SOIL TO GUT 2025 - The Pollinator Edition with Rachel De Thample

Join us for Soil to Gut, the Pollinator Edition!

This year we continue our journey exploring how we are all part of this big macrobiome that we call life.

Last year we focused on our direct relationship with the soil itself, whilst this year we will look into a key component of this ecology: bees and their role as pollinators.

We have invited Rachel de Thample of River Cottage to lead us in this journey. She has been delving deep into this world of bees in her latest book Bees and Honey, River Cottage handbook n19, Bloomsbury.

We will talk about the vital role bees play in keeping our planet alive and our crops plentiful and in how we support and preserve bee populations we are making sure all nature around it thrives - and in doing so we can occasionally dabble in their most celebrated creation: HONEY!

Rachel is joined on this day of celebration of things bee by:

• Paula Neubauer from Get Pickled Somerset, award wining fermenter and educator.
• Dr. Caroline Gilmartin PhD, microbiologist, ferment, educator and author Fermented Foods: A Practical Guide and Vinegar: the Complete Guide to Making your Own.
• Jo Webster, nutritionist, herbalist and fermenter currently doing research on the Honey based oxymels.
• Paul Webb, Founder of BLACK BEE HONEY.

Find out more about our amazing line up below.

ENGAGE

We start our day with a panel with a tour of the farm followed by a panel with our facilitators discussing the role of pollinators, and connection with healthy soil that leads to produce and ferments that sustain our gut health and overall well being.

We will get to understand why supporting bee populations is essential for the future of the planet and us as a species.

LEARN

We will learn how to source honey that is truly sustainable.

We are being supported in this event by BLACK BEE HONEY who is on the forefront of sustainable and fair honey production and beekeeping practices in the UK. We will have a chance to try their products and understand why this is core to their practice and an important role to play in the UK agricultural practices.

We are hosting this session at Vallis Farm, where will have a chance to explore their garden and their hives. Tour of the garden included.

TASTE

Rachel de Thample will create a delicious honey based lunch, together side of all things fermented from Paula and the Get Pickled Somerset pickle fridge.

Unfortunately, due to the nature of the event we can not offer vegan options. If you are interested in taking part without the meal/tasting, please get in touch.

FERMENT AND MEDICINAL USES

You will leave with a new found knowledge of all the amazing potential of honey creations:

• Rachel de Thample will share with us some incredible honey ferments and its wonderful culinary uses. From live marmalades to chilli sauces, she will sure to dazzle your palate.
• Dr Caroline Gilmartin will explore the world of JUN: a honey based kombucha.
• Jo Webster will share with us her research on medicinal uses of honey, in particular Honey Oxymels.

We finish with a Q&A and book signing by our authors.

EXPLORE

You will leave this session this session with:

• 1 jar of Black Bee Honey.
• 2 honey ferment recipes by Rachel de Thample.
• 1 jar jun starter.
• 1 set of guidelines to make your very own herbal honey oxymel.