When not fermenting at House of Ferments, Erin can be found outside attempting to be sporty while usually drinking some sort of fermented beverage.  She has a soft spot for all things furry, especially her best bud, Omi. ​

Erin has called Western Montana home since 2001.  She hails from the Northeast where she earned a BS in Environmental Science from The University of Vermont.  Erin worked in the field of restoration ecology in the intermountain west for 15 years before the lure of fermentation and her love of food and community inspired her to start her own business, House of Ferments.  Erin believes that food is a common denominator.  It’s a great way to learn from and about others.  Erin loves fermentation because it is a blend of science, art, and culture.

As a child growing up in central Ohio, Craig and his siblings were each assigned a section of the family's one acre garden. He was fascinated with the variety of flowers and vegetables they could grow. His first job was selling honey, and eventually he opened a food co-op that still exists today.

Craig is a founding member of the Board of Directors for O'Hara Commons. He joined to connect with the community and hopes to share and nurture his lifelong passion for the growing things of this planet with others. He has served in officer roles since the inception and brings a wealth of experience. 

Craig is the father of four children and has been married to his beautiful, calm and patient wife for over 40 years.

Katelyn grew up in beautiful northern California surrounded by lush forests and sweeping beaches. Some of her most beloved memories are following her grandma shopping at the local farmers market and returning home to make food magic in the kitchen. A love of food and sharing it with others has continued to be a theme, following her from far-flung places around the globe to the Bitterroot Valley. She’ll never turn down a chance to eat goat stew on a mountaintop in the Himalayas…..Katelyn wears many hats these days but her favorite by far is being mother to three lovely humans.

Katelyn loves to garden, soak in nature with her family, and build & create with her hands. With a background in small farm management and food production, Katelyn brings a penchant for organization, a commitment to quality and an enthusiasm for O’Hara’s mission to bring local, healthy food to the community. 

Meghan’s love of vegetables began early, helping in her parents’ gardens and harvesting raspberries, sugar peas, and rocks. For her, food is a powerful connector to time, place, and community, and she enjoys exploring these connections through baking, cooking, and fermenting. Although school and work have carried her to Colorado, Meghan remains deeply tied to the Bitterroot Valley where she grew up. Over the past decade she has supported O’Hara by leading children’s programs, volunteering at the Old Blue Moon orchard, and baking pies late into the night for the annual pie sale and auction. When she’s not in the kitchen, Meghan can be found in the Colorado mountains backpacking and trail running with her partner Sean and their dog, Doug.

Growing up, Karen wanted to be a Naturalist. She never became one. . . professionally.

She is, however, a consummate researcher and lifelong student of nature and all that piques her curiosity. She moved to the Bitterroot a few years ago and is loving all the new adventures Montana has to offer.​

Karen and her husband spend their free time exploring and looking for new places to hike, hunt, and fish.  At home they experiment with creative recipes using locally grown foods and harvested game. Karen is learning how to garden in this northern climate and is convinced that the secret to a weed-free pasture is right below the soles of your boots. Karen has three grown children and can’t wait to have her grandson come and visit for the whole summer!

Brian hails from Wyoming and has lived in Western Montana for 25 years, 8 of those in Victor. He helps manage a farm called verdure pastures and is owner of Rabbitbrush Archaeological Services, a job he has been doing since 1992. Brian is well versed in the prehistoric archaeology of the Intermountain West and Pacific Northwest as well as the historic resources of the region, most notably historic mining, early settlement, timber extraction, and water resource sites. Brian is community minded, can be found skiing at Lost Trail with his son Clancy, playing music as half of the local duo - the Bear Creek Boys. At Verdure Pastures, he loves providing niche culinary items, mangalitsa pork, spanish goat meat, and a variety of other oddities and treats.