ued to grow , but I wondered how my interest in organic , heirloom grains could be blended with my commitment to local food . Luckily , I found Seylou Bakery in Washington , DC , where the husband and wife duo , Jonathan Bethony ( who worked with Dr . Jones at the Breadlab ) and Jessica Azeez , freshly mill locally sourced , whole grain for out-of-this-world sourdough bread . Seylou helped bring my grain journey back home and connect me with local farmers growing and directly marketing whole grains in Maryland .
Through Seylou , I met Heinz Thomet , the farmer of Next Step Produce . For the first time , I combined my personal grain exploration with my work at the University of Maryland , College Park . I traveled to Newburg , Maryland , to visit Next Step Produce with students from Terp Farm Project , which grows vegetables for the campus dining program where I work , and researchers from the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture . Heinz and his family grow diverse seasonal vegetables , grains , dried beans , and rice all for direct sale .
By this time , both my parents relocated with my husband and I to Montgomery County . My father , who began baking bread daily since our visit to the Breadlab , guides our experimentation with different blends of whole wheat such as hard red winter wheat , rye , kamut , einkorn , spelt , and more . We found Migrash Farms through the Takoma Park Farmers Market and started buying whole wheat and oats for pickup at the Market and enjoying it together .
I traveled to Colorado Springs , Colorado , to the Grain School at the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs , to explore the “ grain chain ” more deeply . Grain School brings together grain growers , millers , maltsters , brewers , chefs , educators , scientists , and students to share knowledge and skills and to build relationships . I was incredibly inspired throughout the three days of workshops on whole and heritage grains including topics such as health , nutrition , the microbiome ; environment , climate change , and biodiversity ; sustainable farming practices ; and crop science to leverage the traits of heirloom varieties for nutrition and flavor in more modern strains .
After learning about the amazing organizations working across their regional food systems , and becoming connected with others in the mid-Atlantic enthusiastic about local , whole grains , I was eager to join the Common Grain Alliance . The Common Grain Alliance connects and supports farmers , millers , bakers , and grain artisans to build a vibrant , integrated , equitable , and regenerative grain economy in the Mid-Atlantic . This new organization is meeting a much needed , critical link in our local and regional food system .
This summer , I will continue to take the lessons from my ongoing grain journey and bring them further to life at Bluebird Farmstead , my family ’ s farmstead in Laytonsville , Maryland . We will be growing heirloom corn to make into tortillas and grits this fall and for the first time , buckwheat in our expanded lower garden . I am guided again by a few good books , this time The Organic Grain Grower by Jack Lazor and Start Your Farm by Forrest Pritchard and Ellen Polishuk , and an unrelenting love of food , family and learning . I invite you to connect with me and others making our local foodshed whole by expanding the celebration of locally grown food to include the staff of life , grains .
Allison Tjaden is co-owner of Bluebird Farmstead , LLC , in Laytonsville , MD and Assistant Director for New Initiatives at University of Maryland Dining Services where she leads projects that connect students with nutritious , local , and sustainable food . Allison received her Master of Public Health from the University of Maryland , with a focus on environmental health , and a BA from the University of Virginia . bluebirdfarmsteadmd @ gmail . com
Join the Whole Grain Journey
Read
• Grain by Grain , Bob Quinn and Liz Carlisle
• The Third Plate : Field Notes on the Future of Food , Dan Barber
• The New Bread Basket , Amy Halloran
• The Organic Grain Grower , Jack Lazor
• Start Your Farm , Forrest Pritchard and Ellen Polishuk
Explore , Join & Shop
• Anson Mills : ansonmills . com
• Common Grain Alliance : commongrainalliance . org
• Grain School : swell . uccs . edu / grain _ school _ 2021
• Migrash Farms : migrashfarm . com
• Next Step Produce : nextstepproduce . com
• Seylou Bakery : seylou . com
• Washington State University Breadlab : breadlab . wsu . edu
Online Resources
• Einkorn . com
• Kamut . com
• Breadtopia . com