BACK-TO-BACK EDUCATION ALL DAY

WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE PICKLE AND ASIAN FERMENT MOBS, ALL SESSIONS ARE OPEN TO ALL GENERAL ADMISSION TICKET HOLDERS

MOB Tent

Pickle Mob

10:30-11:30am and 1:30-2:30pm
In the Mob Tent
From kraut to kombucha, fermented foods are all the rage these days. These foods are not only delicious and healthy, they’re also easy to make at home. Join us for a family-friendly, hands-on fermentation workshop. Patrick Block of Barrio Brinery, will explain the craft of lacto-fermentation while you create your own pickle ferment. Additional $10 to participate. You will pick your session time during registration. 

Asian Ferment Mob (Onion Koji)

12–1pm and 3–4pm
In the Mob Tent
Koji is steamed rice inoculated with ancient microbe Aspergillus Oryzae. Traditionally it is used in the production of miso, sake, shoyu and more. Shio Koji (fermented salty koji condiment) has gained a popularity as a versatile condiment in Japan over the last decade. In this hands-on workshop, we will be making Onion Koji, a variation of Shio Koji. It has deep, bouillon-like flavor that adds a lot of depth and complexity into soups, marinades and dressings. This new condiment will take ordinary food into umami-bursting dish. Nao Sadewic of Santa Fe Koji offers small-scale nourishing fermentation and cooking classes in Santa Fe. She is a Koji professional and is sharing the wisdom of her tradition with the community.

Fermentation Station
Demo Tent

Fermented Milk = Cheese!

10:15 – 11am
Fermentation Station tent

Kate Johnson from The Art of Cheese Cheesemaking School will give a lively and educational presentation on how milk becomes cheese through fermentation. Using the classic soft goat cheese, Chevre as a demonstration, she’ll unlock the secrets of how to make your own cheese at home. It’s easier than you might think! She’ll explain everything you need to know including: How to choose the best milk for your cheesemaking The basic science of transforming milk into curds & whey The equipment and ingredients you’ll need and where to find them As you watch Kate create a homemade chevre right in front of your eyes, you’ll be amazed at the simplicity of making this cheese along with the unlimited options for flavoring and even aging it. You’ll get to taste the final product at the end of the presentation.

Belly Health, Brain Connection

11:45am – 12:30pm
Fermentation Station tent

The connection between a healthy gut and your brain, mental, and physical health is crucial. Maintaining or recreating a healthy microbiom supports your overall health and can be achieved through the consumption of fermented foods. Fermented foods are rich in probiotics that repopulate the intestines with good and necessary bacteria needed for digestion, stable mood, and strengthening of the immune system. Join me as we dive deep and explore the belly brain health connection and the benefits of fermented foods to your gut, mental, and physical health! Ashley Arnold is a holistic nutrition educator and coach. She earned her certification from the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts in Tempe, AZ including Fermentation.  Ashley works with clients both local and across the country and is also ERYT500 yoga instructor and continuing education provider YACEP combining the two worlds. When she isn’t in the kitchen or yoga studio Ashley is with her husband Dustin, daughter, and furbaby Jammers enjoying and exploring the land of enchantment.

Miso

1:15pm – 2:00pm
Fermentation Station tent

Join us to learn about miso, one of Japanese cuisine’s most essential condiments. Miso adds an earthy, deep umami kick to soups, savory dishes and even desserts. Nao Sadewic of Santa Fe Koji will talk about the variety, ingredients, health benefits, process of miso making and how to use it in cooking. 

Living Hot Sauce!

2:45 – 3:30pm
Culture Station tent
It’s chile season in New Mexico and the time of year to start preserving. I will walk you through the simple method of fermenting your own hot sauces. What a better way to preserve your chile harvest than a delicious probiotic rich topping for any meal of the day. Keep the flavors of summer alive all year! Learn to ferment your own hot sauces with David Gaspar de Alba of Oni.

*Schedule, speakers, and program are subject to change.

Culture Station
Demo Tent

Kombucha Basics

11:00 – 11:45am
Culture Station tent
Kombucha Basics with Katlyn Jennings of Kombucha Project. You will learn everything you need to know to start safely brewing kombucha. 

Vinegars

12:30 – 1:15pm
Culture Station tent
Kristen Davenport of Boxcar Farm will be teaching how to make home made vinegar. Apple scrap, peach skin, apricot mush, even carrots — take any sweet substance and turn it into a living , healthful vinegar. A step-by-step process along with some sample tastes will be provided. 

Incorporating Fermented Food into Your Diet

2:00 – 2:45pm
Culture Station tent
Fermented foods are often touted for their health benefits. Another good reason to incorporate them into your regular diet? Because they are delicious. In this workshop, we’ll talk about how home cooks can use fermented foods – from mustard to miso to kimchi to fish sauce – to add acid, salt, umami and depth of flavor to everyday recipes. Cally Carswell is an ambitious home cook who hails from a long line of eaters and restauranteurs. Her husband Colin is the potter behind Mudslide Stoneware, which specializes in handmade fermentation crocks. Cally and Colin make many fermented foods at home – and cook with them, too!

Sourdough

3:30–4:00pm
Culture Station tent
Are you a beginning sourdough enthusiast, eager to bake your first loaves, but hesitant to start? Or are you a seasoned sourdough baker, who loves the process, but is interested in another baker’s perspective? Jacob Topper, owner of the Ferm Brinery & Bakehouse will offer history, best practices and expert tips on sourdough bread baking.

Other Events Around the Festival

Wild Walk

3:30pm
Look for sign near registration
Come learn how to harvest and prepare wild plants growing in the high desert.  Join Dryland Wilds for a walking class that focuses on foraging common and “invasive” plants – and easy ferments you can use them in!  

Culture & Ferment Swap

11:00am – 3:00pm
The Culture Swap “Kitchen”
The Culture & Ferment Swap will be a dedicated space at the festival for sharing and swapping your beloved mothers, starters, and ferments. Think sourdough mothers, vinegar mothers, kombucha SCOBYs, krauts, hot sauces, pickles, and more. So, if you have extra cultures and ferments you would like to share—bring them to the Festival for exchanging. Please label your cultures and ferments clearly and the ingredients used. You don’t have to include contact info, but it is encouraged.

Farm-to-Bar Tent

Probiotics in Alcoholic Beverages

11:00 – 11:30am
Farm-to-Bar tent
Interested in learning more about probiotics in alcoholic beverages? Gain a better understanding of the history of probiotics in alcohol. Various cultures are used around the world to ferment alcoholic beverages, as well as alcoholic beverages made through wild fermentation. Andrea of Leaf and Hive will discuss the optimal probiotics to look for in fermented, living products like Leaf and Hives’ authentic Jun culture that is used to inoculate honeybrew. 

Humans First Libation: Mead

11:45am – 12:15pm
Farm-to-Bar tent
Learn about the history of mead that is found all over the earth, the natural properties of honey and how they relate to mead. Evan, of Drinking Horn Meadery will explain how to ferment mead, and the current situation with bees and the environment.

Gin & Tonic: The Sum of Its Parts

12:30 – 1:00pm
Farm-to-Bar tent
If you think you know the gin & tonic, you have another thing coming! This tasty, interactive class is not only an overview of the history of one of the most widely sipped mixed drinks in the world, it is also a personalized experiment to create your OWN signature version. The one ingredient all gins have is juniper… but from there, styles vary wildly. Traditional London Gin is its own botanical experience. Its predecessor, Dutch Genever, is a different malty, almost whiskey-like beast all together. And, then there are the more floral modern gins. And, that’s not even getting into tonics and garnishes! Join Natalie Bovis of The Liquid Muse to explore – and experiment with – this iconic bar staple.

Stable Color and Tannins in Red Wines

2:00 – 2:30
Farm-to-Bar tent
Making wine and owning your own winery is a dream for many of us. In his talk, Sean Sheehan (Owner/Winemaker of Sheehan Winery), will discuss his 10 year odyssey from cellar rat to winery owner, and every step in between. 

Zoltan and the Fortune Tellers

3:00 – 4:00pm
Farm-to-Bar tent

Kids’ Activities

Make Fermented Paper with SMASH Bus

10:15am
Kids’ Area
SMASH Bus is a mobile art studio that provides inclusive art experiences that focus on the creative use of reclaimed materials. We work with diverse communities in schools, museums, private homes, and public spaces. A signature project that SMASH Bus offers is papermaking projects from junk mail and other unexpected elements. Come out to the Fermentation Festival and make some paper with us!

Busy Fermenting Bees!

11:15am
Kids’ Area
Join us for an interactive, hands-on workshop where your kids will learn how bees collect nectar and make honey! Did you know that bees also make and eat fermented honey? They do! Come by our booth to learn more and enjoy a few delicious samples.

Hands-on Science with Explora!

All Day
Kids’ Area

Explora will be sharing fun, hands-on science activities and demonstrations for the whole family! Visit our activity stations and try looking at a variety of materials—including yeast!—through microscopes, design and build the tallest tower you can, and much more! We will also have program and event information to keep you up to date on all the latest happenings at Explora. 

Other Events Around the Festival

Culture Petting Zoo

11:00am – 3:00pm
The Culture Swap “Kitchen”

The Culture Petting Zoo is where you can have a hands-on experience and get up close and personal with some of the good bacteria that make delicious fermented beverages that keep the human immune system vital and in balance. Hannah Crum, author of “The Big Book of Kombucha” will bring out her “pets” for show and tell.

Stay connected to upcoming Fermentation Fest happenings!

Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from the Fermentation Fest.

You have Successfully Subscribed!