Learn to Ferment Your Food at Síolta Chroí

What to Expect

Síolta Chroí, the community farm and food-growing project outside Carrickmacross, runs this four-hour fermentation workshop on Saturday 15 August, from 10am to 2pm. It starts with a presentation on the science of fermentation, then moves to tasting a range of commercially fermented products so participants can compare textures, sourness and depth before making anything themselves. From there the group goes out to harvest vegetables from the gardens on site, which is what the rest of the morning gets built on.

Back inside there is a full fermentation demonstration, and then each participant packs and seals their own jar to take home and finish. All ingredients and equipment are supplied, along with recipe notes to work from afterwards. The session finishes with a seasonal lunch built around fermented food, including sauerkraut spring rolls, kimchi focaccia and fermented beetroot hummus, which doubles as a practical answer to the question of what to actually do with a jar of kraut once it is ready. The workshop is pitched at beginners and at anyone interested in gut health, food preservation or widening their cooking, so no previous experience is needed. Booking is through Eventbrite, where the current ticket price is shown; note that the organiser operates a no-refunds policy, so check the date before booking.

Good to Know

• Saturday 15 August 2026, 10am to 2pm, four hours
• Venue: Síolta Chroí, Áth an Chlocháin, Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan
• Booking through Eventbrite; ticket price is listed on the booking page
• Includes all ingredients and equipment, recipe notes, a jar to take home and lunch
• Lunch features sauerkraut spring rolls, kimchi focaccia and fermented beetroot hummus
• No refunds, so confirm the date before you book
• Suitable for complete beginners

Getting There

Síolta Chroí is in the countryside outside Carrickmacross in south Monaghan, so a car is the practical option and there is parking on site. Carrickmacross is on the N2 Dublin to Derry road, about an hour and a quarter from Dublin and roughly 30 minutes from Dundalk on the R178. Bus Éireann and Local Link services serve Carrickmacross town, but the farm itself is a short drive beyond it, so arrange a lift or a taxi for the last stretch if you are coming by bus.