can not handle the sight of needles or blood so that idea went away. Then I had dreams of being a teacher and traveling around the country in a motorhome with a little convertible hooked behind. At that point, marriage was not on my mind. Yet, God brought my husband and me together in His time without either of us looking.

Now as the mother of four: three sons who are about to turn 24, 21, and 19 plus a daughter who is 17, the message of this book resonates with me for them. I firmly believe that God has created the perfect soulmate for each of us, and the message of this book is one that needs to be shared. I love how Lauren Walton presents her ideas in this book. We. have done nothing on our own to deserve God’s blessings, but He freely gives them to those who love and trust Him.

We are told patience is a virtue and more, but when you only want to have someone to share your life with waiting can be painful. I love the vulnerability Lauren Walton shares in the pages of this book.

So whether you are single yourself or have someone in your life who is, check out this book for yourself.

I received a copy of this book for my fair and honest review.

About the Author

Lauren Walton is a native Floridian who now calls Nashville home. She loves traveling, dancing, staying active with her church community, and cheering on her Auburn University Tigers. Lauren’s faith has carried her through some tough times, and it is now her life goal to help others see God’s goodness even during the most difficult times.

More from Lauren

All I have ever wanted was to be a wife and a mom. In the life I had always imagined there were no other options. But then college came and went, moving to a new city and finding my first job came and went. And so many other milestones came and went, including my 35^th birthday. As the years kept passing, I found myself still waiting. My heart felt confused and forgotten. I didn’t understand why God would give me this desire and then withhold it from me.

About eight years ago a friend wrote a verse in my journal. I loved it at the time but didn’t realize it would become my anthem in the future. She wrote Psalm 94:17, which says, “Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul would soon have settled in silence”. I can’t tell you how many times I almost settled in silence but turns out God had other plans for me.

Many times I started to wonder if God really was the good God I had always thought He was. I grew up in church and had been taught from a young age to believe God was good no matter what. But as the wait got longer and longer He didn’t seem to be very good. At that point, I started questioning so many things as I felt my faith beginning to crack. I was terrified of what I might find if I dug into the pain so I pushed it aside, or at least tried to. I began to believe the lie that having doubts would make me a horrible Christian so I kept silent. I was so afraid to ask the tough questions and was afraid of what those questions might say about me. Ignoring those concerns ended up being a breeding ground for all my doubts, which eventually led me to make decisions I normally would never have made. I lost sight of God’s goodness and found myself solely focusing on what I didn’t have… a husband and a family. This was a season filled with sadness and so much bitterness. I was so over being single and so frustrated with the way my life had turned out. But somewhere in the middle of all that hurt, and despite all my mistakes, God still came for me. He started teaching me all over again who He was as my Father. And how much He loved me.

As I started walking towards healing, I began to ask God the really hard questions my heart couldn’t make sense of, and I believe He started to answer me. So I started to write it all down. I kept a running note in my phone and I always felt like the things God was showing me and encouraging me with were not just for me. If God had me still waiting, there must be a reason and I was determined to figure out what that was. I eventually took a next step and went away for the weekend to write. I found the perfect Airbnb tree house and 7 chapters came spilling out.

At that point it became very clear this book needed to be written and I felt very strongly it needed to be written now… while I am still waiting and not when I am on the other side of my singleness. It’s my hope this will cause other women to lean into what I am saying, or better yet what God has to say. I believe these are His words and not mine anyway.

The Wait will not be Wasted is my “yes” to the Lord and my thank you for how far He has brought me. It’s my whole heart in written form, and the story of my victories and struggles while walking through my singleness. It’s not the pretty or cleaned up version of my story. It was very purposely written that way so we could all take a deep breath and know it’s okay, that it’s hard and it’s okay to make mistakes. I know I’ve made plenty.

I’m praying as women read these words they will discover this life is never going to be void of the hard but there is a very real and very big God who is bigger than anything we go through. I hope together we can begin to see our singleness through a new filter, as we began to shift our attention and see things more from God’s perspective instead of our own. Knowing this doesn’t mean the wait will all of a sudden be easier. But also seeing even through the pain there is a purpose to this season. And God is working all of it together for our good.

He’s always making sure not one minute of our pain is wasted.