Organic Cabbage and Sauerkraut Demonstration
Overview
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Growing organic cabbage was rated as "easy-moderate" in a recent poll by the University of Kentucky. Still, like many organic production systems, a higher level of management is a main challenge to growing cabbage without the use of synthetic fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides. One way to compensate for a higher level of management is to add value to a crop and increase the return coming to the farmer. This project examined the potential of a small-scale organic cabbage production system accompanied by value-added sauerkraut production. |
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Cabbage Varieties
Seven varieties of cabbage from certified organic seed
production
systems were grown and evaluated for yields, pest resistance, and
suitability for sauerkruat.
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| Large Drumhead Savoy | Brunswick |
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| Express Red | Glory of Enkhuizen |
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| Penn State Ballhead | Premium Late Flat Dutch |
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| Winterfurst Savoy | |
Organic Production
The following is a brief overview of the methods used.
Cabbage seeds were planted on February 20, 2007 into organic potting mix. Flats were kept in a greenhouse until March 20, when they were moved outside to harden-off. On March 21, an 800' x 20' space was cultivated with a BCS tiller, and fertilized (to 100 lb. nitrogen/acre) using a locally available pelleted fertilizer that meets organic standards.
Seedlings were transplanted by hand and covered with Reemay® row covers, rated to protect plants to 28 ºF, to protect from frost and insect damage. Hoops were cut from a metal wire spool and placed 3-5 feet apart to support the row cover. White clover was sown in between the beds of cabbage, and raked in by hand. Four replicate blocks of 15 plants were tranplanted per variety, for a total of 420 cabbage plants. Spacing was 18 inches between plants, in staggered rows spaced one foot apart. Approximately 630 square feet of row space and row cover were used, with an additional 315 square feet of walkways (less than 1,000 square feet, or 1/43rd of an acre).
As plants reached maturity (July), we weeded by hand and scuffle-hoed three times. We removed the Reemay® after it suffered wind damage in May. (Reemay® tip: if using these row covers for insect barriers, where the material will be buried and left in the field for a long period, a thicker Reemay®, such as a grade rated to protect to 24 °F, may be necessary to prevent tearing!). The row covers prevented damage by the first generation of imported cabbage worm, but caterpillars were found on the plants during the second generation, in early June. The bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) was applied with a backpack sprayer on June 19. After the cabbage worms fed on leaves sprayed with Bt, they ceased feeding and died within three days. Flea beetles colonized the outer leaves of some plants before harvest, but did not damage the harvestable heads.
Sauerkruat
Sauerkraut is a product of the lacto-fermentation of cabbage. Historically, lacto-fermented foods have been staples in the diets of most cultures. The subject of kraut still stirs memories of great-grandparents and traditions for many people. Today, many traditionally fermented foods (kraut, ketchup, pickles, etc.) do not undergo lactic-acid-producing fermentation, but are products preserved with vinegar, enhanced with sugar, and pasteurized by bacteria-killing hot water baths. Some argue that the health benefits of lacto-fermentation have been lost in the industrialization (use of vinegars and pasteurization) of most traditional ferments.
Considerable interest is arising around the revival of the artisan craft of fermented foods. Most health food stores now carry a lacto-fermented kraut, often labeled "live kraut", "lacto-fermented", or "traditional kraut". (As the beneficial bacteria produced during fermentation are killed during pasteurization, these products are raw and in need of refrigeration for commercial sales.) Few areas of the country have a regional producer of such kraut, and to date, stores in Kentucky are importing this high-priced niche product from California.
Our Sauerkraut Process
After harvest in July, about 45 pounds of each variety of cabbage was processed into a 5-6 gallon batch of sauerkraut. Below is a brief sketch of the process we used.
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Heads of washed cabbage were shredded with a cheese grater, then mixed with sea salt (non-iodized, as iodine inhibits fermentation) at a ratio of about 1.5 tablespoons of salt to each head (about 2 pounds) of cabbage. The salted mixture was then put into a 6.5 gallon "Ale Pail" available at local wine making supply stores, and pressed down using a potato masher, until the resulting brine covered the cabbage. A kitchen plate was set on top of the cabbage and a jar of water was placed on top of the plate to hold cabbage about 2 inches under the surface of the brine. An air-tight lid, fitted with a "fermentation lock", which allows air to escape but no air to come in, was then snapped on.
This process is not suitable for Home-Based Microprocessing for Kentucky growers, unless jars are sealed with heat. Commercialization of this process for sale of live kraut at restaurants or groceries has not yet been established for Kentucky, but has been done in other states by entreprenuers who worked with health department authorities.
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Results
| Variety | Average Weight of Heads (lb) | Average Diameter of Heads (inches) | Yield (lb/130 sq. ft. plot), (tons/acre) |
| Express Red | 1.5 | 5.7 | 50, 8.4 |
| Penn State Ballhead | 0.94 | 5.9 | 31, 5.2 |
| Large Drumhead Savoy | 1.4 | 6.2 | 46, 7.7 |
| Premium Late Flat Dutch | 1.7 | 6.7 | 71, 12 |
| Brunswick | 2.5 | 6.9 | 119, 20 |
| Winterfurst Savoy | 0.93 | 6.8 | 3.7, 0.62 |
| Glory of Enkhuizen | 2.2 | 5.5 | 103, 17 |
A conventional cabbage yield of 10-12 tons per acre is considered 'good.' Yields from small-scale organic production of Premium Late Flat Dutch were within this range. Yields of Glory of Enkhuizen and Brunswick were well above this range.
Samples were taken randomly from each variety for nutritional analysis.
Unfortunately, most batches of sauerkraut spoiled. The jars that rested on the plates inside the fermentation buckets were not heavy enough to hold the plant matter under the brine. Pressure from fermentation pushed the jars and plates up, exposing the cabbage to air and allowing spoilage, which was likely accelerated by high summer air temeratures.
In one bucket, however, all varieties were mixed together and the bucket was nearly filled. A plate was placed on top of this plant matter and held underneath the brine by a small jar held down by the closed bucket lid. This batch fermented successfully and created kruat with a pleasing taste. Since it contained a mixture of varieties, it could not be used to determine the suitability of different varieties for kraut production. Still, the process worked well, despite our midsummer heat. We plan to repeat the variety trial in 2008, growing more cabbage and filling each bucket with a single variety using the method that resulted in good kraut in 2007.
Potential Returns
Below are the estimated costs associated with our production of organic cabbage and processing of sauerkraut. Material costs are taken from catalogues; BCS tractor use cost is based on a $2,500 tractor over 20 years at a use of 1 hour per month; labor hours were recorded and given a value of $10 per hour; and refrigerator use is based on a $350 fridge over a 15-year life and an average cost of $65.47/year for power, with space to hold up to 120 quart jars of finished product.
| Input | Cost for Project (per 0.05 acres, or 2,300 ft2) |
| Seedling Flats (16) | $11 |
| 6-Pack Trays (128) | $49 |
| Organic Cabbage Seed (8 Packs) | $20 |
| OMRI Approved Potting Soil (2.5 cubic feet) | $30 |
| Nature Safe Fertilizer (50 lb) | $27 |
| Reemay® (1000 x 15 ft roll, 420 ft used) | $280 |
| Organic Red Clover Seed (3 lb) | $18 |
| Dipel (Bt product, about 6 T) | $5 |
| BCS Walk Behind Tractor Use (one hour) | $5 |
| Labor for Cabbage Production (35.75 hours) | $357 |
| Cabbage Shredder | $60 |
| Ale Pails with Lids and Fermentation Locks (8) | $104 |
| Glass Ball Jars for finished kraut (160 jars for approximately 40 gallons) | $160 |
| Refrigerator Use (2 months use for finished jars of kraut, until sale) | $15 |
| Labor for Kraut Processing (20 hours) | $200 |
| Total | $1,341 |
Based on our yield data, where we harvested 424 pounds of marketable cabbage from 420 plants grown on 915 square feet, we could, after coring and stripping any damaged outer leaves, make about 360 pounds of sauerkraut (calculating a 15% weight processing loss), or about 8.5 tons kraut per acre of cabbage. Our project yields would roughly fill nine 5-gallon buckets with roughly 40 pounds of kraut in each. From each of these buckets, about 16 quarts of sauerkraut could be packed, for a total of 144 quarts of finished product.
Considering the above processing scenario and the above estimated cost of production, a break-even price for a quart of kraut would be $9.31, or $4.66 for a pint. At a direct-market sale price of $10 or $15 per quart, the profits from this system would be $100 or $820, respectively. Organically-produced kraut and other fermented vegetable products from California are being sold in local health food stores for $9-11 a pint. At this rate the profits from the above system would reach $1,250-$1,830, providing sufficient local markets can be found at these prices. Additional labor hours, and costs of permitting, licensing, and marketing/delivery are also not included in this analysis.
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Last updated January 23, 2007
