Foraging and Fermenting Jerusalem Artichoke aka Sunchoke (aka Fartachoke)

[@martha-anastasia]

Love Jerusalem artichokes. I learned to eat them only in the spring for basically zero gas. You can dig them up as soon as the ground begins to thaw, weeks before they even think about sprouting. You can buy tubers for planting in most major seed catalogs and some grocery stores in larger cities. The like good soil in full sun and generous water. Be careful where you plant them.... they are very very strong growers and will spread. Gorgeous flowers in fall are a bonus. Wish I could get some started again. Have been enjoying wild foods since I was a kid in the 70s. Euell Gibbons was big back then...

[@incorrigiblycuriousD61]

Why are they not gassy if you wait until the spring? I'm thinking of planting them, but have digestion difficulties.

[@sonnyxlbright5904]

I like your sense of humour and the "shout out" to the roots and tuber 😂. Like the real heroes that they are, the tubers like to stay quiet, not talking much or bragging.

[@smhollanshead]

Fermentation video begins at 3:30.

[@bobvb]

Here in Vermont they are very late starting to grow, but when they start growing they do grow tall as you describe. I have seen people recommend harvesting all year long. In Vermont that is impossible as the soil is frozen 4 - 6 months of the year. I also do not dig in the summer leaving the new growth to support the plant. This was my 49th year growing them (actually just watching as the only labor is digging the tubers in the fall). What started as 5 or 6 seed tubers has now become a patch 15' X 25' or more - with no effort on my part. They are a late bloomer here, sometimes barely beginning to blossom when the first frost hits.

[@ROOTSSchoolVT]

Thanks for watching!

[@miabagley2202]

Thanks for this! I have buckets and needed a way to preserve some.

[@ROOTSSchoolVT]

You are so welcome!

[@margotdenger1485]

I stumbled across sunchokes as a recommendation for a nutritious prebiotic and have loved them. I have never pickled anything before but will try this. Thank you for your easy to understand instructions. Much appreciated!

[@ROOTSSchoolVT]

Happy to help!

[@retrofit1]

We lacto-ferment everything around here and find almost any vegetable gets better with the process. Garlic becomes almost to die for and beets and carrots are just exquisite. Everything will last until the next crop comes in, so we have a spare refrigerator to keep our ferments in. I am looking forward to trying the artichokes. Thank you for the education.

[@ROOTSSchoolVT]

We love pickled onions and garlic!

[@GOzoRAW]

Hey, sorry to bother you but may I ask when you say Lacto-ferment, is that the saline water solution or do you have to add something else? I'm vegan and always worry that Lacto-fermentation involved dairy....? I'm so wanting to eat raw sun chokes and this recipe looks easy for me...

[@beebob1279]

What about keeping the ferments in the basement instead of a refrigerator? What temperature would the basement or root cellar need to be at for the foods to stay good?

[@jeffengel2607]

@@GOzoRAW Lacto-fermentation refers to lactic acid. Dairy is not the sole source of lactic acid, and lacto-fermentation doesn't require dairy usage. It certainly wouldn't apply to pickling suntubers this way.

[@lisasture4523]

@@GOzoRAW lacto fermentation is about fermenting lactobacilus, which is incredibly good for your gut. Lactobacilius is bacteria - nothing to do with milk products. This kind of fermenting can be done with almost all vegetables, and is how true sauerkraut is made. Very often you use salt rather than brine, as liquid will come out of the veg if they are fresh. If you are a raw foodie, this is a great extension to your flavour palette. Look up Sandor Katz, and you will find a rich seam of recipes and fermenters. I hope you find a new passion! x

[@-whackd]

Have you tried white colored ones?

[@mountainsurvivaloutdoorcha6129]

Excellent vids, please keep em coming

[@ROOTSSchoolVT]

Thanks for watching, we are going to make more soon!

[@rolnikfarmer1631]

You need to brush the skins well and soak for 10 minutes in water with 0.5% wine vinegar. To kill bacteria and fungi hidden in the peel. However, it is best to peel and pickle the slices without the skin like pickled cucumbers.

[@mammatsseedtotable4763]

Great fermentation tips! Thanks!

[@ROOTSSchoolVT]

Our pleasure!

[@beebob1279]

Question for you. Instead of keeping the fermented foods in a refrigerator or an extra fridge, can they be stored in the root cellar or a basement? What temperature would these rooms need to stay at for the foods to remain good?

[@ppss.6302]

Root cellar is nowhere near as good as refrigeration, basement is too warm to stop fermentation. It will turn into pure acid in a basement.

[@cliffneudorf6373]

Thank you, love the simplicity of your approach to fermenting the Sunchoke. I like your 2% approach. Once you get the basics down you can add all kinds of variations. I have seen some harvesting of the Sunckoke in the late fall in addition to the spring. Is there a reason you harvest in the spring?

[@ROOTSSchoolVT]

Most roots are best harvested in the fall when the root is biggest after storing energy all summer or in the spring before it releases that energy into the new grow for that summer.

[@lisasture4523]

The tubers develop a slightly better flavour when they have been through a frost. Slightly sweeter and more rounded.

[@abcxyz9643]

I would love to see a video of yours which helps differentiate the sunchoke from other wild sunflowers and coneflowers. Most times I think I have found sunchoke, it is some form of coneflower or other sunflower I am not familiar with.

[@ROOTSSchoolVT]

Great suggestion! We will try for that this spring!

[@abcxyz9643]

@@ROOTSSchoolVT Great content. Keep up the good work.

[@zeros_knives_and_bushcraft.]

I attempted to grow some of these. But they didnt tolerate my shadie forest at all. I think they need full sun.

[@ROOTSSchoolVT]

Tons of sun!

[@jeffengel2607]

We have had them grow somewhat in shady areas. But we haven't tried deep shade (we don't really have much of that) and they certainly seems to do better in the sunnier spots.

[@ironleatherwood1357]

I have them in the brine solution without a lid and they are forming a scum on top, is that normal? I've been daily removing the scum.

[@ROOTSSchoolVT]

Hard to tell from a description but I would look into kahm yeast and see if you think that's it. Otherwise if it doesn't look or smell good I would start again. For more about fermentation check out Kristen Shockey.

[@BC-hmm]

Can you still roast the fermented ones?

[@jesusenriquemedrano3483]

Hello. Please help me to get Jerusalén arichok, I am in colorado.

[@ROOTSSchoolVT]

Its all about looking for the flowers in the fall and then marking the location for next year. Or you can plant them but not in your garden cause they will take over!

[@jeffengel2607]

Cultivated ones are available online, though prices can be obnoxious and they are somewhat fickle about being kept through shipping. If you are very lucky you may find local sources. I do not think they show up naturally as far west as Colorado.

[@gabbymejia7805]

Can they still be roasted after lactofermenting them, and will they retain the same flavour and texture as sunchokes that have not been fermented? Thanks in advance!

[@ROOTSSchoolVT]

Never tried it!

[@jaku7493]

"Fatty kitty" ;) :) adventure