A former county jail in Skowhegan is now the epicenter of a grain industry revival in Maine fueled largely by a resurgence of interest in local grains.
The Somerset Grist Mill and Maine Grains have operated out of the former county jail in Somerset County since 2012, producing stone-milled flour and other products from grains grown by local farmers. The enterprise fueling a revival of an industry that long ago largely left Maine for the western plains.
“Maine was a rich source of grains for the US through the end of the Civil War in 1865, providing significant amounts of grain to the Union soldiers on the battlefield,” writes Kathy O Brozek in a profile of the Somerset Grist Mill published this week in The Guardian newspaper. Co-founder Amber “Lambke checked the state’s records and found that Somerset County alone produced about 7,000 tons of wheat per year at its peak in 1837 – enough to feed more than 100,000 people – far more than the local demand at the time.
“During the late 19th century, however, grain farming began to move westward to places such as North Dakota and Kansas. By the mid 20th century, with the infrastructure for New England’s grain industry no longer needed, the gristmills and grain storage sheds that once dotted Maine’s rural landscape had mostly disappeared.”
The grist mill’s growth could offer a template for the revival and growth of other local industries in Maine — and elsewhere. The grist mill’s success is built on academic expertise from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, which worked with local farmers on growing grains, and capital investments made possible by non-profit organizations in Somerset County.
“Now Lambke and [co-founder Michael] Scholz face the next financing challenge: how to secure the growth capital needed to hire a sales representative, create an online sales platform and make minor equipment upgrades,” O Bozek writes. “Lambke believes debt with very favorable terms as well as grants are necessary to rebuild Maine’s grain industry. Building both a steady supply and new markets, as well as creating efficient production schedules, are ongoing challenges.”
Read the entire article on the Somerset Grist Mill on The Guardian’s website.