Okay guys, I have everything I need to begin my fermenting my sauerkraut. I accidently forgot to include the salt in this picture, but I know you all will for give me :-)

Just a little Background information:

Sauerkraut is made by a process called LACTO-FERMENTATION.  There is beneficial bacteria present on the surface of the cabbage, like all fruits and veggies. 

Lactobacillus is one of those bacteria, which is the same bacteria found in yogurt and many other cultured products.  The bacteria begin to convert sugars in the cabbage into lactic acid; this is a natural preservative that inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria.

Fermented Sauerkraut contains a lot of the same healthy probiotics as a bowl of yogurt ! ( Who would have thought?)

Since I am only fermenting small batches at a time, the minimum time is about three days, however the sauerkraut will continue to ferment and is "suppose" to become tastier for days after.   The sauerkraut is safe to eat at any stage of fermentation process, so technically I guess there is no real minimum amount of time to ferment.

There is not much that can go wrong while fermenting.  Normal signs of the healthy fermentation will be bubbles, foam or white scum on the surface of the sauerkraut.  I will skim off the white scum as I see it the first time I ferment.  The second time I ferment, I will skim off the scum before refrigeration.  I will compare the difference in the sauerkraut and choose which method I will choose to bring in for tasting :-)  THATS IF ANY SCUMING OCCURS :-)

I will be sure to toss my batch of sauerkraut, if it smells, tastes moldy, or unappetizing.  I am going to trust my senses before I decide on my final batch of sauerkraut.