Mendocino Grain Project

community-supported way of producing grain locally

What’s a Grain-Share?

• A community-supported way of producing grain locally
• Members buy a share in the annual grain harvest and receive a portion of the grains produced
• Member shares support the cost of growing, harvesting and distributing the grain
• Members share with the farmers the risk of poor or failed crops

How Will It Work?

• The farmers will prepare the fields, care for the soil, plant and harvest the crops, and distribute the grain shares to members
• Each member of the grain-share will buy one or more shares of the harvest in exchange for 100-120 pounds of grains. We anticipate that each share will cost $150-$200.
• Members will receive periodic updates on progress of the crops, expected harvest times, plans for distributing the grain shares, and suggestions for storing and using the grains.


Why?

• To re-establish grains as part of the food produced in Mendocino County
• To support local farmers and a local food economy in our County
• To enjoy fresh grains and legumes grown organically from seeds not genetically engineered
• To reduce the “carbon footprint” of the grains you eat
• To increase local control of our food supply, which is increasingly concentrated in the hands of a few giant corporations.

The Grains

• Hard winter and spring wheats for baking
• Special wheats for pasta, tortillas, etc.
• Oats for cereal and for feeding poultry and animals
• Barley for cereal and feed
• Rye for cereals and baking
• Selected heirloom grains

Meet the Farmers

John Gramke and Doug Mosel, both Nebraska-born farm-boys, and Sophia Bates of the Apple Farm, will be working in a unique collaboration with landowners and vineyards who are making land available for grain — in particular the Nelson Family Vineyard, where most of the grains will be grown in 2010.