Fermenting

Food Fermenting Workshops

Summary

11 Reviews
1 day - seasonal
Any

Overview

Spend time in the breath-taking grounds of Sharpham Estate with Jon Howell, learning how to improve your immune system and gut health with the power of probiotic-rich fermented foods.

Ferments are highly nutritious and are an excellent way of storing food, with a compelling and complex flavour. On this workshop you will learn how to create nourishing ferments at home using a range of vegetables, explore how the fermentation process works to benefit your overall health and sample a variety of tasty fermented goods.

This event costs £55 per person for the day and is suitable for adults aged 16 and over. 

Fermenting Jar

This day is for you if you are:

  • Keen to learn about nourishing, healing food
  • Interested in learning more about the natural world
  • Wanting to understand more about your health and well-being
  • Enthusiastic about learning new recipes and cooking
  • are aged 16 or over

What you will learn:

  • The ways in which your gut bacteria help us throughout our lives, and how to introduce fermented foods into your diet in easy and accessible ways.
  • How the fermenting process works to make tasty foods from a variety of vegetables
  • About Probiotics and Prebiotics and why we need to include both to stay healthy
  • About your body's Microbiome and how to look after it
  • How to prepare and maintain the right environment for 'good' bacteria to thrive in jars and in your bodies
  • How your immune system is linked to the diversity of your gut ecology
  • Common fermenting failures and how to avoid them
  • Some basic but really tasty fermenting recipes to get you started
  • How to use taste and timing to gauge when fermentation is ready
Fermenting

Examples of what you might make:

  • Sauerkraut
  • Kvass (a fermented drink – most likely from beetroot)
  • Fermented whole veg (e.g. carrot sticks)
  • Water Kefir (fermented drink)

What should you bring?

  • A packed lunch 
  • Bottle of water
  • Waterproofs and warm clothing
  • Good comfy shoes or wellies
  • Paper and pen if you want to take notes
  • Camera if you want to take pictures
  • We will supply enough fresh organic vegetables for all the ferment types you'll be making, but if you'd like to add your own home grown (must be organic) or wild foraged produce them please bring it along.
  • 2 clean screw-top jars (2 medium size or 1 medium and 1 large). Also, 2 kilner ‘clip top’ jars if you have them (half litre and 1 litre size would be good, not essential but very useful).

Schedule

Each day runs from 10am to 4pm

The day starts with an introduction to the art of fermentation, how it works and why our bodies thrive from fermented foods.

We will learn by making a number of ferments together, using ingredients provided, using techniques as old as culture itself, but adding into the mix your own unique combinations of flavours.

We will each lunch together accompanied by a variety of fermented foods for you to sample - please bring along a packed lunch. 

At the end of the day we will close with final questions and a wild cup of something delicious.

Reviews

Listing us in 15 of the UK's best virtual wellbeing retreats: "Start the new year with this inspiring choice of online health breaks"

The Guardian
January 2021
The Guardian

Putting us at Number 1 in a list of the best UK and European meditation retreats - "It’s good news that the estate has unveiled the 18-room Coach House, converted from its 18th-century stable yard, and concentrating on nature-based mindfulness."

The Times Travel section
January 2022
The Times Travel section

"If you really want to make a connection with nature, opt for one of the Woodland retreats" - listing us in '25 of the best retreats to reboot your life'

The Observer
January 2019
The Observer
See all Reviews

Sharpham Trust Woodland Retreats

Woodland Campsite

Events at the Woodland Campsite, which has its own car park signposted as you drive onto Sharpham Estate.

Get Directions View Venue

Leaders

Jon Howell
Jon Howell - Fermented Food leader Read more +

Costs

£55 per person (age 16+) for the day, which includes materials and ingredients.

Terms & Conditions

Please click here to see our booking and cancellations policy

Available dates

2024 18 May

Food Fermenting Workshop

With Jon Howell
2024 01 Jun

Food Fermenting Workshop

With Jon Howell
2024 21 Sep

Food Fermenting Workshop

With Jon Howell