Jars bubbling and fresh produce taking on new life means one thing—ferments! This month we are highlighting FinAllie Ferments, based out of Rockingham, VT. Allie Dercoli is the founder and operator of FinAllie Ferments and we were able to catch up with her and learn more about the business.
How did FinAllie Ferments come to be?
Long before a single jar bubbled its way into the hearts and bellies of Vermonters I was traveling the country with my dog Fin. I worked on over 50 farms stretching across the country, learning from farmers how to grow and ferment food along the way. Several years and many miles later, it would be Vermont where Fin and I would take this budding love for fermentation and truly blossom. Knowing the amazing health benefits of the probiotic alchemy that is fermentation, I decided to sell my Vermont-style sauerkraut and kimchi at local farmers’ markets. With my loyal dog Fin by my side, handmade signs, and birch wood labels, FinAllie Ferments soon became a local favorite at the markets, restaurants, and grocery stores in Southern Vermont. Today, FinAllie Ferments is a passionate family of food alchemists working directly with farmers and vendors to deliver the highest quality ferment that is definitely what your belly needs. We craft our small batches with fresh produce that is rooted here in Vermont soil, and slowly aged in oak barrels.
How long have you been making ferments? And what originally inspired you to do so?
I made my first batch of kimchi in Bastrop Texas in 2011. Farmers often have ugly veggies, not of market value. Farmers also often need a way to preserve the harvest. We honor traditional fermentation processes while maintaining our own unique flavor. Each recipe begins as an experiment, inspired by a rich history of ferments from all around the world while honoring the ingredients available in our bioregion. Everything is fermented in oak barrels and ceramic crocks, never in plastic, ensuring complex flavors. Our products are always raw and free of vinegar so that every jar can deliver the beneficial bacteria and micro-nutrients that your gut needs.
Could you tell our readers a little bit about how you partner with other farms in our region?
FinAllie Ferments is 100% Vermont grown. We not only make our products in Vermont, but all veggies are grown in Vermont soil. We pay all of our farmers through our custom CSA program that gives farmers a check in the winter when they need cash to fix equipment or buy seed. Our flavors are unique because Vermont grown food is delicious and eclectic. Our goal is not profit growth, but rather the growth and accessibility of culture in our bodies and community. Our motto, “Cultivating Culture” means bending down, reaching deep into the soil of our collective existence. It’s about honoring the inherited traditions and wisdom of our elders and passing it on. We believe in a future where generations can flourish. We need to rise above the profit-over-people model that is destroying and exploiting the land and its inhabitants. We must strive to promote economic resilience by keeping the flow of money and job opportunities in our local communities. Our farmers are why we're able to do what we do. We work with All Winds Farm, Wild Sheppard, Harlow Farm, Old Athens Farm. Full Place Farm, West River Seeds, Clearbrook Farm, Walker Farm, and Sugar Bob’s Finest Kind.
What is one of your favorite products you make?
I love to make Black Garlic Kimchi. The flavors are complex and spicy! It’s a two part fermentation, first, the black garlic must be fermented for 10 days then added to our spice paste that includes Vermont sriracha and Sugar Bob's smoked maple syrup.
How does working with Food Connects help your business?
FOOD CONNECTS IS AMAZING! we are excited you have a meaningful presence in our community and that you are connective and small like us. We hope to grow our friendship/partnership with you!
Any events coming up or fun facts about your business/products?
We will be teaching some classes and starting a book club out of the Brattleboro Co-op. We are also running a sale in February to help enrich our farmers’ CSA program.
Anything else you would like me to feature? Anything that you are doing to respond to the COVID-19 crisis?
This year we partnered with the Farmacy program providing people with existing health issues CSA boxes, We donated buckets to Grace Cottage hospital as well as started a fundraiser for the Vermont Food Bank. Buying food directly from farmers is a great way to support your local economy, these times are hard for everyone.