Do you know what your bread is made of?
While there are some healthy options available in the grocery, the main ingredient in many breads is refined flour, most often made from industrially grown wheat and processed in such a way that removes the bran and germ from the whole grain, making it more shelf stable but less nutritious and devoid of flavor. With the industrialization of our food system, regional heritage farms and local artisanal grains fell out of favor, and many of the benefits of better flavor, nutrition and ecological practices were lost with them.
Thankfully, there has been a resurgence of interest in artisanal grains, more localized production, and more availability of better products for purchase. Organizations like Slow Food, and regional grain alliances have helped in education efforts as well as creating a support network for growers and consumers. Common Grain Alliance (CGA) was founded in 2018 as a nonprofit with the mission of connecting grain farmers, processors, and grain artisans to build a local support system and network to grow the profile of local grain throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.
On a recent evening in Richmond, I had the opportunity to attend a lively CGA Baker meet-up, hosted by Reservoir Distillery in Scott’s Addition. After an introduction by Madelyn Smith, the executive director of CGA, the gathering of local baking professionals, home bakers, and farmers were riveted by presentations from Sub Rosa’s Evrim Dogu, local baking hobbyist Mark Woodward, Future Harvest’s Grace Leatherman, farmer Craig McClung from All Farm Organics in Louisa and the third miller from Deep Roots Milling, and Reservoir Distillery’s Director of Education Shelley Sackier.
Strategies and samplers
Smith explained in her welcome that baking with local grains not only tastes better, but also connects us to the rich agricultural heritage of our region. CGA is trying to rebuild a supply chain with a human element by supporting local farmers and reducing our carbon footprint. The conversations swirled around a combination of geeky baking tips (because baking with local grains poses some different challenges), strategies for sourcing and growing heirloom grains, and the fascinating experiments that Reservoir Distillery is conducting to create whiskey imbued with the character of a local terroir through local grains. This is a journey to discover what Virginia tastes like; samples of Seashore Black Rye, one of the grains being tested, were raffled off, with some crowd-sourced feedback to be provided as part of Reservoir’s research.
My favorite part of the evening was the sampling. Most of the roughly 25 attendees arrived laden with home-baked goodies. From pear-stuffed hand pies to polenta strawberry confections to spelt chocolate chips and lots of bread using a variety of flours and grains. The room bubbled with community and camaraderie, with interesting conversations and shared resources to facilitate the journey into local grains.
CGA membership growing
What started as a group of thirteen, a baker’s dozen, has grown to an organization of over 100 small business owner members. The CGA website is a treasure trove of resources for farmers and producers looking to network and share best practices and a great spot for food lovers and hobby bakers to learn more about baking with local grains. Those seeking to procure grains can reference a handy  interactive map that plots stores and markets that sell  products made with local  grains as well as raw ingredients. Richmond area locales include Sub Rosa Bakery and Pizza Bones in Church Hill, as well as several markets. The map extends west to Charlottesville and throughout Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic region. Additionally, they’ve established a curated Local Grain Trail that highlights many of the members of CGA that welcome visitors. Plan your next road trip into the countryside of Virginia to visit member farms and bakeries!
Upcoming regional events include another Baker Meet Up at Washington D.C.’s  influential Seylou Bakery on Dec. 9 and the Mid-Atlantic Grain Fair & Conference in Loudon County next Spring with a public grain fair on March 16 at  Wheatland Spring Farm and Brewery and the Mid-Atlantic Grain Conference on March 17 at Riverside on the Potomac.
