When faced with doing a yearlong local food challenge in northern Minnesota, Steven Dahlberg opted to start fermenting because he figured it was either that or grow sprouts, "and I don't like sprouts" he said.
Steve discovered that fermented foods contain essential vitamins, aid digestion, and promote "gut health." He started with winemaking, due to an abundance of fruit (with hard cider a favorite), but says that his favorite fermented foods are sourdough bread, yogurt, and buttermilk.
Steve explained the process for making cider, the effect of cooking and canning living foods, and left us with some resources for further exploration:
Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon, Wild Fermentation by Sandor Katz, and the website (which he couldn't remember during the interview but provided later) Cultures for Health.
Dr. Steven Dahlberg is Science/Mathematics Instructor and Extension Director at White Earth Tribal and Community College. He lives outside Mahnomen.
Steve is a presenter at Happy Dancing Turtle's Back to Basics workshop on February 11th in Pine River. His session at Back to Basics is already full but he shares some of his knowledge about fermentation in the interview below:
