Fermenting for Beginners: supporting your gut health

As winter begins to loosen its grip, we turn to the ancient craft of fermenting and making delicious living foods that support a happy, healthy gut and mind.

This is a hands-on evening for complete beginners and is a chance to learn skills people have relied on for generations and that are surprisingly easy once someone shows you how.

Did you know your gut is home to trillions of microbes that make up a large part of your immune system, supporting you to stay both physically and emotionally well? Fermented food is one of your microbiome’s favourite meals and eating it regularly keeps them happy and working away to keep us well and balanced.

Working together, we will make a variety of fermented foods, with tasters to try as we go. We will learn about the ingredients and the ways fermented foods are traditionally understood to support the gut and the microbiome. You will leave with your own collection of fermenting foods to take home and grow on, so you can keep making your own.

There is real satisfaction in making at home the sort of thing that costs a small fortune to buy. A good way to look after yourself as the year turns towards spring.

The evening

• Tasting a spread of ready-made ferments

• Making your own kefir

• Making a jar of lacto fermented vegetables, such as sauerkraut or kimchi

• Learning how fermented foods are traditionally understood to support the gut and the microbiome

• Taking away a small kombucha culture to grow your own

You will take home

• A jar of kefir to ferment further at home

• A jar of lacto fermented vegetables to ferment further at home

• A small kombucha culture, with simple instructions

• Simple notes to help you carry on at home

What is included

• The full guided workshop

• All ingredients, jars and materials

• Your fermented foods to take home

• Teas and refreshments through the session

Who it is for

Perfect for complete beginners and anyone curious about gut health, fermenting or simply making more from scratch. No experience is needed. Minimum age of 18

How to prepare

There is nothing you need to bring. Because we will be tasting as we go, please tell us in advance about any food allergies or intolerances, including dairy, so we can take care of you on the night.

Your hosts

True North is run by two friends, Aimee and Alice, who share a love of nature and traditional craft. Aimee is a folk herbalist with a passion for growing her own vegetables and herbs, as well as foraging and making natural remedies. She also sews and makes her own clothes and loves passing on the simple traditional skills she has gathered. Alice grew up in the Yorkshire countryside and has taught meditation since 2010, having come to it from a career in costume and tailoring. She ferments, remakes vintage clothing and makes more natural balms and creams than she could ever use.

Together they host seasonal days of stillness, craft and connection with nature, keeping simple, traditional skills alive and sharing them with others.

Good to know

Everything we make is created by you, for your own use, rather than for sale. We talk about the ways fermented foods are traditionally understood to support the gut, and the session is offered for enjoyment and learning, not as medical or nutritional advice.

Booking is essential and places are limited to 10.

Parking and full arrival details are provided once you have booked.