Does anyone else grow their own sprouts?

[4_Legs_Good]

I spooted some sprout growing deals at health food stores recently, so I figured I'd pick some stuff up. I got a couple jars from

http://www.texasbestunlimited.com

and am trying them out. I can't figure out, though, if I'm supposed to turn the jar upside down in step 2 or not.

Anyway, what about other systems? These commercial setups probably aren't required, huh? Just some kinda plastic deal in a window sill.

Curious about other people's experiences. Now I gotta get some alfalfa seeds...

david

[tridim]

1. I knew a guy who did it for a living

Growing sprouts in his basement. He did well as far as I could tell. No, he wasn't growing pot on the side. :)

[morningglory]

2. I grow broccoli sprouts on the windowsill. I live in Florida

and it is so dang hot and humid here that all the jar sprouter systems would become spoiled, but if I had been at home during the day to rinse them numerous times that probably would not have happened. There are internet sources for broccoli sprouts, and they are delicious. I like the little plastic sprouter from Park Seed Co. catalog, because the seeds are out in the air and not too humid. the roots grow down into the water in the tray, and then when they get down there I can pour the old water out and put new water in every day or two in the winter and every day in the summer. I have not had any spoilage. That little screen on top of the mason jar just did not work for me here. Also, I got the bright idea a few years ago to sprout seeds in a clay flower pot saucer sitting inside a bigger saucer filled with water based on the principle of the sheep or man with the sprouted hair Christmas gift, but they tasted like a red clay flower pot. That was pretty much disgusting.

[4_Legs_Good]

7. Cool!

I just ordered some sprouters and seeds from Park Seed Co., so hopefully I'll be good to go soon. I'll keep the jars going too. I wonder how many sprouts I can eat. When buying them at the grocery store, I inevitably don't use them up before they go bad (which isn't long, usually). This way I can keep the growth in line with my intake...

Maybe I can get my 2 year old to eat them too! He's much better eating veggies when he's been part of growing them.

david

[Ironpost]

3. I have sprouted several kinds of seeds

and the process is quite simple. Take a large mouth gallon jar put a small amount of seeds to be sprouted and rinse well, put a piece of cloth over top of jar and lay it on its side so as all of the water will drain. Three or four times a day repeat, also keep in a dark place. Great Eating.

[4_Legs_Good]

4. Dark place??

Oops!

I'll have to move 'em!

Thanks

david

[morningglory]

6. If you put them on the window sill you get green leaves

and more vitamins and minerals, I believe.

[catzies]

9. No, do not move them to a dark space. You need the chlorophyll.

And do not let them dry out. They must be slightly moist but not soggy.

For the sweetest sprouts, DO NOT RINSE THEM IN TAP WATER.

Your sprouts will only taste as good as the water they were grown in.

[4_Legs_Good]

14. Ahh, thanks for the tips!

both of which will be valuable!

david

[Benhurst]

5. I bought a sprouter years ago which consists of stackable

plastic petridishes. It works quite well.

Cabbage (which are quite hot) sprouts and radish are two of my favorites. The radish sprouts taste exactly like the full-grown roots.

[catzies]

8. Sprouting your own in jars is easy. Done it for years. Sprouts are a

huge part of my diet.

I now get mine from the farmers' market every Saturday.

You didn't even have to buy jars. I learned how to do it the old-fashioned hippie way fom my mom: a mayo jar, a piece of window screen and a rubber band.

But my taste in sprouts expanded to include clover, and wheat beries, and soybeans, and blackeyed peas, and sunflowers, and lentils, and mung, and garbanzo, and more but I can't remember them all. Doing all that myself would be very time-consuming.

Just last week I found a sprout-growing company that had equipment that matched my needs, but it would take over a year to pay for itself and I'd not be supporting my local sprout farmer anymore.

If I were buying a system, this is the one I'd pick:

http://www.easygreen.com/

[4_Legs_Good]

10. Wow! That's a lot of sprouts!!!

How do you eat them? Just raw as snacks, or do you have some recipies???

The system looks cool!

david

[catzies]

11. Salads, mostly. On top of lettuces. But when I was a kid, I loved

alfalfa sprouts in peanut butter sandwiches. :P

[DS1]

12. I must have some sort of green thumb or something, because

I wake up with a sprout every morning :D

[BikeWriter]

17. Are you bragging or complaining? ;-)

[catzies]

13. And yes, after the soaking phase you invert the jar for the rinsing stage

And you should be able to get alfalfa seeds at your health food store. Don't go crazy -- you actually only need less than a tablespoon per jar. If you buy a pound, that should last you the rest of the year.

[4_Legs_Good]

15. Do I leave it inverted all the time?

Sorry for the bonehead question. The instructions read:

...following rinsing, prop the jar sprouter at an angle with creen top facing down. This will insure proper drainage and ventilaiton during sprouting.

That seems to say to me that the jar will be upside down all the time except for when I'm actively rinsing the seeds/sprouts.

Thanks again!

david

[catzies]

16. Yes. exactly. I used to keep my jars in the in-sink dish drainer.

:)

[BikeWriter]

18. How about mustard, turnip, and collard seeds? They should be good...

I'd think. I have some I'm going to sow in the yard, as soon as I mow it again.