A Message from CGA Executive Director Madelyn Smith
Across our region, grain farmers are busy preparing and planting their fields with their winter grain crops. The grains being planted now will soon experience a process called “vernalization”. Vernalization is when seeds are exposed to prolonged cool temperatures, enabling them to sprout and flower once temperatures warm in the spring. This is an adaptation of many winter crops, allowing plants to time their flowering in the spring to avoid unfavorable weather. Winter grains will germinate and emerge from the ground in the early spring when temperatures warm, but won’t be ready for harvest until June or July of next year. This means that, if you eat local grains, farmers are now planting the grains that you will be eating this time next year! It takes a full year to plan, cultivate, and harvest a grain crop. Next time you see a grain farmer (possibly at a CGA event) thank them for their hard work producing grains for our region.
We are also beginning to reflect on everything Common Grain Alliance has accomplished in 2024, and laying plans for the year ahead. If you have ideas or suggestions for programming you would like to see from CGA in 2025, please shoot me an email at madelyn@commongrainalliance.org. My inbox is always open.
On Saturday, Oct. 12, hundreds of people attended our second-ever Mid-Atlantic Grain Fair, held in collaboration with Friends of Peirce Mill. We’d like to extend a very special thank you to everyone who made this event possible, from our vendors at the Shoemaker Street Market, to our educators in the Grain Classroom, and to all who participated in an exhibition. We received rave reviews from attendees and passerby, many of whom were learning about the Mid-Atlantic local grains movement for the first time! Check out this video featuring moments from the fair, and some photos below. More to come, and we’re already getting excited about next year!
Join us on Monday, Nov. 11 a full day of hands-on learning, discussion, and networking focused on the local grain movement in Western Pennsylvania. The day begins with a Rye Workshop at Third Space Bakery (10:00 am - 12:00 pm), designed for professional bakers interested in integrating rye to increase grain diversity and whole-grain offerings ($40). In the afternoon, join us at Eden Hall at Chatham University for a free Grain Value Chain Panel Discussion with CRAFT Chatham. The day concludes with a free Pizza Bake & Networking Event (4:00 pm - 6:00 pm) at CRAFT's wood-fired pizza oven. Make sure to register to save your spot!
If you can’t join us in person, the Grain Value Chain Panel Discussion will be livestreamed on CRAFT Chatham’s Youtube Channel and available afterwards as a recording.
Exciting news: The Virginia Heritage Grain Project, led by CGA board member Shelley Sackier of Reservoir Distillery, is a finalist for the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) Innovation Showcase. Tune in on Wednesday, Oct. 30 from 1-2 p.m. ET for the free virtual event. DISCUS judges will oversee the competition in real-time and you’ll have the opportunity to vote for the Virginia Heritage Grain Project to win! Top Innovators will be awarded prize packages at the 2025 DISCUS Annual Conference, March 26-28 in Washington, D.C. Prizes range in value from $5000 to $20,000, including a $10,000 top prize.
We’re so excited to introduce the Mid-Atlantic Grain Stand Loyalty Program! From now until Sunday, December 1, every item you purchase at the Mid-Atlantic Grain Stand earns you one entry into our prize drawing for a limited-edition Holiday Baking Bag featuring some of the best local grains from our region, valued at $90!
Here’s how it works:
1️⃣Use this link to download your digital Grain Stand Loyalty stamp card (it will be stored in your Apple Wallet/Google Pay!)
2️⃣ Shop at a Mid-Atlantic Grain Stand from now through December 1
3️⃣ After checkout, get your card stamped by the grain specialist on staff
4️⃣ Sit back and relax! Each stamp will be 1 entry towards our grand prize: a limited-edition Holiday Baking Bag featuring some of the best local grains from our region!
Make sure you don’t miss out on this opportunity to secure funding for a future project! American Farmland Trust and the Virginia Soil Health Coalition are collaborating to offer the Healthy Soils Grant Program. The program encourages producers and partners to pilot impactful ideas that innovatively fill gaps and address barriers to the adoption of soil health-building systems. It also aims to incentivize the adoption of practices and transformation of systems that go above and beyond current standards, supporting farmers, ideas, and expenses that are ineligible for other programs. Awards up to $30,000 for a single producer or $50,000 for a group of producers will be considered.
Applications for the 2024-2025 grant cycle are now open and will be accepted through November 15th, 2024. Note: The project must be entirely located in Virginia.