Over the course of one year and 12 weekends, the Institute of Sustainable Nutrition (TIOSN) at Holcomb Farm in West Granby teaches students to plant, cook, ferment, forage, grow and prepare the most sustainable, nutrient-rich food possible, including fermented delicacies that are teeming with beneficial bacteria to heal the gut.

“Fermented foods are one of the most important ways to re-establish bacteria in the gut that has been depleted from stress, antibiotics and chemicals,” said Joan Palmer, founder of TIOSN, who also teaches the Art and Science of Eating as part of an accredited master’s degree program at The Graduate Institute.

According to NPR, Western diets and modern-day hygiene have wiped dozens of species of bacteria from your digestive tracts. Without these, there are higher incidences of chronic illnesses connected to the immune system.

Throughout the course, TIOSN’s staff offers four categories of instruction: the science of food and nutrition, sustainable gardening, culinary skills and kitchen medicine.

TIOSN is currently accepting students for the 2015-16 course, which begins in September.

For information, contact 860-764-9070 or TIOSN.com. Location: The Institute of Sustainable Nutrition, 113 Simsbury Rd, West Granby. See ad, page 29.