If not, why not? I got started with fermenting this year. So far I’ve fermented pickles and sauerkraut. Dead simple, very easy, and really tasty. Here’s my first ever small batch of fermented pickles:
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pickles and carrots are a staple in my house. super easy and enjoyable!
what kind of jar lid are you using? i’ve got those silicone burp-top mason jar lids from amazon.
I’m using a little starter kit from Nourished Essentials
Nice system with recipes and followup from the company. Made the whole process really cool.
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agree, @MrClint - it’s super easy to lacto-ferment things, especially cabbage/sauerkraut.
Like @odin.9 , sauerkraut is a staple here.
homemade pickles are great too.
I use the plastic lids with silicone gasket and silicone grommet around the hole in the lid, then pair with an airlock.
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Those guys selling you starting kits doing nice business! 
All you need to ferment cucumbers is glass jar, non-iodized salt , hard water, fresh spices(flowering dill, black currant leaves, garlic, horseradish, hot pepper - all this most likely grow in your garden) and piece of cotton cloth to cover the jar.
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Yeah, maybe a bit of overkill to use an engineered system, but I was able to go quickly from zero to sauerkraut. I liked the whole package they offered. Generally well thought out product and process. Simplicity, ease of use and being practically foolproof carries some value with me. I have no affiliation with this company.
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I make fermented pickles every summer from the surplus cucumbers. After they are done fermenting, I fridge them, brine and all, and they keep for months.
Other things that I have successfully fermented in the past:
Kraut
Kimchi
Eggplant
Indian lime or green mango pickle
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OK, fermented green beans are really the best. Great snack, in salads, whatever. Never had green beans this good. Crunchy, crisp, tangy and really good flavor. Who the heck knew? I shared some with a person of Armenian descent, and he said it was pretty common in Armenian households, only more tangy. I only fermented for a week. I thought they were plenty tangy. Fermenting foods opens up new worlds of flavor.
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You mention black currant leaves, is it as simple as cutting some black currant leaves from my bush, or do I have to get them at a certain stage of development?
@Ztom, you can pick them any time of the year while they green and not sprayed - I just use whole leaves - 6-8 per half gallon jar, bottom and top. Only fresh leaves work, before I was able to plant black currant in my current home I tried to use dry leaves with negative results.
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I tried fermented diakon radish and carrots shredded last year. That turned out excellent and make a great condiment.
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We put up 9 quarts of very tasty kraut today. It fermented in the churn for about 17 days. In years past, I tried pressure canning kraut and found out that it turns soft and mushy. This kraut was done in a boiling water bath canner.
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I make wine/mead with berries. My first year growing, so just starting my berry bushes and patches.
My favorite recipe so far, contains blackberries, raspberry, blue, strawberry, and black currant. I have all the berrys except black currant, not allowed here in Maine.
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Anyone tried these fermenting lids and springs from Ball? I usually fill a ziplock with extra brine and stuff that in the top of my Ball jars to keep everything submerged. It’s a little messy so I am looking at different types of fermentation lids.
https://i5.walmartimages.ca/images/Enlarge/289/969/6000201289969.jpg
I’ve never used these, but usually you can fit a half pint jar inside a wide mouth jar. Usually I line the top with cabbage leaves or something to prevent floaters.
@Travis- I just tried that for the first time with my latest pickle ferments. I have some jelly jars that fit inside the wide mouth 1/2 gallon jars pretty nicely. I still get garlic slices floating around that end up along the side of the little jar if I am not careful. I keep the 1/2 gal jars in soup bowls to catch the overflow.
Don’t the fermentation lids (regardless of exact kind) keep the molds or “scum” from forming in the jar? I still have to check them daily and wash off the little jars or bags and skim the top for any icky floaters.
I’ve gotten some kahm on most. I’ve tried the nourished essentials lids, silicone, just a weight under brine, and a bail lock with a hole and air lock. I think the best seal came from the bail lock jar. For large batches of something like sauerkraut I like packing a food grade bucket and using a plate with a weight on it.
For long ferments I think you’ll fight it regardless, but for short ferments I think that the lids do help.
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Thanks Travis. I may have to give the lids a try. It’s not essential, but I would like to simplify a bit and not have my fermenting area look so messy!
Thought it would be fun to show my latest approach to making sauerkraut:
There’s a half-pint jar filled with water serving as the weight on the kraut (one large leaf on top of the cabbage) and then the exam glove fit snugly over the half-gallon jar. I think the glove will breath enough to keep it from popping off!
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