Story by Dash Paulson
Photos by Emily Carino
The Willamette Valley Sustainable Food Alliance (WVSFA) hosted their annual Fun with Fermentation workshop last Saturday, January 14^th. The event was a mix of workshop, science fair, and farmers market, with an array of fermented foods available to sample.
Booths upstairs promoted a diverse range of food and treats, with local businesses offering chocolate goodies, fair-trade coffee, fermented tea, organic sauerkraut and sourdough waffles to name a few.
Downstairs, underneath a canopy of warm lights, representatives from the local breweries Oakshire, Ninkasi, Hop Valley, and Falling Sky were happily handing out 2 oz. samples of their newest brews and best sellers.
Now in its third year, the event is all-volunteer, with proceeds and donations going to the non-profit Food for Lane County. In addition to charity, the event was also a chance for local businesses to build direct relationships with their customers.
“We are trying to educate the community about fermented foods and connect the community with local producers, distributors and retailers.” Said Kylie Christenson, President of the Board for SFA. Christenson proudly claimed that everyone volunteering is a local from Lane County and one person from Ashland. The event is paid for with member dues and donations. Her passion for the event and what it represents is a common sentiment in the SFA.
Linda Shumate of PremRose Edibles LLC sells organic handmade chocolates, including rose petal infused truffles, coconut Laddus, and “rose petal sauce,” a sweet concoction similar in consistency to Nutella, but better.
“A little well-placed sugar is better than too much!” she said enthusiastically, dishing out treat after treat to attendees.
Shumate is thrilled to have a chance to meet new customers and give them a taste of her confections. The fairly constant crowd around her booth hinted that she may have a lot of new business soon. Visitors to Shumate’s booth were surprised to learn that chocolate, along with most of the other food available here today, shares a process assoiciated with the beer on tap downstairs: fermentation.
Fermentation is the conversion of sugars into alcohol by yeast or bacteria. Fermented foods are often advertized as being healthy and nutritious. Many carry probiotics, bacteria that are beneficial to the human gut and necessary for good digestion.
“I think if everyone ate food like this and had probiotics in their diet we wouldn’t have a health care crisis in this country,” said John Kalik, one of the owners of Sweet Water Farm and Nursery and the man behind the first Fun With Fermentation event three years ago. Unfortunately, beer does not have a healthy dose of probiotics, just ethanol.
A self-described second generation Czechoslovakian, Kalik and his associates have set up a sauerkraut sampling booth here.  Kalik believes his food does more than fill a local niche.
“Cultured food is such an important part of the diet. Not many people realize how much fermentation is involved in their lives,” said Kalik.
With a jostling crowd and sauerkraut samples being scooped up as fast they’re put down, Kalik is optimistic about the success of Fun With Fermentation: “I’m happy. This is our third year and we raise a lot of money for Food for Lane County.”
Glossy multimedia displays are featured near each booth, promoting the local history and quality produce of the local producers. Business cards are given out as freely as the samples. The effect is that these farmers and cooks might seem quaint and local from a distance, but closer inspection reveals serious business operations.  Customers are impressed by the spirit and the passion of the event.
“One reason I moved to Eugene was because of the local produce, the sustainability, the green and the nature opportunities,” said Barry Klein, who was attending the event out of curiosity. “I want to go up to the farmer and talk to them about how the food was grown and where it came from.”  He’s in the right place today.
 

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Fermenting For the Future