Fermentation School

Hi! I'm Meredith. I've been working in food and farming for over 20 years, working to de-fragment and co-recreate the food system. When I started fermenting, it brought everything that I love and believe about working with plants, animals and the soil full circle to working with food in the kitchen. My favorite thing about fermentation is that it allows anyone anywhere in the world to harness the patterns of nature that drive life, giving people a super accessible window into the elemental vitality of the earth that both inspires us to live consciously and to hope for the future. I love teaching about fermentation because I get to carry that message, and empower people to take back their food and their health. My specialty is fermented meat products, but I also enjoy making veggie ferments, miso, and non-alcoholic fermented beverages. I'd say my biggest fermentation fail was the time I tried to ferment an entire sheep's stomach. Actually, the jury is still out on that one. I think it is still in my cellar somewhere... Anyway, I can't wait to share fermentation projects with you, and learn from you in turn! You can reach me at mereleighfood@gmail.com

Hi, I'm Kirsten and I ferment things. I began fermenting on our 40 acre small-holding over 2 decades ago. I didn't have the language to say that was what I was doing, I just taught myself to preserve everything that we grew. I didn't have a clue or the internet but I had plenty of passion and idealism to figure out how it was done "old school" and maybe, most importantly, I had nobody that told me I couldn't do this. The passion around food systems has been with me for over 3 decades and at some point the two collided and as my responsibilities to raising children waned. I found myself sharing the passion and joy of working with microbes to create delicious healthy food first locally then globally. In this desire to see everyone have access to fermentation I've co-written (with my husband Christopher) the books Fermented Vegetables, Fiery Ferments, Miso, Tempeh, Natto and Other Tasty Ferments, The Big Book of Cidermaking and forthcoming Homebrewed Vinegar. I have a lot of great fails. I think working with tempeh has given me the most humility as I've learned to push it past soy beans. The most expensive fail was the 30 gallons of sauerkraut that was fine in all ways except the texture--which was spreadable like butter. There is no market for spreadable kraut--yet. I am delighted to be able to share what I know with you here. Feel free to reach out through this platform or at kirsten@ferment.works.

Abdala Faye is a Senegalese mixed media artist based in Atlanta, who learned to make mudcloth in Mali and Burkina Fasoin the 1980s, and has been making it ever since. He regularly incorporates natural pigments, mud, and other natural elements into his work. He has shown and sold his work around the world, as well as been featured in a number of international publications. You can learn more about Abdala at abdalafaye.studio or follow him on Instagram at @abdala.faye Dr. Julia Skinner is the founder an director of Root, Atlanta’s fermentation and food history company. She is also a food writer, who recently completed a book on the history of fermentation. As a visual artist, she regularly works with natural elements in her paintings, drawings, and calligraphy. You can see more of Julia’s art at juliacskinner.com/art, learn more about Root at root-kitchens.com, and follow her on Instagram at @bookishjulia and @rootkitchens