Farmer Talk: Rebuilding Our Local Grain Economy

We’re excited to invite farmer Stuart Farr, Owner/Farmer of Hudson Valley Hops & Grains, with our host Patrick Shaw-Kitch, Owner/Baker of Brooklyn Granary & Mill to a discussion on their roles in the critical work of rebuilding our local grain economy. Applicable to anyone who is interested in the direct farmer to baker (and/or chef) relationship, the discussion will focus on the grain economy as an example of how we might rebuild a local regional food system. We’ll hear from Stuart about the process of selecting varieties to grow and the feedback cycles with partners like Patrick. Patrick will demonstrate milling flour on his 40” New American Stone Mills and the process as a baker to adjust and bake with fresh flour. We’ll hear from them both about the importance of soil health, the connection to flavor and human health, community and more.

5:30PM: Arrivals

6:00PM: Program Begins

6:15PM: Milling Demo by Patrick Shaw-Kitch

6:30PM: Discussion and Open Q&A

8:00PM: Program Ends

Brooklyn Granary & Mill is founded on the ideas that flour is even better when it is grown in a way that makes the soil better, that better bread comes from fresh stone milled whole grain flour, and that more access points are needed to bring regional grains to bakeries, restaurants, and individuals in New York City. BGM's owner, Patrick Shaw-Kitch, has worked in the food industry for 20 years and spent nearly 5 years stone milling whole grain flours and baking with them as the head baker at Blue Hill at Stone Barns. There he worked with amazing farmers and grains from the Northeast and Mid Atlantic and was motivated to broaden the market for these products and stone milling.

Stuart Farr is the owner of Hudson Valley Hops & Grains, a 400-acre certified organic farm in Columbia County, New York. Brought up on a mixed arable and beef farm in England, Stuart has been farming in the Hudson Valley since 2015. The farm produces human food crops: wheat, barley, rye, einkorn, and oats for milling, malting, and distilling; sunflower, canola, camelina, and flax, which are pressed into oil on the farm; black beans and buckwheat; and practices biological farming, managing the soil as the living ecosystem that it is. Foundational to this approach is maintaining a soil environment which shelters and feeds soil micro-organisms, which in turn make soil minerals available to plants. They feed this underground wildlife with molasses, liquid fish, and kelp, as well as cover crops.

The Libi Project is a mission-driven culinary community and creative studio uplifting early-stage entrepreneurs, creatives, and farmers. We foster meaningful connections across the food and beverage industry through storytelling and thoughtfully designed programming that celebrate craft, culture, and community. Our work creates opportunities for learning, collaboration, and alternative career growth—supporting culinary creatives who seek to carve their own path beyond traditional hospitality and restaurant models.

Climate Farm School is an on-farm, evidence-based, farmer-led educational experience for people ready to participate in food systems transformation. From 5-day course programs, to retreats and/or workshops, our programming is rooted in an ethic of experiential learning, farmer empowerment, diversified food system stakeholder collaboration, and ecosystem restoration to address local climatic conditions. For more information on upcoming programs: link here.