Episode 179: Sam Mudge

Sam started farming the family land in 2010 after working on several farms around the state of Maine. One of those farms grew grain for their dairy herd as well as for human consumption, and after a couple of seasons there Sam learned about the lack of regional organic grain production in the Northeast. The path was clear – Maine needed regionally produced certified organic cereals and beans! This year will be Sam’s third season growing grains and dry beans, continuing his focus on growing out and multiplying rare and heirloom varieties for seed stock as well as for stone ground flours and meals. In the coming years Sam wants to integrate livestock and fruit growing into his small-scale grain operation. His goal is to provide the local community with a diversity of regionally adapted grains and dry beans as well as to educate and inspire people to cook with these local products. This program has been sponsored by Heritage Foods USA.

“That’s one of the hurdles – the first year I harvested grain I didn’t have any way to dry them.” [20:00]

“[The kneading conference] is really fantastic. I would try to go to the one here in Maine, or out on the west coast”. [25:45]

Sam Mudge on Greenhorns Radio.