the community in less obvious ways . Working with smaller acres of land can help promote the use of more genetically diverse crops , creating opportunities for more pest , drought or heat-tolerant varieties to be grown . Preserving these lands as working farms can also offer opportunities for future growth in our community . Environmentally , purchasing locally saves on transport and middleman fees . It also eliminates the massive disruptions in global supply chains that we experienced during COVID and incurred after the invasion of Ukraine .
Trying to correct supply and demand issues using government policy can sometimes be accomplished . However , government solutions are time-consuming to implement and depending on how they are financed , create inflationary concerns ( Congressional Research Service ). For this reason , creating local solutions can be more responsive and promote a diversity of product / service options .
Gabriel Key , owner and chef of Foggy Mountain Pasta has been working with local farmers since the inception of his company , originally in North Carolina . “ Honestly , making incredible pasta is a happy byproduct of our focus . Our true purpose has always been to focus on the wheat and grains ; to find the best locally and sustainably grown grain we can find and then create a product that brings joy and fulfillment to people while also supporting a
Photo : Foggy Mountain Pasta
PHOTO : Jenifer Silverleaf
Gabriel Key of Foggy Mountain Pasta sources locally grown wheat and grains to create his pastas .
vibrant and sustainable wheat or food ecosystem . Now that we have the ability to mill our own flour , we can expand our reach into the community , even more , to take advantage of amazing wheat grown within miles of our kitchen .”
Key says , “ I think it is important to reverse our dependence on large-scale farming by recognizing the advantages of smaller-scale agricultural enterprises . We visit the farms that produce our wheat , we walk the land , and create a partnership with the farmer . We firmly believe it is important for all of us — the team at Foggy Mountain Pasta as well as our customers — to know where the ingredients come from and how they are grown . That is not possible when buying from a national conglomerate .”
Key is not alone in these sentiments . The Northeast Grainshed is an organization that “ aims to increase demand for Northeast grains by building a network of farmers , bakers , brewers and others to enhance collaboration and educate consumers on the value of regional grains .”
The Northeast Grainshed is sponsored by the Tiny Seed Project , a woman-founded , family nonprofit organization that promotes conservation and community building . The partnership between these two organizations has created a networking hub and planning initiative . Their goal ? To revive the region ’ s regional grain system .
The Common Grain Alliance ( CGA ) is another important organization that is playing a role in connecting farmers , millers , bakers and grain artisans . They use a combination of networking , education , and standardization to “ create an integrated grain
28 wander I spring • summer 2023