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Roll up your sleeves at Crabtree Farms in Chattanooga for a two-hour sourdough workshop led by Sarah, a sourdough enthusiast and greenhouse assistant. Mix, shape, sample fresh loaves, and take home a living starter—perfect for visitors who want a hands-on local food experience.
Roll up your sleeves at Crabtree Farms in Chattanooga for a two-hour sourdough workshop led by Sarah, a sourdough enthusiast and greenhouse assistant. Mix, shape, sample fresh loaves, and take home a living starter—perfect for visitors who want a hands-on local food experience.
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Operated by Crabtree Farms of Chattanooga · Chattanooga, Tennessee
At Crabtree Farms in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the Simple Art of Sourdough offers an intimate, hands‑on lesson in fermentation and breadmaking. Held at Crabtree Farms of Chattanooga at 1000 E 30th Street, this two‑hour workshop pairs down-to-earth instruction with the living rhythms of an urban demonstration farm.
The class begins with a short primer on wild yeast and starter care, the biology behind sourdough and what to watch for during fermentation. Sarah, the workshop facilitator and resident sourdough enthusiast, leads students through mixing, folding, and shaping a loaf. You’ll work with a fresh starter, flour, and a banneton basket supplied by the workshop, learning practical techniques—autolyse, stretch-and-folds, bench rest, and scoring—that you can replicate in a home kitchen. During the session, the group bakes together and samples small bites of finished loaves, comparing textures and flavors produced by hydration and timing.
What makes this class special is its setting and spirit. Crabtree Farms balances plant education and hands-on craft: you’ll be kneading dough in proximity to native plant beds and the on-site greenhouse where Sarah tends herbs that inform her fermentation practice. The class is not just a recipe demonstration; it’s a living practice that ties food to place—the starter you take home is a micro-ecosystem nurtured by local flour and your hands.
Sarah’s background extends beyond bread; she is an herbal medicine maker and the Greenhouse Assistant at Crabtree Farms, and she brings that plant-centered perspective into the workshop—expect notes on using homegrown herbs to scent breads or infuse meads. The class also covers basic starter troubleshooting and storage techniques, how to adapt hydration for different flours, and simple oven tricks for crisp crusts. These practical, classroom-to-kitchen takeaways make this more than a one-off demo. Bring questions and curiosity.
Practical details are straightforward: the workshop runs about two hours, is open to ages 12 and up, and carries a $10 materials fee paid to the facilitator for supplies. Bring a large mixing bowl and a jar to transport your sourdough starter; Crabtree Farms provides starter, flour, and a banneton. The experience is accessible to beginners—no previous baking experience required—but rewards patience and curiosity rather than speed.
Beyond the loaf, the class connects you with a local community of gardeners, herbalists, and fermenters. Sarah’s approach emphasizes sustainable practices—feeding starters regularly, using local grains when possible, and reducing waste through batch baking. If you’re visiting Chattanooga and want a tactile, sensory break from trails and riverfront parks, this two‑hour workshop offers a tangible, sensory souvenir: a jar of living starter, practical skills, and a fresh loaf to share.
Meeting point: Crabtree Farms of Chattanooga • 1000 E 30th Street Chattanooga, TN 37407. For questions, contact Chloe Watts at 423-493-9155 or [email protected].
The workshop includes a fresh sourdough starter, flour, and a banneton basket; there is a separate $10 materials fee paid to the facilitator for additional supplies.
No—this class is designed for beginners and home bakers who want hands-on instruction in sourdough basics.
Participants must be at least 12 years old to join this workshop.
Refunds can be requested up to 7 days before the workshop start; a 10% cancellation fee applies to ticket amounts.
Meet at Crabtree Farms of Chattanooga • 1000 E 30th Street Chattanooga, TN 37407 at the scheduled class time; arrive a few minutes early to set up.
Please contact Chloe Watts at 423-493-9155 or email [email protected] for questions about bookings or accessibility.
Crabtree Farms of Chattanooga operates a 22-acre urban farm and community center in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The farm cultivates seasonal produce, sustainable flower crops, beekeeping projects, and educational programming that connects urban residents to local food systems. Crabtree Farms offers guided group tours, volunteer opportunities, and hands-on workshops covering topics such as sourdough breadmaking, kombucha brewing, herbal remedies, fire cider making, cool-season cut flowers, and introductory beekeeping. Workshops are led by local instructors and visiting experts and often include a take-home project, such as a sourdough starter, a bottle of kombucha, or a jar of herbal preparation. The Evelyn Center is an on-site rustic-modern event venue with high beam ceilings, an open layout, and seamless indoor-outdoor flow. The venue hosts small and large private events, and rental fees support Crabtree Farms’ mission. Volunteer groups and community participants engage in stewardship projects that support farm operations while learning about composting, organic growing practices, and seasonal planting. Group tours can be tailored by age and interest and focus on gardening, local eating, and environmental stewardship. Crabtree Farms partners with educators and community organizations to expand accessibility and learning opportunities across Chattanooga. Visitors can reserve public workshops, schedule private tours, or book the Evelyn Center online or by contacting the farm directly to confirm availability and pricing.
Book with Crabtree Farms of Chattanooga