Wildbelly
Cortez Journal article about the festival:
Nourish the Gut, Strengthen the Community
Wildbelly’s mission is to advance community health and food resilience through whole food nutrition, traditional fermentation practices, and local food education. We provide hands-on instruction, educational workshops and partnerships with regional growers and producers to increase access to minimally processed, nutrient-dense foods. By equipping individuals and families with practical skills in food preparation and preservation, we teach people to eat seasonally, we strengthen local food systems and support long-term well-being.
Wildbelly is a startup non-profit founded by Michele Martz, owner and farmer of SongHaven Farm who has grown food for the community for the past twenty years and came to the realization that what she mostly does at market is teach people how to cook and preserve food. There is a direct need for this educational piece in our community that is not being met.
The Fermentation Fest is Wildbelly's first exploration into educational workshops for our community. In the fall of 2025 Michele was inspired by the Bacteria Bazaar festival she volunteered at in Hamilton, Montana and knew that she wanted to create an event like this in the four corners region. With the help of Onward! A Legacy Foundation and some friends they formed the Wildbelly non-profit.