Fermentologist Michelle Lopez, is skilled as a wildlife biologist and a southern California butterfly specialist, as well as a mother of one daughter and has ties to the native ancestry of this land. She is also the founder of the Ojai Food Co-op start-up and owner of Wild At Heart Ojai a fermentation business. She does fermented food and drink workshops at sustainable events throughout California.

Her passion is to empower people to ferment in-season veggies and fruit, that help aid in digestion and nutrition while optimizing the bounty of local produce we grow and receive living here in southern California. It is her intention to reignite the connection we once had with the land, animals and the microorganism that live all around us. She does this by fermenting homemade sauerkraut, pickles, green beans, ketchup, beet kvass ,salsa, kombucha, ginger ale, ginger beer,root beer and fruit sodas.