Lacto-Fermentation Guide

$19.90
Tax included

Learn how to make delicious, probiotic-rich sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles, and fermented vegetables at home with our comprehensive Lacto-Fermentation Guide.

Drawing on more than 10 years of hands-on fermentation experience at KoruKai Herb Farm, this practical guide teaches traditional lacto-fermentation methods to help preserve seasonal harvests while supporting gut health naturally.

Perfect for turning an abundance of cabbages, carrots, beetroot, and other vegetables into vibrant, living foods packed with beneficial microbes.

Available as:

  • Downloadable PDF
  • Printed booklet (with shipping cost)

Please choose your preferred format below.

Format : Online Booklet
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Discover the art and science of traditional vegetable fermentation with our comprehensive Lacto-Fermentation Guide — a practical, experience-based handbook for creating delicious probiotic foods at home.

At KoruKai Herb Farm, we have been fermenting vegetables for well over a decade as part of our everyday kitchen and gardening life. Fermented foods have become an important part of supporting gut health, preserving seasonal abundance, and creating deeply nourishing foods from simple ingredients.

Whether you are completely new to fermentation or already making your own sauerkraut and kimchi, this guide will help you understand the principles behind successful ferments and give you the confidence to experiment with your own creations.

This newly updated edition includes:

  • 45 pages of detailed instructions and recipes
  • 7 additional recipes
  • Traditional pickling methods
  • Troubleshooting guidance
  • Gut health and microbiome information
  • Step-by-step fermentation principles

Perfect for anyone wanting to preserve excess garden harvests naturally while creating vibrant, living foods rich in beneficial bacteria.


What you will learn

Understanding the microbiome

Learn why fermented foods are so important for gut health and overall wellbeing:

  • Gut health basics
  • The human microbiome
  • Practices that disrupt microbial balance
  • Supporting a healthy microbiome naturally
  • Commercial probiotics vs traditional ferments

Fermenting vegetables

Gain a solid understanding of successful lacto-fermentation:

  • Traditional uses and benefits
  • The impact of industrial food processing
  • Essential kitchen tools
  • Best vegetables for fermentation
  • Salt ratios and fermentation principles
  • Sterilising equipment
  • Preventing mould and troubleshooting common problems

Recipes included

This guide contains a wide variety of traditional and modern ferment recipes, including:

  • Plain Sauerkraut
  • Cortido
  • Kimchi (Two Versions)
  • Beetroot & Carrot Ferment
  • Ginger Carrots
  • KoruKai Freestyle Ferment
  • Preserved/Fermented Lemons
  • Salsa
  • Zucchini & Cucumber Relish
  • Pickled Green Beans
  • Pickled Carrots with Cauliflower & Onions

Available formats

Choose the version that suits you best:

  • Downloadable PDF. Please check for an email with the subject line: [KoruKai Herb Farm] Files available for your order
  • Printed booklet. The printed version is printed with our home printer and will be stapled and sent to you (format A5). 

This guide is designed to help you confidently preserve seasonal produce, reduce food waste, support gut health, and reconnect with traditional food preservation methods that have nourished cultures around the world for generations.

A practical, empowering resource for gardeners, home cooks, fermenters, and anyone interested in healthy living and self-sufficiency.



16 other products in the same category:

Fermentation Flask / Yoghurt Maker

$69.90

This Yoghurt Maker from Culture Cupboard is great for making homemade yoghurt - without the need for an electric yoghurt maker. It also helps maintain a steady fermentation temperature year-round, protecting kefir and cultures from cold winter nights and fluctuating summer heat.

The insulated flask includes a glass jar and recipe booklet with instructions for both dairy and dairy-free yoghurts, making it an easy and energy-efficient tool for home fermentation.

Water Kefir Grains

$19.90

Grow your own refreshing, fizzy probiotic drink at home with our organic water kefir grains.

We use only certified organic ingredients and filtered spring water to cultivate healthy, active grains.

Water kefir is a reusable, perpetual culture that can be used again and again to brew naturally sparkling drinks that support digestive health.

Choose from:

  • 3 Tbsp fresh water kefir grains
  • 1 Tbsp dried water kefir grains


Each portion makes approximately 1 litre of probiotic water kefir every 24-48 hours.

Includes our comprehensive Water Kefir eGuide packed with instructions, tips, and recipe inspiration.

For best results, we recommend feeding your grains with our Water Kefir Complete Food.

Fresh water kefir grains are shipped every Monday (or Tuesday following a public holiday). Orders must be placed and paid for by 4 pm Saturday for shipment the following week.

Fermenting Airlock with ring

$9.90

Silicone fermentation airlock with stainless steel band, designed for safe, reliable lacto-fermentation. Allows gases to escape during fermentation while preventing air from entering, helping protect your ferments from spoilage.

Ideal for pickles, vegetables, and fermented drinks.

As pressure builds, gas safely vents through the airlock without allowing oxygen back in.

Diameter airlock: 8.3 cm

Also available without ring (see separate listing).

Milk Kefir Guide

$9.90

This guide covers everything you need to know to make probiotic-rich milk kefir using milk kefir grains. With over 15 years of experience, we share proven methods to help your grains thrive so you can enjoy healthy kefir for life.

Available as:

  • Downloadable PDF
  • Printed booklet (A5, with shipping cost)

Please choose your preferred format below.

If purchasing our KoruKai Milk Kefir Grains or our Milk Kefir Kit this Guide is included with your purchase.

Yoghurt Making Guide

$14.90

The Ultimate Dairy Yoghurt Guide

Learn how to turn dairy milk into healthy and delicious natural yoghurt without any additives.

With recipes turning yoghurt into a variety of soft cheeses and dips and using it for baking to enhance nutrient availability and flavour.


This eGuide contains 40 pages of detailed instructions and links to demonstration videos on how to make thermophilic and mesophilic yoghurt on a perpetual basis as well as recipes to turn your yoghurt into special dishes - from yoghurt icing for a cake to yoghurt cheese balls and labneh (please find the table of contents below).


This is an ebook and will be available as a pdf to download once your order is placed.

Fermenting Airlock

$6.90

Silicone fermentation airlock for safe, reliable home fermenting. Allows gases to escape while keeping oxygen out, helping protect your pickles, vegetables, and drinks during lacto-fermentation. Reusable, durable, and dishwasher safe. Available in blue, green, purple, red/pink, and white.

Diameter: 8.3 cm

Also available with stainless steel ring (see separate listing).

Milk Kefir Kit

$55.90

Billions of probiotics per tablespoon for gut health.

Everything you need to start making delicious, probiotic-rich milk kefir at home.

This beginner-friendly Milk Kefir Making Kit includes organic milk kefir grains, a wide-mouth glass jar, stainless steel strainer, dairy thermometer, and our comprehensive Milk Kefir eGuide with step-by-step instructions.

A simple and affordable way to make fresh kefir again and again from your own kitchen.

An additional glass jar for keeping ready kefir milk in the fridge can be purchased here: 500ml glass jar.

Shipment of fresh milk kefir grains every Monday (or Tuesday if Monday is a public holiday). Orders and payments need to be in by 4pm Saturday to get shipped the following Monday.

Water Kefir Complete Food

$6.50

Certified organic water kefir food containing sugar, molasses and micronutrients to feed your water kefir grains optimally. This pack contains the food for water kefir grains only, you need to have your own grains or buy them from us.

This way they stay healthy and produce a better probiotic fizzy drink for you and your family.


Available in 100g, 500g and 1kg bulk pack in a home-compostable, biodegradable pouch.


Containing only certified organic ingredients so that your water kefir grains can thrive (do not come with the grains). Without any roundup or other agricultural chemical residues, which could have a negative effect on the microbes in the water kefir.

Cheesecloth - Organic Cotton

$15.90

A must-have for cheesemaking and dairy fermentation.

This high-quality cheesecloth is made from certified organic cotton and is ideal for straining curds, making kefir cheese, yoghurt cheese, labneh, soft cheeses, and other cultured dairy products.

Reusable, washable, and free from synthetic fibres, it provides excellent drainage while remaining gentle on delicate curds.

Size: 1.5m × 1m

Dairy Thermometer

$15.90

Instant-read stainless steel dairy thermometer for kefir, yoghurt, and cheese making. No batteries required, simply place it in milk for accurate, real-time temperature readings.

Designed by KoruKai Herb Farm, drawing on over a decade of hands-on experience in cheesemaking and dairy fermentation, it reflects practical, real-world needs in a working kitchen.

13.5 cm long with clip for easy pot or jar attachment.

Milk Kefir Grains

$19.90

Billions of live probiotics in every tablespoon.

One portion of organic milk kefir grains cultures approximately 1 cup of milk every 24 hours and can multiply to culture up to 1 litre within two weeks under good conditions. Available in hydrated or dehydrated form (please select below).

Easy to use and endlessly reusable, milk kefir grains allow you to make fresh, probiotic-rich kefir.

Shipping Information

NZ-wide shipping available to urban and rural addresses, including PO Boxes.

Fresh milk kefir grains are shipped every Monday (or Tuesday if Monday is a public holiday). Orders and payment must be received by 4pm Saturday for dispatch the following Monday.

pH Strips Pack of 100

$12.90

pH strips are a quick and easy way to check the acidification of your cheese and ferment.

In a lactic ferment and in cheese making beneficial microbes are underway to turn plant sugars and lactose into lactic acid.

This acidification can be measured and ensures your ferment or your cheese is on the right track.

For most cheeses timing of salting is really important; you want the fermentation to be just at the right acidity before you apply salt to slow it down.

Fermentation, Microbiome and Gut Health...

$149.00
Add to cart

Fully booked! To go onto the waiting list please sign up below. 

This is an informative workshop for anyone interested in healthy food. No cooking skills are required. You will walk away with some easy recipes that you can implement in your own kitchen using basic equipment.

Date: Saturday, 2nd May 2026
Time: 10am-2:30pm

Location: KoruKai Herb Farm, Pigeon Bay, Banks Peninsula
1 hour from Halswell, Carpooling from Chch is usually possible.


Wholesome lunch included!


Please find Terms & Conditions as well as our cancellation policy here. When signing up for this workshop you automatically agree to the Terms & Conditions. Please make sure to read them.

Kefir Strainer

$15.90

Stainless steel fine-mesh strainer designed for separating milk and water kefir grains from finished kefir. Durable, easy to clean, and ideal for everyday fermentation use.

10 cm diameter compact round sieve with fine wire mesh—also suitable for general kitchen straining, sifting flour, or draining small foods.

DIY Apple Cider Vinegar Kit

$26.90

We’ve created this DIY kit for anyone wanting to make their own raw apple cider vinegar at home.

Making apple cider vinegar is simple, rewarding, and a great way to enjoy its many natural health benefits. Unlike many supermarket varieties that are pasteurised and filtered, homemade vinegar retains the “mother” — the living culture and beneficial microbiome that give raw apple cider vinegar its full character and potential benefits.

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