Fermentation, Foraging and the Field: a month-long celebration of seasonal food this May

Bringing together food, place and community at The Gardeners’ House

This May, the Gardeners’ House will partner with award-winning local producers Newlyn Fermentary for a month-long exploration of Fermentation, Foraging and the Field – three interwoven themes that ask timely questions about how we grow, source and share our food.

At a time when global food systems feel increasingly fragile, the programme looks to West Cornwall’s landscape and communities to rediscover a more rooted, seasonal and local relationship with what we eat.

Through exhibitions, workshops, talks, films and shared meals, the events will celebrate the stories of people and place, and the deep connection between wellbeing, land and environment.

Ten Mile Fermented Feast

A highlight of the month will be a Ten Mile Fermented Feast on Wednesday 13 May, hosted with Newlyn Fermentary and internationally renowned fermentation revivalist Sandor Ellix Katz.

The supper will showcase ingredients sourced from within a ten-mile radius, celebrating Cornwall’s rich food heritage through fermentation and foraging. There will be various ticket options – including a four course private dining experience or community feast table.

Sandor Ellix Katz, author of The Art of Fermentation – named by The New York Times as one of the 25 most influential cookbooks of the last 100 years and recipient of a James Beard Award – has taught fermentation workshops around the world and helped catalyse a global revival of traditional fermentation practices.

Newlyn Fermentary, a multi award-winning small-batch producer, was named ‘Food Brand of the Year’ in 2025 by The Food Lifestyle Awards 2025. Their sauerkraut has been championed by Professor Tim Spector, and their house kimchi received two stars at the Great Taste Awards. Founder Rachel Booth, a member of the Guild of Fermenters, has been teaching fermentation for five years.

Rooted: Custodians of Our Land

Providing for our community

At the heart of the programme we will exhibit a series of contemporary portraits from across Penwith, shining a light on some of the individuals sustaining local food systems today.

The exhibition celebrates growers, producers, bakers and makers here in West Cornwall – those who make up a part of our local food system and are part of the wealth on offer here on our doorsteps.

Opening Night: Friday 1 May, 5.30pm

You can RSVP to this invitation by booking a free ticket here: 

We look forward to seeing you there. Please feel free to share with your network – all are welcome.

These new works will be shown alongside archival material from the Gardeners’ House, including a retrospective of the Women’s Land Army and Diary of a Farmer, drawing a powerful thread between past and present custodians of the land.

Opens Friday 1 May – the exhibition will then run throughout May

Gardeners’ House Farmers Market

Featured growers and producers will also take part in a special Gardeners’ House Produce Market on Saturday 9 May offering visitors the opportunity to meet the people behind their food and buy directly from local suppliers.

Takes place Saturday 9 May, 10am – 2pm

Workshops, Walks and Films

Alongside the headline events, the programme will include:

• A foraged meal workshop with Rachel Lambert on Saturday 16 May
• A curated series of food and nature films exploring local and international perspectives
• A Greenways allotment walk with Sustainable Penzance
• Folk song and storytelling exploring harvest traditions

Fermentation, Foraging and the Field runs throughout May at the Gardeners’ House. Together, the programme offers a thoughtful and hopeful response to modern food challenges, inviting people to reconnect with land, season and community – and to imagine what a more resilient local food culture might look like.