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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 13 J U LY 1 2 , 2 0 2 1 F O C U S A U G U S TA / WAT E R V I L L E / C E N T R A L M A I N E organic growing practices, production has quadrupled since then, growing oats, wheat, rye, spelt, legumes and buckwheat on 420 acres — considered mid-sized for Maine but small compared with the thousand-acre tracts in Kansas. From harvest, the multi-step pro- cess includes storage, drying, cleaning, sorting, packaging and processing. Grain is graded by characteristics including size, density, width, round- ness, texture and color. Additionally, Aurora conducts grain trials with the alliance and the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, seeking varieties that work well in Maine's climate, which is increas- ingly important with climate change. As it did with Amaral, Aurora grows grain in response to specific customers. "We build relationships," says Sara Williams. For example, it grows oats for Allagash Brewing and buckwheat for Portland restaurant Yosaku's soba noodles. "ese are people who value local and want product grown in a sustainable way," she says. Also instrumental in the resur- gence is Amber Lambke, a found- ing director of the alliance who, with baker Michael Scholz, started Maine Grains, a gristmill in downtown Skowhegan. Launched in 2012 as a way to restore processing infrastruc- ture in central Maine, the mill today serves 45 farms and provides stone- milled flour and rolled oats to baker- ies, breweries, natural food stores and restaurants throughout the Northeast. e increase in demand became starkly apparent during the pan- demic, when Lambke saw online sales skyrocket. She added extra shifts and workers and bought two additional machines to weigh and fill retail- size bags. e demand has continued and this year she expanded sales into Hannaford supermarkets and is plan- ning to expand production space as part of a mixed-use development on an adjacent lot. Stay informed, engaged and connected with a Mainebiz Classic Membership. You'll receive bi-weekly issues, special publications and access to all articles on Mainebiz.biz. Know Maine Business. Or call: 845.267.3008 Subscribe online: www.mainebiz.biz C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 1 6 » P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y S O M A L I B A N T U C O M M U N I T Y A S S C . PH OTO / C OU R TES Y S OM ALI BANTU C OM M U NI TY AS S OC I ATI ON Developing a flint corn market L iberation Farms, a community-farming program of the Somali Bantu Community Association in Lewiston, began growing a traditional grain called "flint corn" in 2015, when the program comprised about 20 farmers. Each farmer receives one-tenth acre to grow food for themselves and their families. Today, the program has about 220 plots. About half of each plot goes to flint corn, traditionally used for por- ridge and flatbread. Through a separate commercial cooperative called Iskashito, about 8,000 pounds of flint corn was sold commercially in 2020. Buyers include Maine Grains, Tortilleria Pachanga and Night Moves Bread, producing cornmeal, tortillas and bread. Maine Grain Alliance has provided sup- port. Farmers markets are on tap this year. "We hope to scale up," says Kristina Kalolo, Liberation Farms' markets manager. "It's been help- ful around food security and economic security." Flint corn is traditionally used for porridge and flatbread. Asha Sheikhuna and Hassan Aweis farm flint corn at Whiting Farm in Auburn.