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.

> Ghost Box Pizza emerged from a creative pivot by the team behind Stem Cider and Acreage: 'After the second shutdown in November of 2020...we started selling Detroit style pizza out of Acreage as a ghost kitchen,' explains director of operations Sarah Ingraham. The concept proved so successful that 'pizza stole the show and we knew we had something great,' prompting the team to open a dedicated restaurant at 103 South Public Road in Old Town Lafayette. Open Monday-Thursday 4-9pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-10pm, and Sunday 11am-9pm, Ghost Box specializes in two distinct pizza styles: Detroit-style rectangular pizzas with thick, hearty crusts (available in small 8x10 inch or large 10x14 inch sizes) and wood-fired thin-crust Neapolitan pizzas, including vegan options. Beyond custom-built pizzas and specialty pies like the 'ghost pig' (bacon, charred pineapple, and ghost pepper sauce), the restaurant showcases Colorado craft beverages including locally-sourced beers from Great Divide and Odell, Stem Ciders offerings, and an eclectic wine selection. With special promotions like kids eat free Mondays and Trivia Tuesdays, plus a front patio with fire pit and downstairs lounge for games, Ghost Box has become a farm-to-table pizza destination rooted in community and Colorado craft culture.

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.

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.

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.

...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.  

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.

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.

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.

Thomas Toth & Mad Agriculture have released a report examining Local Grain Sourcing for the Colorado Brewing and Distilling Industries.

This in-depth research pulls together many of the threads of the local supply chain to holistically investigate the case for regionally sourced grain.

To move beyond that, he sees a need for greater scale and greater organization. He doesn’t necessarily envision a trade organization, but possibly a marketplace or a forum for growers or buyers to band together and create enough demand or enough supply to move the needle. “We need an opportunity to have the conversation,” he said.

According to the National Association of Wheat Growers, every time you buy a loaf of bread only 17 cents goes back to the farmer. Chandler Goule, CEO of the lobbying group, said the uncertainty for the farmers is just now sprouting.