IT'S ALL IN THE GRAIN...

It’s all in the grain… from seed to table.

Northwest-based bakery Lovingly Artisan has teamed up with Cumbrian Farmer’s Eden Yard and wheat specialist Dr Andrew Wilkinson to grow a pioneering crop of Rye in the heart of Cumbria's Eden Valley.

For several years in the lead-up to the collaboration Aidan Monks and Catherine Connor, the husband-and-wife owners of Cumbria and Manchester-based sourdough bakery Lovingly Artisan which specialises in healthy nutritious bread made using organic ancient grains had been chatting with their good friend Dr Andrew Wilkinson (aka The Grain Doctor) about the possibility of growing a grain crop to meet the majority of their specialist flour needs.  

Andrew gained his eponymous title as a leading figure in bringing heritage grains back into commercial production in the UK. His work in both farming and research is internationally recognised, having led the organic crop research programme at Newcastle University and has invested a huge amount of time in meticulously researching which grains are best suited to the climate and conditions of his farm alongside Hadrian’s Wall in the northeast of England.

It seemed obvious to Aidan and Catherine that there was a real opportunity to mirror some of the farm-to-bakery initiatives being run elsewhere in the UK by members of the UK Grain Lab, a collective of farmers, millers, plant breeders, bakers, cooks, scientists and academics who are all working together to advance a more diverse UK-based grain economy centred around an independent network of trade around locally grown grain, which earns a good price for the farmer, shortens the supply chain considerably and in turn delivers a quality product to local bakeries.

The main question is could they find a farm in Cumbria that would be suitable and willing to experiment, and would it work? Especially as the area has no large-scale arable tradition, even though historically there were mills dotted across Cumberland and Westmorland and many of the region’s farms were mixed - with many growing grains for their animals and milling.

Happily, Andrew, familiar with the climate of Northumberland, was only too willing to assist in their search and to share his knowledge as they hunted for like-minded farmers to work with at an appropriate site.

Quite by chance, Aidan and Catherine mentioned their plans during a conversation with Ben and Jannike Taylor, who own Cumbria’s only cooking oil company Eden Yard, which is used by the bakers in their artisan-made focaccia bread.

During this conversation, Ben and Jannike explained how they operate their 600-acre farm, which specialises in growing varied arable crops grown in annual rotation, following a stringent soil management plan. Which among other processes sees them plant their stubble fields over-winter with deep-rooting and nitrogen-fixing cover crops, as well as companion cropping and minimising tillage.

However, at the same time, they also mentioned a key piece of information that was set to change things for everyone. It transpired that they’d grown several crop batches in 2021, 2022 and 2023 that were of sufficient quality to be suitable for use by a local biscuit manufacturer. So, with the expertise and equipment already in place, this proved to be the perfect opportunity to look at growing specific grains for Lovingly Artisan, including heritage and ancient grain varieties under organic conditions.

Things moved rapidly and in early 2023 the trio, each specialist in their fields, came together to look at how they might be able to address the possibility of growing a pioneering crop of grains in Cumbria for Lovingly Artisan to use in their bakeries. Ben and Jannike provided the land and machinery, whilst Andrew provided the seed and his expert guidance, with Lovingly Artisan providing access to a milling facility, and the market for the end product.

Andrew met with Ben and Jannike and worked through what they needed to do to nurture the crop following organic growing principles. Subsequently, the first parcel of land covering two small fields, totalling just under eight acres, was prepared, and sown in early autumn 2023, with the aim of delivering a first-ever crop of heritage rye grown under organic conditions for harvest in late July 2024.

Despite the spring and summer weather Eden Yard’s first heritage Rye crop was successfully harvested for Lovingly Artisan in late August, yielding in the region of 12 tonnes, which is now being stored.  Alongside that Lovingly Artisan can also reveal that they’ve been working quietly with Andrew, who is also an expert miller, to establish their own milling facility and associated bakery in Burneside, which is due to open in the next month or two.

The trio are also planning to increase grain production at the Eden Valley site, planting several dedicated heritage grains and more rye, thereby increasing the total acreage available and subsequently the grain available for milling at Lovingly Artisan’s flour mill. Flour, which in the fullness of time they hope to make available to other local businesses as crop production increases alongside their milling knowledge and capacity.

Aidan Monks and Catherine Connor said: ‘’We’ve wanted to go on this journey for quite a few years and quietly we’ve been chatting to Andrew and making plans should we find a suitable farm that shared our vision and saw the potential of what we were proposing to do. Cumbria, though not known for crop production, has areas of land that are highly suitable for growing grains of this sort. Particularly heritage grains that have over thousands of years adapted to climatic conditions prevalent in the UK. Couple that with organic growing practices and you’ve got a win-win situation. Shortened supply chain, locally produced crops with unique terroir. All of this increases our food security, and when grown sustainably can offer farmers positive returns and ultimately provide the consumer with a locally produced nutritious and ethical product in the form of ancient grain breads produced from seeds nurtured in Cumbria and then turned into loaves served at Cumbria’s dining tables. What could be better than that?

Dr Andrew Wilkinson remarked: ‘’This is how farms should be operating; growing food in such a way that the farming activity actively seeks to retain the value of the landscape within the community.’’

Ben and Jannike Taylor commented: ‘’As farm-to-fork producers already in Cumbria, our partnership with Lovingly Artisan has provided a welcome opportunity for us to further expand on our journey to farm sustainably and provide more products for our community. It is incredibly exciting that nutritious and fully traceable bread will be created, from grains grown and milled within the county, highlighting the vital connection between farmers, producers, and consumers. Whilst Aidan and Catherine get to trace their loaves back to the seed, we get to follow our grain to the mouths of their customers! It’s a wonderfully exciting project for us all.‘’