Episode 71

Becoming a Bridge: Exploring Process, Transformation, and Story through Fermentation with Dr. Julia Skinner

Published on: 16th January, 2024

In this episode, Kate sits down with Dr. Julia Skinner to discuss all manner of things, as it tends to be when two generalists sit down together. Julia’s work is multi-disciplinary, weaving together threads of her interests into a celebration of creative practice, fermentation, food history, the history of libraries, and beyond. The conversation explores the cultivation of both process and practice for creatives and how it can be made tactile in the art of fermentation. Julia, a writing and creative coach, shares what it takes to make a container for transformation of self, or cabbage, or community, or your creative goals and how play and celebration can facilitate and deepen that practice. We also discuss some of the structures and stories we’re told from society and culture about creative practice (amongst other things) and how we might begin to reframe and dismantle them into something that is joyful. It is also about doing away with the idea of failure altogether, if not for ourselves, than for the sake of the community we’re collaborating with. At it’s heart, this about transformation, process, and cultivation and is the perfect antidote to hustle culture’s idea of goals.

We also talk about:

Somatic Experiencing and Embodiment

Creating Ferments

Find Julia:

Email: Julia@root-kitchens.com

Instagram: @yourrootsandbranches, @bookishjulia, @rootkitchens

Roots + Branches

Our Fermented Lives

Oracle Deck

Books Mentioned:

Range by David Epstein

The Art of Fermentation by Sandor Katz