If I did not have a day job, I could easily be swept away in researching and writing about interesting Grain Chain stories from across the nation. Often I come across a story from one site or organization that points to an article or a study by another organization that ends up being a very educational and inspirational rabbit hole. This happens time and again. 

While I could try and write about everything I learn, I would never sleep, so my solution is to capture some little snippet of inspiration that is often tangential to the original story I am linking to. This post is one of those stories that generated one of those inspirational snippets.

This case study by a food business consultant, New Venture Advisors, on Shagbark Seed & Mill was referenced in the monthly newsletter of the Artisan Grain Collaborative. Definitely read up on all three organizations if you you are not familiar with them, but pay close attention to Shagbark Seed & Mill. 

Shagbark has built a regionally based food business that is an offshoot of an effort to bolster their local food system in Ohio specifically around grains and beans stemming back to 2010. 

If I was to try an summarize something I'd love to be a part of or at least see develop in Colorado, it is a business like Shagbark. 

While Ashley and I have aspirations to build a local bakery focused on using locally and regionally sourced grains, we also want to make other grain-based products as well. While not a necessarily original idea, there are plenty of products to be made and lots of opportunity for growth even though there are a number of bakeries and companies already doing this. 

This is why I find Shagbark inspirational. Local and regional grain chain food systems can, and are, being done throughout the US.