SUPPORTING THE GRAIN COMMUNITY SINCE 2007
Upcoming Events
When: March 20, 2025
Where: Zoom
Time: 6PM-8PM EST
Price: $50
As a paying participant, you’ll have exclusive access to the workshop recordings for 6 months. This includes the full workshop video, all questions and insights from the chat, and any recipes or handouts shared during the session. Enjoy the flexibility to revisit the content at your own pace!
A Maine Grains Menu with Vanessa Seder
a virtual cooking class
In this workshop, recipe developer and food stylist Vanessa Seder will teach you how to make a three-course meal using Maine Grains. The Maine-based author of Warm Your Bones (Union Square & Co, Nov. 2024) will walk you through the hearty, aromatic recipes, answering any cooking questions and teaching you some knife skills along the way. It all finishes out with a sweet dessert!
Recipes will include:
-
Shaved Brussels Sprouts, Maine Grains Farro, Lemon, Cracked Pepper, and Pecorino Salad
-
Buckwheat Crepes with Wild Mushrooms and Robiola (Maine Grains Sifted Flour, Buckwheat Flour)
-
Browned Butter Grapefruit Shortbread Cookies
(Maine Grains Sifted Flour)
About the Presenter
Vanessa Seder has worked in the food industry for over twenty years as a recipe developer, food stylist, chef instructor, and author. Her cookbooks include Warm Your Bones, Eat Cool, (which received positive reviews from the New York Times and elsewhere), and the award-winning Secret Sauces. A graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City, Vanessa is a regular contributor to Bluedot Living, and has developed recipes for Real Simple, All You, Health, Cooking Light, Hannaford’s Fresh, Ladies’ Home Journal – where she previously served as associate food editor, and Maine The Way, among others. She lives with her family in Portland, Maine. She can be found online at vanessaseder.com and on Instagram @vanessa_seder_eats and @vanessasedereats.bsky.social.
When:
March 27, 2025, 3-5PM
Where:
Held Virtually Via Zoom
Price:
Free
Scaling Up Organic Grains for Commercial Markets
Maine’s grain economy has seen incredible growth over the last decade, driven by a revival of the state’s milling and malting industries.
Farmers and producer partnerships made this revival possible and maintaining them will be crucial to meet the growing demand for organic grains in the years to come.
This workshop will bring together three local producers — Amber Lambke (Maine Grains), Joel Alex (Blue Ox Malthouse), and Kerry Hanney (Night Moves Bakery) — for a discussion on the future of Maine’s grain economy, offering insight on market trends and opportunities for further collaboration.
When: April 11-12, 2025
Where: Kennebec Valley Community College-Alfond Campus, Maine Grains, The Miller’s Table Cafe
Price –> Farmers: Free; Non-farmers: $50; MGA Members: $25
Organic Grain & Seed Summit
Join us for the first annual Organic Grain & Seed Summit — a two-day event for farmers, seed savers, and aspiring grain growers!
Your ticket will include:
-
A welcome dinner at the Miller’s Table with your fellow attendees and presenters.
A guided tour of the Maine Grains gristmill.
-
Participation in a rare, heritage & landrace grain exchange/swap.
-
Admittance to a full day of educational workshops, exploring topics such as organic weed management, building soil health, growing grains for seed production, heritage seed restoration, and more
This farmer-focused event is made possible through the Maine Grain Alliance’s Transition to Organic Partnership Program grant, providing valuable resources for farmers. Farmers can attend for free, while tickets are also available for purchase for non-farmers and community members interested in the event’s topics, workshops, and events. MGA members receive a discounted ticket price.
The 2025 Kneading Conference
July 24-25, 2025
Skowhegan, ME
The Kneading Conference brings together grainiacs and bread buffs from all over the country. Farmers, professional and home bakers, brewers, chefs, cooks, grain researchers, maltsters, food entrepreneurs, and wood-fired oven enthusiasts gather to educate one another about the art and science of growing and milling grains, baking artisan breads, and brewing delicious beer. Whether you are a professional, or just yearning to know more about the craft, this event is for you.
Maine Artisan Bread Fair
Date: July 26
Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Where: Skowhegan State Fairgrounds
Cost: $5 per person, children-> free admittance
The Maine Artisan Bread Fair is one of a kind. It is a fair dedicated solely to real bread and everything associated with this most ancient and central staple. The Maine Grain Alliance has sponsored the Bread Fair for fifteen years and the offerings have grown each year. While you will be captivated by the wares in each booth, you will also tantalize your taste buds as you sample foods ranging from pizzas cooked in wood-fired ovens, fresh sourdough loaves, sweet pastries, and a variety of other locally produced delicious food.
Inspiring & Empowering Grain Community
Our Mission
To inspire & empower people who are building local grain economies. We create connections & share grain traditions & innovations from earth to table.
Make a Donation
Our Vision
We envision a world where local grain economies that are good for people and good for the planet can thrive.
Become A Member
Our Current Programs
RARE & HERITAGE SEED RESTORATION
Our seed restoration project aims to restore rare and heritage variety grains by turning handfuls of carefully kept seed into commercially viable quantities for farms.
Grain & Baking Education
Our grain and baking education program provides live and online workshops, baking tips, free learning resources, videos, handbooks and more provided by experts in the field.
Supporting Grain Farms
The ability to handle and finish grain to meet top quality standards is critical on farms. This project will purchase equipment and demonstrate its best uses on seven farms throughout Maine.
Kneading Conference & Maine Artisan Bread Fair
The annual conference and fair held in Skowhegan, ME features two full days of intensive workshops on grain topics and hands-on baking experiences where participants rub elbows with the some of the world’s most acclaimed bakers & chefs.
Grants
The MGA provides funds need-based technical assistance and equipment helping grain-based business owners secure economic opportunities. Most revently, the MGA has offered two rounds of Emergency Relief Funding in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Celebrate Our Incredible Grain Community and Remember All the Fun from Kneading Conferences of the Past
Explore Dozens of Educational & Instructional Videos from MGA
Baking Tips and Recipes from Kneading Conference Presenters
Kneading Conference Photo Galleries by Year
Explore the Kneading Conference via #KneadingConference
Help Us Make A Difference For Grain Businesses In A Time of Need
Support the Maine Grain Alliance As We Support our Community
$5
$10
$50
$250
$500
Other
Make a Donation
Our Sponsors
