SPRINGPORT - There is a lot to be said for family tradition and its ability to connect generations and bring people together.

On Sunday morning, Ronnie Minturn was joined by members of his immediate and extended family to carry on a tradition that has been a part of his life for the past 40 years, making sauerkraut.

“It probably goes back even farther than that,” Minturn said. “George and his son Bob Mekeel started this out of Bob's basement. When I was young and out of the army they asked me to help and I've been doing it ever since.”

Beth Gaston, Bob Mekeel's daughter said that she has fond memories of her father and grandfather making sauerkraut in the basement of her family's home.

“My dad really liked cabbage,” Gaston said. “He liked it cooked all different ways. We always had a garden at our house and he always grew cabbage and this was just something he and my grandfather and Ronnie always did.”

Since her father passed away two years ago, Gaston has taken a more active role in this tradition.

“This was always kind of a guy thing,” Gaston said. “I was always around and I could've helped, but it was really something the guys did. But after my dad passed away, I really wanted to be a part of the whole process and see how it is done and be a part of the tradition.”

It's a tradition that has grown over the years to include members of the extended family.

Minturn and Gaston were joined by Ralph Minturn, Dan Bowen, Ed Kalet, Sean Lacey and Gary Schenck, who for the past 18 years, has used his land to grow the cabbage.

“It is a tradition that has gotten bigger,” Minturn said. “It used to just be George and Bob and me in their basement, but now we've got more and more people helping and it has gotten bigger and bigger.”

Minturn said in the past, they have been able to make as much as 180 gallons of sauerkraut.

This year, the field yielded 120 heads of cabbage, all be it a little ahead of schedule.

“We're a little early this year,” Minturn said. “We usually do this after the first frost. But this year the cabbage was up early, probably because of all the rain and you have to do this when the cabbage is ready.”

After all the years of making the sauerkraut, the Schenck garage runs like a well-oiled machine.

In quick time the 120 heads of cabbage were cleaned and cut before moving on to the shredder, which in and of itself is an important part of the tradition.

“That is an old shredder,” Minturn said. “Bob got that and we've been using the same one ever since.”

From there, the shredded cabbage is salted and put into containers where it ferments for six weeks.

Minturn said this is a simple recipe that has not changed over the years, while others may add apples or onions and other ingredients to their sauerkraut, Minturn and family believe that simpler is better.

In just about two hours, the cabbage was shredded, salted and put up to become sauerkraut.

“I'm amazed by how quick this goes,” Gaston said. “It is really simple to make, it is not difficult at all and when I started helping I was surprised by how quickly they could get all of this done.”

Once the sauerkraut is complete, Minturn said it is divided among family and friends as well as given away to various people and organizations, such as the American Legion in Union Springs.

“There are people and places that Bob always gave it to,” Minturn said. “And we still do the same thing. It is part of the tradition and it is nice to see it keep going.”