Winter Sprouts

Part of winter gardening is growing sprouts to munch down on. A popular sprout is alfalfa. Sprouting is becoming more popular as gardeners yearn for more fresh produce that isn't grown in some distant country, costing more and more every season.

You will need a quart (or liter) glass jar or maybe a sprout container or bag.
Alfalfa seeds (untreated seeds).
Something to prop the jar up on so that it is sitting at an angle to allow for drainage.
A warm dark place to stash your jar.

Rinse your seeds, then soak for 4 to 8 hours. Drain the seeds and then prop your jar so that the excess can drain. The idea behind sprouting is to keep moisture available without harboring mold or drowning the seeds so make sure that your jar can drain.

Once or twice a day rinse your seeds. This keeps them from developing funky smells and sludge that comes from beneficial bacterial growth that the seedlings will use to help them grow in soil. Make sure your jar is returned to a draining position.

After a few of days, taste test your sprouts (after a good rinse) to see if they are ready to eat. If they are, munch down, if not, try again the next day. Always check your sprouts for mold before you eat them. Throw out any sprouts that are moldy.

Spouts can be stored in the chill chest for a few days. Put them in a dry container and in the case of alfalfa, ventilate the container, and eat whenever your in the mood.

Sprouts can be used in stir fry for added nutrition. Remember that the older some sprouts get, the tougher they will be so make sure to use them when they are only a few days old.

This is another grand experiment. Not all sprouts are the same!