A Message from CGA Executive Director Madelyn Smith
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, as established by the federal government of the United States in 1941. The team at CGA appreciates this moment to gather with friends & family to express gratitude for the good fortune we have experienced in the past year. However, we acknowledge that the traditional Thanksgiving origin story is false; it distorts the brutal truth of European colonization and the enslavement, violence, and genocide experienced by the Native people of the Western Hemisphere.
The Mid-Atlantic, as it is known today, was originally home to over 60 uniquely identifiable tribes of Indigenous people for centuries. In Tsenacommacah (the Tidewater region by the coast), most were Algonquin-speaking peoples represented by the Powhatan, Nanticoke, & Piscataway chiefdoms, while areas further inland were home to Siouan or Iroquoian-speaking tribes.
In just the first 93 years of European occupation, less than 1% of the original inhabitants of the region survived pandemics carried over the Atlantic Ocean and the outright violence perpetrated by European colonizers. Today, the federal government officially recognizes just 7 tribes in the Mid-Atlantic: the Chickahominy, the Eastern Chickahominy, the Upper Mattaponi, the Monacan, the Nansemond, the Pamunkey Indian Tribe, and the Rappahannock. There are an additional 16 tribes recognized at the state level and upwards of 50 tribes that have outstanding petitions for recognition across the Mid-Atlantic states CGA reaches into.
For the Indigenous people of the United States, Thanksgiving is a day of mourning for the centuries of violence they have faced on top of the continued denial of their human and civil rights. We occupy their ancestral lands. As an organization, we seek to promote the sustainable land stewardship and regenerative agricultural practices that were innovated by the Native people of the Americas. Today, and every day, it is our heartfelt intention to sit with the legacy of generational harm perpetrated against our Indigenous neighbors, family, and friends; to celebrate the vibrancy and resilience of the descendants of those who survived; and learn from their vision to support an equitable regional grain economy.
We’re honored to be featured in an insightful and thoughtfully reported piece by esteemed food policy publication Civil Eats, “Restoring a Cornerstone of the Local Grain Economy.”
The article explores how the Craft Millers Guild is working to provide a community for a new generation of millers who draw inspiration from historic practices and try to help restore regional grain economies that have been lost to industrialization. CGA members Carolina Ground, Deep Roots Milling, and Red Tail Grains are also featured. Check it out!
On Monday, Nov. 11, close to 50 attendees joined us, CRAFT Chatham and Deer Creek Malthouse for our first-ever Pittsburgh Grain Gathering! From our hands-on Rye Workshop in the morning to an insightful panel discussion and delicious local pizza, the event brought together passionate grain growers, bakers, and foodies for a deep dive into Western Pennsylvania’s local grain movement. Thank you to PA Preferred for providing sponsorship for this event
We are excited to be expanding our Pennsylvania events and grain network in partnership with CRAFT Chatham, Deer Creek Malthouse and Third Space PGH. Stay tuned for news about future events!
The Agriculture Leadership Development Initiative (ALDI) is a transformative program by Future Harvest and funded by the USDA 2501 grant, dedicated to empowering underserved farmers with the mission of providing vital resources and support to those who need it most in order to foster a new era of agricultural leadership and innovation.
The 9-month program consists of three transformative and interactive field days, bi-weekly meetings on Zoom for interactive sessions and discussions, free access to the annual Future Harvest conference, and more.
Looking to incorporate Mid-Atlantic grains into your winter holidays? We've got you covered with our Cornbread Stuffing recipe. Just be sure to prepare this stuffing one day before you want to serve--it needs a night in the fridge before baking. This recipe was developed by professional baker, cheesemaker and former Common Grain Alliance Board Member Jazmyne Ortiz, and starts with a cornbread recipe shared with us by CGA Member Savage Acres Farm.