Grains of Cascadia beer to support Cascadia Grains Conference

Less than two weeks left to register for the 2019 Cascadia Grains Conference on Friday and Saturday, January 18-19! Includes all meals, classes, keynote, and the Best of Cascadia Tasting featuring distilled and brewed spirits from throughout the region. Taste the new “Grains of Cascadia” beer, a collaboration between WSU Food Systems, LINC Malt and Fremont Brewing at the Saturday Conference! More information below, register today! For more information you can visit www.cascadiagrains.com

Friday and Saturday, January 18 and 19, in various locations in Seattle and Thurston County

  • Friday, January 18, at various locations and times in Seattle and around Thurston County for our Friday Hands-On Field Trips.
    • BAKING: Basics Made Better at the Evergreen State College
    • BAKING: Focaccia for Breakfast at the South Puget Sound Community College
    • EQUIPMENT: All About Grain Combines at the Scatter Creek Farm and Conservancy
    • BREWING AND DISTILLING: Tumwater Craft (Various Locations)
    • TASTING: Heritage Beer with The Grain Shed at the Historic Schmidt House
    • TASTING: London Plane Hosts: A Taste of Local Grain Terroir
  • Saturday, January 19, full conference from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. at the South Puget Sound Community College in Olympia, WA.

Registration is now open for the 2019 Cascadia Grains Conference aimed at rebuilding a regional grain economy in Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia.

The Cascadia Grains Conference will be held Friday, January 18, at various locations in Seattle and around Thurston County for the Friday Field Trips and Saturday, January 19, at the South Puget Sound Community College (2011 Mottman Rd SW, Olympia, WA 98512). Registration and more information about the full day conference events and programs are available at www.cascadiagrains.com. Regular Registration is $115 and $125 for those registering at the door. Scholarships are available.

“This conference will bring together farmers, processors and end users as well as investors, brokers and local government officials to discuss all aspects of rebuilding the region’s grain economy,” said Laura Lewis, WSU Food Systems director and chair of the Cascadia Grains Conference. “The program will focus on regional grains used for three value-added enterprises – brewing and distilling, animal feed, as well as baking and other food uses.”

Lewis noted that grains have been grown in western Washington and Oregon since the fur-trade era of the mid-1800s. “Today, plantings of wheat, barley, oats, rye and triticale are commonly rotated with high-value fruit, vegetable and bulb crops in the region,” she added. “Grains play an important role in reducing nutrient loss, providing organic matter to the soil as well as breaking disease and pest cycles.”

With a Steering Committee of over 25 farmers, government officials, and value-added processors, the Conference is joining a nationwide movement that asks “What does a local grain economy look like?”. Working closely with organizers from Idaho, Oregon and Northern California, this conference is the northwest’s platform for a regional grain conversation.

Despite a strong and growing demand for local grains, developing outside markets isn’t easy for non-commodity growers in coastal Cascadia. “In part, this is due to critical handling and processing infrastructure having been moved, dismantled or repurposed for non-agricultural uses,” Lewis said.

At the conference farmers learn about grain production, connect with scale‐appropriate buyers, and learn strategies on increasing demands for cereals used for poultry and livestock feeds, artisan breads, malting, brewing, and distilling.
 Processors and other end-users get an inside look into grain production, quality, and brokering relationships to utilize and market products using local grain.
 Investors, brokers and local government officials get the scoop on rising investment and policy opportunities for the region’s grain economy.

The conference will feature 18 workshops, a Resource Expo, three local grain focused meals, and entry to the Best of the Cascadia Tasting, featuring beers and spirits from around the region. Workshops cover a series of topics such as growing regional grains, grains for beer and spirits, grains for animal feed, adding value (bringing grain products to the market), and telling the unique story of grains in the Northwest.

Cascadia Grains Conference 2019 is presented by WSU Food Systems, Fremont Brewing, and LINC Malt along with many other supporting organizations and agencies. For more information contact Aba Kiser, Project Manager at 360-379-5610 ext 211or cascadia.grains@wsu.edu.

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