This week on ‘Meet Your Stallholder’ we are meeting Katerina from Byron Fermentary. Katerina started at the market in November last year and has just become a permanent stallholder at the market, which is great news all round!
Katerina is Russian-born and a trained chef now living and farming in Byron Bay. Katerina tells me that back in the 1950s, her Russian grandparents were exiled to a labour camp during the Stalin regime. They were forced to leave their home, move to a different climate, and survive in harsh conditions. They had no choice but to live sustainably, so they began to farm and preserve food, and survive from what the earth gave them. After the regime fell, Katerina’s family moved back to the city and she was born into the busy city life.
A decade ago, Katerina moved to Australia to become a chef. After years working in fast-paced but stressful kitchens, she ended up in the Himalayas at a solitary mountain temple. Katerina knew things had to change. She no longer wanted to be a part of the system, work for corporations without a sustainable purpose, or eat chemically treated food.
So, Katerina moved back to Australia to continue her own healing journey. Fermented foods and drinks have always been part of her culture, and without reading any books or recipes, she started to create recipes and products with what she had, just like her grandparents did.
Today, Byron Fermentary is the manifestation of all of Katerina’s experiences and those of her ancestors – in a range of unique fermented products made from seasonal organic produce. At Byron Fermentary they take a regenerative approach to everything they do, from the way they grow the vegetables in their own market garden or source them from local organic growers to the way they produce. Byron Fermentary is a closed loop, no food waste operation. Every part of the vegetable is turned into a gut nourishing product.
Katerina’s produce includes a range of sauerkraut, kimchi, juice and salts – all using what is in season at the time.
I don’t know about you but I absolutely love this story and how the experiences of Katerina and her ancestors has led her to this point today – and to bring all of us her delicious healthy products. If you would like more information please pop by and have a chat to Katerina at the market and follow her on Instagram @byron_fermentary.
