During 2021 and 2022, we conducted five full-day workshops on lacto-fermentation. The participants were small-scale professional growers and large-scale hobby growers. The purpose was to teach lacto-fermentation techniques adapted to the Swedish growing season, taking into consideration the availability of vegetables and a reasonable work load. The workshops took place in various locations throughout the country. In addition to the training sessions, participants received peer-to-peer coaching as a way to reinforce the knowledge and apply it to their individual businesses. The coaching was facilitated by Emilia Rekestad
Stjärnsund
The first workshop took place at Stjärnsund Permaculture in Dalarna in June 2021. It just happened to be when it became possible to meet in person again, as pandemic restrictions began to ease. It was such a joy to be able to socialise with people again!
Demonstration Stjärnsund
Day 2 in Stjärnsund, Annevi Sjöberg and I held a demonstration day focused on fermentation with perennial and wild plants. Leading up to the day, I had conducted numerous experiments and discovered the delights of fermented sorrel, Welsh onion flowers, and gooseberries – all highly recommended! We tasted, gathered, and created together.”
Hela Jorden, Kungsängen, Stockholm
In late August 2021, we held the workshop at Hela Jorden, Öråkers Gård, Kungsängen, a newly established urban community-supported agriculture (CSA) farm outside Stockholm. We had the privilege of hosting the workshop in the beautiful Ladan, which also serves as an import hub for bokashi. All the vegetables for the day’s fermentation experiments came from Hela Jorden’s own cultivation, and the wide variety of vegetables provided ample opportunities for experimentation.
Hornuddens Trädgård
Late in the autumn, as the growing season was coming to an end, we visited Hornuddens Trädgård in Strängnäs. It was time for the winter vegetables to take center stage – we made quite a lot of sauerkraut. The mandoline slicer was a big hit, but it took some practice to master the technique. Carrots, leeks, cabbage, chili, and ginger proved to be a winning combination that I will definitely borrow in the future. Karin and Mats, who run the farm, treated us to delicious fermented tomato paste and showcased their well-crafted ceramic fermentation crocks, which have been in use for years.
Wij Trädgårdar
At the end of November, we spent a full day in the lovely setting of Wij Trädgårder in Ockelbo. Participants traveled from Sundsvall, Hälsingland, Söderhamn, and, of course, Ockelbo itself. We talked about about transition in uncertain times, discussed the abundance of pumpkins, and explored the benefits of collaborating for the betterment of the local community. Also, our team (myself, Emilia, and photographer Tetsuhiro) enjoyed a wonderful hotel breakfast.
Bossgården, Tidaholm
Spring 2022! Our final workshop took place at Bossgården in Tidaholm. The old stable, transformed into a cozy restaurant, served as our atmospheric course venue. The participant list was star-studded, with the entire author team behind the book “Odla till försäljning” (Part 2) in attendance. We were treated to a delicious and warming borscht soup, made with fermented vegetables, of course. For the fermentation session, we had the pleasure of using wonderful biodynamic vegetables grown on the farm.
Skilleby Trädgård, Järna september 2022
At Skilleby Trädgård, the bountiful offerings of the garden were the foundation for the fermentation creations. Delights such as chili sauce, fermented green tomatoes, and assorted root vegetables were explored. Many of the participants were in the midst of their training as vegetable growers, and there was a lot of interest in learning about this ancient fermentation technique.
