Mainebiz

V O L . X X V I I N O. X I V J U LY 1 2 , 2 0 2 1 16 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 "I think COVID presented an opportunity to play a role in meeting the needs of families and households with new products that are delicious and convenient to prepare at home," Lambke says. "I think those trends will continue." at's meaningful for farmers, who are not only increasing their produc- tion levels but finding more seed vari- eties adaptable to Maine's climate. "We're seeing more heritage varieties, for example that are avail- able to use at commercial scale," she adds. Finding flavors and textures Night Moves' Hanney sources most of her grain through Lambke. Her other providers include Songbird Farm in Unity, Aurora, and Liberation Farms, a community farm- ing program of the Somali Bantu Community Association in Lewiston. Hanney uses a stone mill made by a friend in Vermont to turn whole rye, spelt, corn and oats into flour — a process that offers control over the exact texture she's looking for and the kind of freshness unequalled by store- bought flour. "e flavor and the aroma are huge," she says. "It can vary from har- vest to harvest. And then there are so many different varieties of grain that can have subtle differences in color and flavor, depending on the season, depending on where they're grown. For us, it's like painting — we have a whole palette to choose from that is the whole terroir of the region." As a baker, Hanney notes grain's characteristics based on region and climate. For example, a recent hot, dry year produced drier flour with higher protein content, demanding more water and less handling in her bread dough. "I don't expect the same consistency that people expect from, say, General Mills," she says. "It's more 'of a place.' I take all the information about the grain and I adjust our practices, rather than expecting a white flour that's going to be the same all the time." Flavors vary, too. Hanney charac- terizes spelt as "nutty, kind of buttery." Rye's flavor might be like an apple orchard or coriander; oats might have a honey scent. "I think grains used to be thought of as neutral in flavor," Lambke says. On the contrary, "wheat can range from sweet and nutty to more bitter." » C O N T I N U E D F RO M PA G E 1 3 Thursday, August 12, 4:00 - 6:00 P.M. The Woodlands Club Falmouth, ME Stepping Up & Stepping Back Learn about the Circles of Influence, along with strategies for applying it, the qualities of a step up and step back leader and identify areas they want to grow. Discover why and how to put people in the right positions and some strategies to do so. Expanding Your Influence sponsored by: Register at www.fambusiness.org with Francis Eberle Networking, beverages and hors d'oeuvres NonprofitMaine.org/PowertheCommonGood #NonprofitsWorkForME 1 IN 6 In Central Maine 11,000 11,000 That's over people! workers is employed by a nonprofit P H O T O / F R E D J. F I E L D Tristan Noyes, executive director of the Maine Grain Alliance in Skowhegan, says Maine's grain economy is seeing a resurgence through food and brews. F O C U S

• Cover