Do it Yourself: Sprouts

Each night we go to sleep in a small camping trailer in the woods along the Yaak River. In the morning sunlight pours through our windows to wake us up, and when I look back out them all I can see are trees. The only sounds are the water, the birds, and the low din of our portable heater.

We've been living in Montana for the better part of a month now, and we've done our best to earn our keep while we stay here rent free. It hasn't been hard, as almost everyone around here needs a hand with something. We've helped fall trees and haul firewood, we've torn down old sheds and tilled up future gardens, we've mended fences and dug ditches, we've cooked and cleaned, we even helped set up a tipi the other day.

If there's one thing I've learned from spending time with the people here, it's that the rest of us could all be doing a little more for ourselves. I'm not talking about raising your own chickens or building your own cabin, nothing so grandiose. Sometimes what's important are the small things—the baby steps we can take to make ourselves just a little less dependent on the rest of the world.

Sprouts

Anyone who reads the news has surely seen an article or two about the potential dangers of conventionally grown commercial sprouts, like this one, or this one, or even this one. There are several different reasons why these healthful, vitamin rich little plant shoots are so susceptible to contamination when produced:

Not only are they most often consumed raw, without a cooking step to kill bacteria, but they are grown in a warm, humid environment conducive to bacteria growth.[...] Sprouts also have a greater risk of exposure to harmful pathogens, since seeds used for sprouting are usually stored longer than those used for growing fruits and vegetables, possibly exposing them to dust, contaminated water or animal feces for longer periods of time[...] [H]istory has shown that sprouts can also become contaminated in the growing or processing phase by irrigation water, contaminated human hands, or a variety of other environmental sources.  

Not only do sprouts create an ideal environment for bacteria growth, but outbreaks caused by sprouts can often be more widespread than incidents of illness caused by other foods, because the seeds are often divided into many sections and sold widely. This also means that an outbreak caused by contaminated sprouts can be harder to trace back to the point of origin, since seed lots can be scattered to various regions. (foodsafetynews.com)

While it has been shown the purchasing organic sprouts can help mitigate these risks, they come with a hefty markup, and buying sprouts isn't exactly cheap to begin with. That's why I was so surprised to find out how easy it is to grow them right in your kitchen at home. It takes about 3-6 days to turn a seed into a full-sized sprout, but they only require a few seconds of attention each day, and some of the seeds that work well for sprouts can probably already be found in your pantry, such as lentils or mustard seed. The best part is that the finished product costs you pennies on the dollar compared to retail sprouts. The most important thing is to only use seeds that are already intended for human consumption; seeds packaged for sowing and growing may be treated with harmful chemicals. This excerpt from cityfarmer.org should be enough to get anyone started growing sprouts at home:

What You Need

1. A jar, 1 liter to 4 liter (1qt. to gallon) size, depending on your appetite for sprouts and size of your family.
2. A bowl of the right size and weight to prop up the jar.
3. Some screen or netting and a rubber band, either nylon tulle from a fabric shop or gray fiberglass screen from a hardware store, will work fine.
4. Fresh water.
5. Seeds with good germination, preferably grown organically. Avoid purchased garden seeds unless you know they aren't treated. Most natural food stores have the common sprouting seeds; if in doubt, ask if it's organic. If you know a farmer who grows the seeds you want without chemicals, buy in bulk. Most seeds keep for a year or more in a cool dry place.

Easy Sprouting Directions (for most small seeds)

1. Soak Put 1 to 4 TBS. seed in a wide mouth jar. Cover with mesh and secure with rubber band. Add water, swirl, and drain. Add 1 cup cool water and soak for 4 - 8 hrs.
2. Rinse Twice a day, refill jar with cool water, swirl, and drain. Invert jar and prop at angle in sink or bowl.
3. Enjoy In three to six days, when sprouts are 3 to 5cm (1 to 2") long, enjoy. Cover the jar with plastic and a rubber band, or transfer to a covered container, and refrigerate to store.

Hints and Options for small seeds

You can grow alfalfa, red clover, radish, fenugreek, and other small seeds up to 4cm (1.5") long. A 250g bag of alfalfa seed can grow 45 cups of sprouts, or even more. Lentils and peas are best small, with sprouts .5 to 1cm(1/4 to 1/2") long. They get tougher with more growth. Miss a rinsing? Just continue normally if the sprouts appear alive and show no signs of mold. The sprouts should be fine. If you do see a spot of mold or rot, remove it with a good margin of healthy sprouts and discard. Don't mistake the fuzzy white root hairs of radish, canola, mustards, and other crucifers for mold. Be sure to taste sprouts as you go along; use them when you like them. To green up sprouts, leave them without a cover for a few hours in bright light, but not direct sunlight. Sprouts grow best between 18C and 25C (65F and 75F). Use luke-warm water for soaking and rinsing in cool room temperatures, and cold water in hot room temperatures. Drain the sprouts well before they go in the fridge. Rinse in the morning, cover and refrigerate in the afternoon. Mung beans (for Chinese bean sprouts) grow best in a drainable tray or basket. They like extra rinsing, and are best grown in complete darkness to prevent bitterness.