Curated news and information worth Sharing
In this section of the site you'll find news and information we come across related to local businesses in Lafayette Colorado as well as local food initiatives along the Front Range and beyond.
NFU Supports Administration’s New Efforts to Address Ag Supply Chain Problems
via National Farmers Union
Posted May 18, 2022 8:25 pm by Paul Bonneville
Speaking in support of today’s announcement, NFU President Rob Larew said, “America’s family farmers, along with the economy in general, have faced sky-high prices for inputs due to global unrest and a lack of competition in agricultural markets. Lack of competition in the fertilizer market, for example, has resulted in a fragile supply chain prone to interruptions and price gouging. The Biden Administration’s promise to double down on USDA efforts to diversify domestic fertilizer markets is promising and we look forward to providing input on how to do this most effectively.”

A lot of the postings I put in this news feed end up getting into the politics and policies around agriculture, which I am finding are unavoidable during my research into Grain Chain and local food systems. I just posted a separate article from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition that is skeptical of the Biden Administration's plans for boosting commodity crops, while this article from the National Farmers Union supports some of the work.

There are points and counterpoints on a never-ending parade of issues and topics and I find it impossible to stay on top of them all. In terms of a direction of where I can focus my own research, it feels that there is more value in staying focused on grassroots efforts around food systems.

I am starting to think that a more concentrated focus on the news, information and activities of all the direct players in the grain chains across the country have a lot more immediate value that align with the goals of this site and my own research. 

As I mentioned, policy and politics are unavoidable, but there is more value for me in focusing on what is and can be done in the market today that trying to wade into understanding and untangling the commodity system.
Policy & Legal

Plans to Boost Commodity Production a House Of Cards
via National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
Posted May 17, 2022 8:37 pm
As usual, read the full article, but it is the summary of the argument of the post that sparked some comments for me:

Farmers and consumers deserve a fair shake. NSAC believes that taxpayer dollars, if they are to be spent, should be used to uplift resilient production systems and nutritious landscapes. This must include investments in conservation programs and additional incentives for farmers to adopt practices consistent with sustainable, regenerative, agroecological farming. 

Heightened soil health will lead to lower input costs and greater natural yields, which will in turn restore farmer agency. These initiatives would also provide clear returns on investment to the average consumer, as opposed to our current system which produces heavily processed foods that contribute to worsening diet-related illness and rising health care costs. 

I'm in agreement with the sentiment expressed with this blog post from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, but the issue as usual is getting to the ideal they lay out from where we are today with a commodity system.

By no stretch am I fully educated in these new or legacy agricultural systems, but when you have a massive system that needs to be overhauled, you have to tackle it from the bottom with tiny changes. Well, that is how I would as a programmer tackling a large application that has been around for years. You can't just shut it down and start from scratch. You have to replace it, bit by bit, from within the existing system you've got.

My oversimplified thinking starts from building up local and regional food chains by creating a sustainable, market driven marketplace for consumers, businesses and farmers to connect directly. You have to build it from the bottom up in a self-sustaining manner if possible, otherwise you just create a new system with the same dependencies as the old one.

The government can definitely help by shifting funding programs to local and regional food systems development, but this sort of sea change cannot come from the top.

Fresh Flour Facts
via Amy Halloran's Substack site
Posted May 16, 2022 8:47 pm by Paul Bonneville
Great primer and overview of grains, flours and milling. Even if you are already indoctrinated into the world of whole grains and freshly milled flour you are sure to pick up something you didn't know!

Dear Bread readers,

I had a long conversation with fellow writers Andrew Janjigian & Alicia Kennedy about flour options and limits, and I know that brought a lot of you here. Welcome! For my bread pen pals who haven’t seen the talk we had, the transcript is here.

Our talk made me think to share a primer for Fresh Flour.

Artisan Grain Collaborative's "The Crumb" Newsletter - May 15, 2022
via Mailchimp archived newsletter
Posted May 15, 2022 11:13 pm by Paul Bonneville
It’s the middle of May and it's impossible to start off without mention of this wacky weather. As I'm writing, it’s hot and humid and we’re wishing the wild blackcaps were ripe. Instead, the canes are barely leafing out. For small grains farmers like us, this has been an incredibly difficult wet and cold spring. In these challenging moments I am always reminded of the importance of a strong community. This is why I believe AGC is a critical organization for supporting the success of all of us along our regional grain value chain—it fosters a community, built on mutual understanding, knowledge sharing, and authentic relationships.

While this posting it our usual repost of the Artisan Grain Collaborative (AGC) newsletter, the opening piece in this month's issue highlights the importance of organizations bringing together all the players in regional grain chains.

While the AGC is anchored in the Midwest, we have our very own grain chain organization here in Colorado, aptly named the "Colorado Grain Chain". It has been around for a few years and is still relatively small, but there is a small group of passionate folks driving it forward.

I can say with confidence that without these Grain Chain organizations, trying simply to source local and regional grains for a startup bakery is no easy task. Having also talked to farmers growing small grains at the other end of the chain, we know it is just as equally as challenging for them find and manage buyers for their grains.

These grain chain organizations are critical indeed.

Grain R & D in Arizona
via YouTube
Posted April 20, 2022 9:42 pm by Paul Bonneville
So we've actually had Grain R&D in our database since October of last year, but having just come across another reference to them, we realized that had not been published to our site. 

Grain R&D encompasses the entire process of grain from Seed Selection, Cultivation, and Harvest, to Precision Cleaning, Storage and End-use Collaboration with brewers, distillers, bakers & chefs.

Watch the video and check out there site, but if I had to sum up in one sentence what they are all about, I'd say they were "A super condensed, all-in-one, mini Grain Chain" aimed at servicing the culinary community.
Organizations
Processing, Logistics & Distribution
Sales
Farming
Seeds

Colorado Grain Chain Promotional Video
via YouTube
Posted April 11, 2022 9:41 pm by Paul Bonneville
If you live in Colorado and are interested in supporting our local food systems, you should consider joining the Colorado Grain Chain. This is a growing network of dynamic individuals in different areas of our food system, from farmers to makers to consumers. This video was produced by Andrew Calabrese.

Just came across this new promo video of the Colorado Grain Chain.
Advocacy & Education
Marketing & Promotion

A New Wave of Grain Innovation Rises in the Pacific Northwest
via Modern Farmer
Posted April 4, 2022 8:49 pm by Paul Bonneville
Founded in 2011 by plant breeder and geneticist Stephen Jones, the facility is the only one of its kind in the country. The Breadlab works with farmers, millers, bakers and distillers to develop, test and integrate new grains into their regional food systems.

Sometimes I come across articles that pack so much information, my brain has a bit of a short-circuit. This is one of those articles. 

I've known about Finnriver Farm & Grainery (there is a Cidery too) and the WSU Breadlab, but this article takes you a bit deeper into them, as well as some of the founders behind them. If that wasn't enough, today I learned about "population breading".

...This involves planting several thousands of varieties in a field, which allows for free interbreeding and evolutionary changes to organically unfold. Researchers study and select how each one responds to different events throughout the growing season.  

Be sure to read the full article 🚜
Locations
Chimacum, WA,
United States
Farming
Advocacy & Education
Seeds
Science & Research

Building a Local Grain Movement from the Ground Up with Soil, Seed, and Diversity
via Boulder County
Posted April 3, 2022 2:45 pm by Paul Bonneville
Building a Local Grain Movement from the Ground Up with Soil, Seed, and Diversity | $75,000 — This project will advance Colorado's ancient and heritage grain movement by bringing a wider diversity of grains into production, using regenerative practices, and working with a community of regional partners to share best practices through a series of fun educational events.

Boulder County Commissioners announced the recipients of the 2022 Sustainable Food & Agriculture Funds grants, of which MASA Seed foundation was an awardee. MASA is building a local, open seed bank as well as providing a hub for collaboration and educational efforts around regional seed development in Colorado's Front Range. That is a very oversimplified description of what they are doing, so definitely check out their site.

I was excited to see the specific application of funding towards the ancient and heritage grain movement right here in our neck of the woods.
Locations
Boulder, CO,
United States
Seeds
Farming
Advocacy & Education

Awesomeness: Pastificio Boulder sourcing local wheat
via Instagram
Posted April 3, 2022 3:39 pm by Paul Bonneville
And with Spring, a new cycle has begun. @aspenmoonfarm has just sowed our ancient Durum and we can't wait to follow Mother Nature's beautiful process during the upcoming months.

Love seeing a growing local pasta company sourcing some of their wheat from hyper local sources, in this case, Aspen Moon Farm. More of these collaborations, please!
Locations
Boulder, CO,
United States
Farming
Food & beverage creation
Sales

Case Study: Shagbark Seed
via New Venture Advisers
Posted March 28, 2022 12:34 am by Paul Bonneville
They envision a staple food system in which these vital products are grown, processed, value-added, distributed, and marketed at a great enough volume to catalyze the entire food system, creating meaningful work and jobs, and making the very best food accessible to everyone.

If I did not have a day job, I could easily be swept away in researching and writing about interesting Grain Chain stories from across the nation. Often I come across a story from one site or organization that points to an article or a study by another organization that ends up being a very educational and inspirational rabbit hole. This happens time and again. 

While I could try and write about everything I learn, I would never sleep, so my solution is to capture some little snippet of inspiration that is often tangential to the original story I am linking to. This post is one of those stories that generated one of those inspirational snippets.

This case study by a food business consultant, New Venture Advisors, on Shagbark Seed & Mill was referenced in the monthly newsletter of the Artisan Grain Collaborative. Definitely read up on all three organizations if you you are not familiar with them, but pay close attention to Shagbark Seed & Mill. 

Shagbark has built a regionally based food business that is an offshoot of an effort to bolster their local food system in Ohio specifically around grains and beans stemming back to 2010. 

If I was to try an summarize something I'd love to be a part of or at least see develop in Colorado, it is a business like Shagbark. 

While Ashley and I have aspirations to build a local bakery focused on using locally and regionally sourced grains, we also want to make other grain-based products as well. While not a necessarily original idea, there are plenty of products to be made and lots of opportunity for growth even though there are a number of bakeries and companies already doing this. 

This is why I find Shagbark inspirational. Local and regional grain chain food systems can, and are, being done throughout the US.
Locations
Athens, OH,
United States
Processing, Logistics & Distribution
Milling & Malting
Marketing & Promotion
Sales
Subscribe to our Newsletter

Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates.