A grain revolution is rising in Skowhegan By Sarah Walker Caron, Bangor Daily News
In Aroostook County, farmer Jake Dyer is going with the grain.
At Benedicta Grain Co., Dyer has his eye on the future, trying to look ahead to the next five to 10 years to anticipate the market demand for his core crop: Maine grains.
“As a grower, one of the major challenges in Maine right now is the quality of seed,” says Dyer. “If we are happy with [a] variety, we can at least clean some seed and have it on our farm. We can sort of control our supply that way.”
In Portland, baker Alison Pray, owner of Standard Baking Co., still has a hard time believing her bakery is using grain from Maine. Pray is offering a half dozen breads, including two German ryes, made with local grain. The dense, seeded breads are growing in popularity.