Two hobby fermenters have found a way to merge their love of fermenting with local agriculture to offer products that are both good for you and taste delicious. The Sweet Farm was started in 2012 by Rachel Armistead and Luke Flessner, with four main flavors of krauts. Six years later, they offer five regular types of krauts as well as numerous seasonal flavors, three mustards, a relish, and ginger beer.
The cabbage and vegetables used to make their products are all locally grown organic produce, with a large amount being grown on their 4th generation 50-acre farm in Woodsboro. They also pasture-raise hogs on their farm, which provi
Along with their staff, The Sweet Farm manufactures their krauts in commercial kitchen space right here in Frederick. The process begins with the chopping of a large volume of locally grown cabbage, adding sea salt and spices, and mixing it all together before fermentation begins. The fermentation of sauerkraut is an anaerobic process requiring no oxygen, and the kraut is fermented for at least 8 weeks. The sauerkraut isn’t just tasty – it’s also full of probiotics that are good for maintaining a healthy digestive system.
This year, a food truck was added to their business, grilling up their farm-raised sausages, offering a full kraut bar and their unique ginger beer. The Sweet Farm food truck can be found at festivals, breweries, wineries and more throughout the year. Consumers can also find their products at Mom’s Organic Market, Roots Market, Whole Foods, the Common Market, Firestone’s Market, Serendipity Market, the West Frederick Farmers Market at the Great Frederick Fair, as well as numerous other locations throughout Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.