communities . Until the mid-20th century , agriculture was localized and communities were supplied with grains and flour grown and milled regionally , with gristmills dotting waterways everywhere . However , the arrival of modern high-yield agricultural practices and the centralization of monoculture grain crops in the West and Midwest disconnected the East Coast from where their food was grown and from the people who grew it . These practices are also extremely harsh on the environment .
Today , commercial grains are often grown in large quantities and delivered to elevators that blend harvests from multiple locations . The resulting product that ends up in grocery stores has fairly consistent qualities harvest after harvest , year after year , but the identity of that grain is lost and it takes longer to arrive in stores , with the sacrifice of some nutrition and flavor . While this model saves farmers time and investment in additional processing equipment , it also drives down their compensation to keep prices for consumers low .
For a small , independent farmer , choosing to grow grain presents several obstacles before even getting seeds in the ground . At this scale , small farms can ’ t offer equally low prices to consumers and still keep the business afloat . Most agricultural equipment , while expensive to begin with , is designed for massive operations . Grain crops also require additional , post-harvest processing , either to secondary processors like a local mill , or directly to consumers . Unlike fruits and vegetables , which only need to be washed after harvest , grains need to be threshed to remove the kernels from the hull and cleaned of debris , weed seed and other “ volunteer ” crop seed before it is sold . Additionally , grains must be protected from pest infestation and stored at a specific temperature and humidity for food safety and quality . This infrastructure doesn ’ t exist , is prohibitively expensive , or is too far away to be practical .
By bringing together producers from different extensions of the regional grain chain , from farmers , millers , and maltsters to bakers , chefs , and pasta makers , CGA is creating opportunities for industry professionals to identify shared resources and learn from each other . For example , bakers working directly with farmers and millers can offer feedback on the grain varieties they grow or the flour blends they make as it impacts their processes for making bread and pastries . Farmers can offer insight on that growing season ’ s environmental conditions and how that impacts a crop ’ s qualities so bakers can go into the kitchen better prepared .
CGA has developed a grain growing handbook to formalize and centralize disparate research and anecdotal best practices that helps farmers of varying levels of experience adopt grains onto their land . Additionally , CGA supports Future Harvest CASA ’ s Agricultural Leadership Development Initiative to help BIPOC and BIPOC veteran farmers gain the skills they need to advance their farming careers and become leaders in their communities .
Mid-Atlantic Grain Fair and Conference
With funding from a USDA Farmers Market Promotion Program ( FMPP ) grant , CGA has launched the annual Mid-Atlantic Grain Fair and Conference on Sunday , October 22nd and Monday , October 23rd in Washington DC . Hosted in partnership with the University of the District of Columbia CAUSES , Friends of Peirce Mill , CRAFT Chatham , and the Philadelphia Grain and Malt Symposium , the event represents a pinnacle of how impactful collaboration is in the world of regional grains . The fair brings together grain practitioners and enthusiasts from across the Mid-Atlantic for a day of presentations , roundtable and panel discussions , and networking to improve the Mid-Atlantic grain value chain by sharing essential knowledge and bridging community . The fair is a free , family-friendly event at Peirce Mill open to the general public and includes a farmers market , cooking and milling demonstrations , kids activities , and educational opportunities .
This is only the beginning for CGA and the movement around Mid-Atlantic grains , as it is for regional grain movements that exist across the country . While the COVID-19 pandemic presented significant challenges to the world as we know it , it also shined a long-overdue light on the value of regional food chains in sustaining and nourishing communities of all sizes . As more people ponder where their food comes from , the more opportunities there are for everyone to access , enjoy , and celebrate nutritious , flavorful food .
Jillian O ’ Donohoe is Common Grain Alliance ’ s Communications & Research Coordinator . She is passionate about regional grains and food systems which she sees as essential to the health and wellness of communities and the environment .
44 plenty I autumn Harvest 2023