In the central Maine town of Skowhegan, in the US, an old county jail is housing
something entirely different these days, The Guardian reports.
Since 2012, the 117-year-old brick and granite building has been the home of Somerset Grist Mill and Maine Grains, a wholesaler producing stone-milled flour and related products from grains grown by local farmers, says the report.
The building’s transformation began in 2007 with a discussion among some grain farmers, bakers, oven builders and others attending Skowhegan’s inaugural 'Kneading Conference', an annual gathering devoted to preserving grain-related traditions, uses and local jobs.
The group brainstormed ways to meet growing demand for locally-produced, organic flours, as well as revitalise grain-related business in the region. This conversation inspired Amber Lambke, who had helped organize the conference and her business partner Michael Scholz to co-found both the mill and the wholesale flour business.
The pair were “excited to reinvigorate the grain production market”, Lambke says, “Since the human market offers the highest and best use for the grain and the best return for farmers”.
It took a family business in Stribach, Austria to help Lambke and Scholz succeed locally, however. That’s where they found the grist mill that met the needs of Skowhegan for size, craftsmanship and grinding technique. The mill stands eight by five feet in a pinewood frame and uses a traditional stone milling process: two round stones, each four feet across, turn very slowly atop of one another, grinding at a low temperature that preserves the grain’s nutritional value and taste.
“People are becoming more aware of the quality of their flour and the texture more desired by bakers,” Lambke told The Guardian. “The larger stones at the Somerset Grist Mill produce a finer and softer, velvety flour.”
Maine Grains sells its products – mostly certified organic flour and rolled oats – wholesale to bakers, grocery stores and smaller markets in five- and 50-pound bags. Lambke credits the local food movement for a renewed and expanding interest in regionally-produced grains.
Since 2012, the 117-year-old brick and granite building has been the home of Somerset Grist Mill and Maine Grains, a wholesaler producing stone-milled flour and related products from grains grown by local farmers, says the report.
The building’s transformation began in 2007 with a discussion among some grain farmers, bakers, oven builders and others attending Skowhegan’s inaugural 'Kneading Conference', an annual gathering devoted to preserving grain-related traditions, uses and local jobs.
The group brainstormed ways to meet growing demand for locally-produced, organic flours, as well as revitalise grain-related business in the region. This conversation inspired Amber Lambke, who had helped organize the conference and her business partner Michael Scholz to co-found both the mill and the wholesale flour business.
The pair were “excited to reinvigorate the grain production market”, Lambke says, “Since the human market offers the highest and best use for the grain and the best return for farmers”.
It took a family business in Stribach, Austria to help Lambke and Scholz succeed locally, however. That’s where they found the grist mill that met the needs of Skowhegan for size, craftsmanship and grinding technique. The mill stands eight by five feet in a pinewood frame and uses a traditional stone milling process: two round stones, each four feet across, turn very slowly atop of one another, grinding at a low temperature that preserves the grain’s nutritional value and taste.
“People are becoming more aware of the quality of their flour and the texture more desired by bakers,” Lambke told The Guardian. “The larger stones at the Somerset Grist Mill produce a finer and softer, velvety flour.”
Maine Grains sells its products – mostly certified organic flour and rolled oats – wholesale to bakers, grocery stores and smaller markets in five- and 50-pound bags. Lambke credits the local food movement for a renewed and expanding interest in regionally-produced grains.
“Lots of people are experimenting and working to get the quality of grain to a place where they can sell it,” Lambke says. “The University of Maine Cooperative Extension has been studying organic bread wheat production in Maine and are supporting the farmers to grow grains.”
In 2014 Lambke expects to process about 250 tons of grains, sourced from over 200 acres. (Maine Grains alone currently buys wheat and oats from 12 farmers across Maine, with other grains slated for the future.) The mill accepts grains from farms transitioning to certified organic standards, but requires all its suppliers to refrain from using any chemical pesticides or fertilizers.
The startup’s prospects are bright: Based on current growth and demand, Lambke expects Somerset Grist Mill’s annual volume to increase to around 600 tons by 2017. But challenges include the low margins traditional to milling, as well as finding new investment capital to fund growth; building both a steady supply and new markets; and creating efficient production schedules.
Manpower is also an issue: New workers usually need to be trained in milling, an art that has mostly been lost.
Somerset also faces competition – primarily from Canadian mills, although small mills have begun popping up around the north-east, including in Vermont and New York.
Read more HERE.
The Global Miller
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