Beware of assumptions however: these are not just hippies! At KKamp, we consider ourselves “Bacteria Farmers” and our work helps people thrive just like the tractor driving type of farmers who help feed us all. Fermentation has been critical to man’s survival and brought stability to man’s earliest societies by facilitating commerce and reducing the need to hunt or forage, with evidence dating back at least 9,000 years from Norway to China.
How has it been possible to divorce Americans from the traditions they brought with them from the Old Country? The answer is a familiar one: “better living through chemistry.” Or to put it another way, a mix of profit motive and best intentions gone awry have led to the 75 year Processed Foods Armageddon our world is just beginning to come to grips with. And even still, the roots of fermentation’s place in our collective culinary history can be seen. Ketchup, mustard, salsa, and other condiments used to be naturally fermented digestion aids packed with healthy bacteria to jumpstart the system; now they are lifeless gut bombs of chemicals and additives and colors and flavors.
This idea is not limited to ketchup. Is it a coincidence that sodas contain acids to mimic the natural acids of fermented drinks? Or that sodas add fake bubbles to mimic the natural carbonation of kombucha and kefir? Our fermented food traditions have been transformed into foods of convenience. To maximize cheap ingredients, the science of nutrition has turned a blind eye to sourcing in favor of a reductionist philosophy that values counting calories and macros like carbs and protein with little regard to the source of those values. Left behind in this exchange is the true function of these foods, that is to say nutrition, in favor of easy shipping, long shelf life, and quick preparation.
The processed foods industry manages to rake in more than $2 trillion globally every year while famers struggle to make ends meet or are forced into growing GMO’s or using toxic pesticides to chase yields that never fully manifest and leave them at the mercy of predatory industries. Rather than continuing to support that model, grab a jar of sauerkraut and buy a bottle of kombucha and see how it makes you feel. Because that is the ultimate test. Fermented foods make people feel good, and if prepared correctly, they taste great. Results are the selling point for fermented foods, and sales are booming.
