I needed a better method to drain the water from my canning jars when I rinse my grains, seeds, and nuts during their sprouting process, so Dick helped me turn my vision into a working end-product. He made this sprouting jar drainage rack from heavy-duty paint stir sticks and sign stakes secured at a 45 degree angle.
We could have attached a piece of wood for the jars to rest upon, but that would have been way too boring. Instead, I rummaged through my stash of yard sales finds and discovered this metal sieve drainage apparatus attached to a plastic handle. I adhered plastic mixing spoons at each end just because they are so lovely.
Three wide-mouth canning jars will rest side-by-side, across the width of the sprouting rack, allowing grains, seeds, and nuts to be started at varying increments so that fresh sprouts are continually available. Squares of 100% unbleached cotton cheesecloth can be used to cover the jar's opening and held in place with a canning jar ring. Screened jar lids, which do not require a layer of open-weave fabric, can be used solo as long as the openings are not so large that the presprouted seeds will fall through. They are sold in sets of three varying size screen openings at food co-ops and health food stores. It was formerly recommended to sprout seeds in dark-colored jars or in a cupboard, but it has been determined that as long as they are not placed in direct sunlight the sprouting process will be equally successful. Mung beans, or so I have read, are the only exception. Apparently, they can become bitter if exposed to light during the sprouting process.
If you don't want to fuss with constructing your own sprouting jar drainage rack, or you want to have more than three jars of sprouts growing at a time, just order a wooden dish rack like this one from Planet Natural for $12.50, or look for a castoff at a yard sale.
Either way, you can't get more locally-grown than sprouts from your own kitchen... a perfect solution to wintertime's fresh produce dilemma.