Through the Fermenting community project, Ieva Chaleckyte, a fermentation revivalist will work with the Mandala Garden Project in Nairn to utilise overabundant seasonal fruit and vegetables to increase fermented food consumption and build a strong community network through the group production of fermented food.

The health benefits of fermented food products is widely documented. This project responds to the growing interest in fermented foods for improved well-being and hopes to better understand what barriers prevent wider production and consumption—perhaps lack of time, knowledge, confidence, or access to organic foods—and how they can be minimised.

Participating community members will be surveyed during the workshops and economic viability data will be collected by looking at the time and effort required to process the surplus food.

A key outcome of the project is to foster a strong local community around the Mandala Garden that encourages active participation, enhanced community connection, and future collaborative working.