CORTLAND, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — Food and Ferments is starting to emerge from its small, humble beginnings in a Truxton farmhouse by taking its fermented produce to people anywhere.
The company has expanded to a Cortland facility where they make things like sauerkraut, kimchi, and spicy pickles.
For Dave and Carly Dougherty, who took Food and Ferments full time about five years ago, fermenting is not just a hot new trend in healthy foods.
“I love the art of fermentation. There’s a science to it, but there’s also an art. There’s a lot of creativity involved,” Carly Dougherty tells NewsChannel 9.
Dave Dougherty adds, “I think both being kinda foodies already, we were into trying different things and for some reason, the ferments is something that we both were drawn to.”
The couple met in Philadelphia and started dabbling about seven years ago in a fermenting business, but decided to move here to Central New York to take the business full time.
Carly Dougherty says, “I grew up on a dairy farm in Truxton and have a really large farming family, so farming was always really close to my heart and I wanted to make it my own but stay connected to the food world.”
They say Central New York has a wonderful climate for growing cabbage and beets and carrots, and other products they use at Food and Ferments.
“Sauerkraut was the first thing we jumped into, seemed pretty basic enough, get some cabbages, shred them up, add your salt in, put them in your crock or barrel, let them sit and let nature do the work,” Dave Dougherty explains.
Food and Ferments products can be found in stores and farmers markets around the Syracuse area, even in the Philly area, but online sales are starting to pick up.
Dave Dougherty tells NewsChannel 9, “It feels really great to be able to ship these healthy things out and we definitely have those moments where we look, oh my gosh this is going to Texas.”
Their first kitchen in Truxton that they outgrew a couple years ago is now being used again for making kombucha.
Carly Dougherty says, “I’d love to see us grow into a regional food company; a lot more beverages and putting New York into our food and making it special and from this area.”
Click here to learn more about Food and Ferments and shop their products.
Looking for suggestions? The owners tell us their favorite products.
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For more local news, follow Jeff Kulikowsky on Twitter @JeffNC9
