Common Grains Conference, Scotland

Letter from Rosie Gray about the Common Grain Conference held in Scotland –

Common Grains – A Scottish Grain Revolution connecting crofters, farmers, millers, brewers, bakers, and scientists.

(We Knead Nature was a co-sponsor)

Thank you so much for all your support, advice and the money was used for lunch. Which was grown right outside the venue by small scale growers East Neuk Market Garden and Tom na’ ha who are in Perthshire. It is brilliant to be able to support these guys who are working so hard and feeding their local communities.

I have attached a few photos from the day, and am getting more in from a friend who took a lot on the day. I have sent everyone who attended the link to We Knead Nature and explained about your work before the lunch.

On the day we had a discussion panel on Real Quality and what this means in each field Grower, Miller, Brewer, Holistic Land Manager, and Baker. With some real good questions from the audience. Then work on our shared values and how we continue working in line with them.

Lunch of parsnip soup, kale, purple potato salad, wholemeal pies filled with pumpkin, and veggie hot salads and coleslaws. Also plenty breads, pastries, and biscuits.

There were also talks on intercropping from the Soil Association looking at growing grains with legumes and The Crofters: Diversity Pays, a trial of growing the Uist seed mix and separating the Hebridean Rye to test for making bread and beer.

There is also our outcomes from the day attached, we looked at challenges in developing our local grain economy and solutions, which led to what action we take now. This also involved a 5-year vision we work towards, with plans to reach them and each person accountable to a partner. This week everyone is to speak to someone they don’t usually about grains and have chosen another task, examples of these are in the document too.

We already have 4 farmers now participating in intercropping trials next year, millers, met millers (neighbours really but never see each other) brewers found local maltsters, and bakers learnt more of challenges in growing. It was brilliant for 55 folk to be in one place, (25 others couldn’t attend but are keen to be involved) and everyone so fully participated in working out how we actually go forward so more Scottish Grain is being consumed in Scotland.

Thank you so much and I look forward to hearing more out your work and helping in any way I can.

Rosie Gray