New England RCA presents "Reviving the Past, Shaping the Future: Ancient Grains and Upcycling"

Explore connections between the variety of Heritage Grains and flours our ancestors once knew and the efforts to repurpose food byproducts into tasty baked treats in efforts to protect our native resources while keeping all people fed delicious, healthy food. 

This event is co-led by Tristan Noyes from the Maine Grain Alliance and Claire Schlemme from Renewal Mill and includes a bakery kit courtesy of our speakers for the first 25 participants to sign up. Participants who bake and submit a photo ahead of time can enter to win prizes at this virtual December event. 

Leveraging Claire and Tristan’s industry expertise to navigate the importance of sustainability, the impact it can provide, the education goals, meanings of certifications, industry collaborations, as well as an explanation of the kit and where participants can find even after the event ends. 

The Maine Grain Alliance provides educational workshops on a range of grain and baking topics for Chefs, Bakers and Home Cooks while supporting the restoration of rare and heritage seed collections from the local farms in Maine. 

Renewal Mill transforms food ingredient materials that don’t otherwise have a home into delicious bakery kits for individuals as well as ingredients to the food industry. Finding overlooked ingredients and giving them a new purpose in our food system has a powerful impact on our waste streams so look for the Upcycled Product label to support. 

Claire Schlemme from Renewal Mill

Speaker Bio: Claire Schlemme is the co-founder of Renewal Mill, an award-winning upcycled food company, transforming byproducts into crave-worthy ingredients and pantry staples. By finding value in the overlooked, Renewal Mill has kept over 1 million pounds of nutrition in the human food system. Before Renewal Mill, Claire entered the world of food as the co-founder of Boston's first organic juice company. Prior to diving into entrepreneurship, Claire was an environmental consultant at Industrial Economics, Inc. in Cambridge, MA. She holds a BA from Wellesley College and a Master of Environmental Management from Yale University.  

“Our food system is a critical lever for sustainability. Improving efficiencies in how we produce food can help us feed more people using fewer resources. Baking applications are a great way to innovate and illustrate that eating food that's good for the planet can be easy and delicious. Sustainable baking is a sweet combination of nourishment and care for ourselves and the Earth.” 

Tristan Noyes from Maine Grain Alliance

Speaker Bio: Raised by a farming family in northern Maine, Tristan developed an early passion for supporting agricultural communities. While a student, Tristan’s interest in organic practices led to him co-founding the Bowdoin Organic Garden. After a short spell hiking a section of the Appalachian Trail, he settled in Boston and built a career in global education. Tristan’s love for education took him around the world and ultimately back to Maine, where he and his brother started Gromaine Organic Farm.  Tristan soon sought knowledge about growing local grains. Inspired by meeting the incredible members of the Maine Grain Alliance, Tristan joined the organization as its Executive Director in 2016.

“We are beginning to reap the rewards of creating an interconnected community of grainiacs. This is the work of people who are passionate and full of life.“

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Kick off your holiday baking feeling informed and inspired to test out new ingredients from our passionate speakers’ guidance! 

This event is approved for 1 (one) CE units.

Sign up for kits by 11/18
Kits mailed by 11/29

Zoom link will be sent out the week of the event.

Any additional questions about this event? Reach out to Regional Co-Chair, Betsey McGravey, for answers!