From Seed to Slice: Northeast
A Field Trip Through the Connecticut River Valley
Tuesday, July 8, 10am-5pm ET

A Field Trip through the Connecticut River Valley 

New England was once known as America’s breadbasket, playing a central role in the country’s early wheat production. Today, the region is experiencing a quiet but powerful grain revival. Farmers are rediscovering heritage wheat varieties uniquely suited to the Northeast’s climate, and communities throughout the Connecticut River Valley have become a vibrant hub for this movement. Here, farmers, millers, and bakers are working together to build a thriving local grain economy—reshaping the way we think about bread in the region. 

Join us for a one-day immersive tour as we follow the journey of wheat from field to flour to oven. Meet the passionate people behind the grain revival and discover how local grains are transforming the baking landscape of the Northeast. 

Our day begins with a light breakfast at Ground Up, a woman-owned mill and bakery in Holyoke, MA housed in a beautifully renovated, 19th-century paper mill.  Co-owner Andrea Stanley will share her story of launching a malt business 15 years ago and how she expanded into flour milling in 2018. You’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at her New American Stone Mill—crafted in Elmore, Vermont from local granite—and see the milling and baking operations in action. The bakery produces a variety of artisan breads for the community. 

After lunch at the mill, we’ll board a bus for a 30-minute drive to the historic Thrall Family Farm in Windsor, CT—believed to be the oldest continuously operating farm in the country. There, 12th-generation farmer Spencer Thrall will guide us into the fields for a glimpse of the late-season grain harvest and share how his crops support local millers, craft brewers, and distillers. For a look into the farm’s rich history, check out this episode from Connecticut Public’s original digital series Sharing Connecticut. 

We’ll end the day back at Ground Up with a tasting of regional brews and snacks, celebrating the flavors and spirit of the Northeast grain movement. 

Sponsored by Walden Mutual Bank

Based in Concord, NH, Walden Mutual is a mission-driven bank, owned by its depositors (a cooperative model thanks to its mutual structure). Its community of partners – both depositors and borrowers – share the same vision: to enable anyone to make positive and lasting change in our local food ecosystem. Their lending is focused on farms, food businesses, and sustainability-focused organizations that align with the bank’s mission.

Full Itinerary (subject to change): 

10:00am – 10:30am 
Meet at Ground Up (4 North Bridge Street, Holyoke, MA) for a light breakfast  

10:30am – 1:00pm 
Tour of Ground Up Mill and Bakery with Co-Owner Andrea Stanley 

1:00pm – 1:45pm 
Lunch at the Mill 

1:45pm – 2:20pm 
Travel by bus to the Thrall Family Farm in Windsor CT (715 River Street, Windsor, CT) 

2:20pm – 3:30pm 
Tour of Thrall Family Farm with Co-Owner Spencer Thrall 

3:30pm – 4:00pm 
Bus returns to Ground Up in Holyoke 

4:00pm – 5:00pm 
Closing reception at Ground Up with Andrea Stanley 

This field trip is a unique opportunity to connect with fellow bakers, explore the local grain chain firsthand, and deepen your understanding of growing resilient, organic grains in a changing climate. You’ll leave with fresh insights and a renewed appreciation for the bread you bake—from seed to slice.

About our Guides:

Andrea Stanley is the co-owner of Ground Up, a woman-owned Mill in Holyoke, Massachusetts supplying stone-milled and locally grown flour to artisanal bakers. 

For 15 years, Andrea’s mission has been to build and grow a regional supply chain for grains and showcase the flavor that can be produced within a sustainable food system. This mission has led to the development of Northeast varieties that are providing a "taste of place" and providing Northeast Farms with a stable market to grow cover crops such as barley, wheat, rye, and oats. At Ground Up, each variety of grain is studied for several years to explore the attributes and flavor it can create.  

In a renovated 19th century mill Andrea also runs Valley Malt, a Craft Malthouse supplying craft brewers and distillers.

Spencer Thrall is a 12th-generation farmer at Thrall Family Farm in Windsor, Connecticut, a historic farm founded by his ancestor William Thrall in 1646. Alongside his brother Joseph, Spencer has helped steward the farm into a new era by shifting its focus from shade tobacco—a crop the Thrall family pioneered for over a century—to grains like barley, wheat, and rye.  

In response to shifting agricultural markets and a rising demand for locally grown ingredients, Spencer co-founded Thrall Family Malt, Connecticut’s first modern malt house. Today, he supplies grain to breweries across the state, playing a central role in reviving the region’s grain economy. Spencer’s work bridges tradition and innovation, honoring his family's agricultural legacy while cultivating a vibrant future for local grain and craft beer in the Northeast.

Tuesday, August 5

From Seed to Slice Tours: 10am - 5pm CT

Guildhall Gathering: 5pm - 7pm CT

Join us for our first From Seed to Slice field trip of 2025 as we head to Minnesota—home to over 13,000 wheat farms and a deep-rooted history in milling. This one-day immersive tour will trace the journey of wheat from the field to the oven, offering insight into the farmers, millers, and bakers shaping the future of regional grain economies. 

We'll begin the day with breakfast and a behind-the-scenes look at Laune Bread in Minneapolis, a market and subscription bakery committed to organic, naturally leavened breads made primarily with locally sourced grains. From there, we’ll travel to Baker’s Field Flour & Bread in Northeast Minneapolis, where traditional stone milling is alive and well, preserving both nutrition and flavor in every batch of flour. 

After a locavore's lunch at Brake Bread,we’ll head to University of Minnesota’s College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences in St. Paul to explore their renowned Wheat Breeding and Genetics Project. There, we’ll tour the Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics’ field plots and learn how researchers are developing resilient spring wheat varieties tailored to the Midwest’s climate and agriculture. 

We’ll end the day in community at Bang Brewing Company in St. Paul for a relaxed Guildhall Gathering. We’ll talk shop and unwind over brews and artisan pizza from Farina Rossa. 

This field trip is a unique opportunity to connect with fellow bakers, explore the local grain chain firsthand, and deepen your understanding of growing resilient, organic grains in a changing climate. You’ll leave with fresh insights and a renewed appreciation for the bread you bake—from seed to slice. 

We’re grateful to the Artisan Grain Collaborative for helping make this trip accessible and affordable.

Our Guides:

LAUNE Bread is a subscription and market bakery dedicated to seasonality, simplicity, and the intersection the farm and the city. We bake European & West Coast American inspired naturally leavened breads, pastries & cookies. We are committed to reducing waste, pursuing whole grains, and sourcing ingredients from Minnesota + Upper Midwest farmers and producers with earth friendly farming practices.  

Chris MacLeod began Laune Bread in 2015 as a bike delivered subscription micro-bakery. He realized that working solo was not for him, closed shop in 2017, and moved to Switzerland. Returning to Minnesota in 2019, Chris turned the oven back on with the addition of Tiff Singh. 

Raised in northern California, Chris discovered bread while living abroad as a student in Munich. Not anticipating a career in baking, Chris studied Rhetoric and German at Lewis & Clark College, in Portland, OR. Only as a form of procrastination did his baking grow. 

As befits an accidental baker, Chris’s technique and values are rooted in his travels and mentors, found in idyllic Pt. Reyes Station, CA, Portland, OR, Minneapolis, MN, Utrecht, Munich, rural Germany, and Basel + Bern, Switzerland.  

Tiff Ri first baking job was at her local coffee shop and cafe in St. Peter, MN, a base that sparked her interest in cooking and baking. The skills she developed there led her to seek more mentors in the Minneapolis baking community (from the likes of Sun Street Breads, Rustica and Restaurant Alma). 

Baking has remained a focal point in Tiff’s life both inside and outside of work, a mainstay through times of challenge and growth, a source of joy and respite. The seasonal whim of our menu offerings is influenced by Tiff’s inspiration of food, human connection and community.

Baker’s Field Flour and Bread

Patrick Wylie, Head Baker

I started baking bread about a decade ago as a humble home baker. I quickly fell in love with sourdough, baking every week and doing my best to improve. I learned about Baker's Field through a family connection and when I stopped by for a tour, I was told they were hiring. I jumped at the opportunity and have been milling and baking here ever since. I am honored to now serve the bakery team as our Head Miller / Baker.

Tuesday, August 5

Guildhall Gathering at Bang Brewing Company

5pm - 7pm CT