Einkorn bread

Old Wye Mill is now offering for sale flour made from einkorn — an ancient grain that is delicious for baking and low in gluten. The einkorn is sourced from farmer Gerry Godfrey’s Mount Zion Farm[mountzionorchard.com/einkorn]in northern Caroline County, MD and milled into flour on Old Wye Mill’s water-powered grindstones. It is available for purchase during open hours or by appointment.

Einkorn (Triticummonococcum) was first cultivated about ten thousand years ago in the Middle East, where it still grows wild. By breeding it with other plants, early farmers created our modern wheat (Triticumaestivum), which, compared to einkorn, yielded more grain; had a softer husk; and contained a highly elastic gluten.

The gluten in common wheat causes many people to experience inflammation and other symptoms. The Godfreys discovered that they could eliminate these symptoms by baking bread with einkorn, which has less gluten, and it is in a low-density form. Starting in 2019, they experimented with growing einkorn, and even created machines to remove and separate the tough hull. Now Gerry Godfrey delivers 50-pound bags of einkorn to Old Wye Mill regularly, and our Millers grind it into fine flour. Once milled, we keep it in a freezer to preserve freshness; we recommend you keep it chilled until you bake with it.

Baking with einkorn is very rewarding. The grain is small, but with a higher percentage of germ and bran – and thus offers a richer taste and more nutrients than modern wheat.

If you haven’t baked with einkorn before, try it first in biscuits, cookies, and pancakes. Bread, of course, is more dependent on gluten to produce a satisfying loaf. You can substitute a half-cup of einkorn for conventional flour to add a sweet, nutty flavor to your favorite bread. If you’re making an all-einkorn loaf, allow the dough to rest longer than you otherwise would to ensure that the moisture permeates the flour. (Einkorn flour absorbs water more slowly than conventional wheat flour.)

Here’s a recipe to try: [https://everydaydishes.com/simple-food-recipes/einkorn-dutch-oven-bread-video/]

Old Wye Mill is one of Maryland’s most remarkable places: the historic grist mill is the oldest continuously operated water-powered mill in America, and Maryland’s oldest continuously operating business.Flour from Old Wye Mill — sustainably delicious since 1682!

Old Wye Mill is located at 900 Wye Mills Road (Route 662), in Wye Mills, Maryland 21679, near the intersection of Route 662 and Route 404.

For more information, please contact the Old Wye Mill Administrator by telephone at 410-827-3850 or by email [[email protected]].

LYON RUM, the flagship spirit of Windon Distilling Company, is the 2021 Best Craft Rum Distillery in the annual USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards, making the small-batch distillery the recipient of the coveted title for the second year in a row.

Selected by a panel of industry experts and rum aficionados, LYON RUM is the only Maryland distillery ranked among the 20 finalists, for the past five years.

“We love rum and are thrilled to be honored as the best, and perhaps most beloved, rum distillery again this year,” says Jaime Windon, founder & CEO of Windon Distilling Company.

The distillery is currently in the process of renovating and expanding to offer an enhanced visitor experience, including a new tasting room and cocktail space, so that they can continue educating and delighting visitors on the versatility and nuances of rum, or as Windon refers to it, “America’s original spirit.”

“As a small brand embarking on our ninth year, it’s quite an honor to be nominated among these other great American rums. Even more rewarding is knowing that we have the support and love from the actual people who enjoy what we make. My job is to get the rum to those people – across Maryland, in both stores and restaurants, and also now, direct to their doorstep!” noted Jessi Windon, VP of sales, and the official rum runner of LYON RUM.

In addition to supplying the state of Maryland through its own wholesale division, LYON RUM is distributed across the Mid-Atlantic and areas of the South, in a total of nine states. Through special extended legislation, the distillery will continue its popular home delivery service – free to all Maryland zip codes – through the end of 2022, as well as offer direct shipping through a third-party retailer to over 40 states.

Head distiller Brett Steigerwaldt, who has been with the company since 2016, reflects that “Winning this title two years in a row is huge! It is confirmation that people are taking notice of the exceptional rums being made by our passionate and dedicated team – and this honor helps us continue to show the world the potential for American rum.”

In 2013 LYON RUM became the first rum in decades to be distilled in Maryland, and for the last 8 years the distillery has been a leader in the industry, working to further redefine the category of new American rum and advance the legislative goals of small distillers across the country. LYON RUM // Windon Distilling Company is a proud member of the Maryland Distillers Guild, the American Craft Spirits Association, the American Distilling Institute, and the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. Jaime Windon serves on the DISCUS Craft Advisory Council, and also leads the Maryland Distillers Guild’s Legislative Committee.

LYON RUM // Windon Distilling Company
605 S. Talbot St. #6
Saint Michaels, Maryland
www.allyouneedisrum.com

Cecil Land Trust’s education hive

The Upper Shore Regional Council (USRC), in partnership with the Cecil County Office of Economic Development, the Kent County Economic & Tourism Development, the Queen Anne’s County Department of Economic Development, has awarded $90,000 to 32 farms across the Upper Shore through the USRC Micro Ag Grant program.

The Micro Ag Grant program helps support the development, expansion, and coordination of agricultural enterprises and initiatives along the Upper Shore region. Funded projects ranged from upgrades to equipment to improve efficiency, direct marketing support, home delivery of farm-fresh food, online sales platforms, animal health, conservation practices, and more.

Susan O’Neill, Executive Director of the USRC, says, “Supporting the growth of agribusinesses in our region is a priority for the USRC, and we want to make sure that they have every opportunity to succeed. The Micro Ag Grant helps strengthen both on-farm vitality and the economic impact on our regional rural communities.”

Grant recipients are:

• Andover Meadow LLC
• Betsy’s Bounty
• Brewers Hideaway Farm
• Cecil Land Trust
• Centreville Farmers Market
• 

  Eastern Shore Permaculture Institute, Justinian Dispenza

  Chesapeake Gold Farms

• Clara’s Farm Raised Shrimp
• Crow Vineyard
• David Daniels
• Dogwood Land Dairy
• Eastern Shore Permaculture Institute
• Farmers Wagon
• Flying Plow Farm
• Galvinell Meat Co.
• Hibulli Holding
• Jade Farm
• John Hickey
• Kilby Cream
• Long Green Farm
• Meulenberg Enterprises
• Milburn Orchards
• Oksana’s Produce Farm
• Orchard Point Oyster Co
• Painted Sky Alpaca Farm
• RJ Baldwin
• Rolling Hills Ranch
• Susky River Beverage Co.
• Tailsman
• Zambuto Farms

“The USRC’s Micro Ag Grant was a huge success in its first year. This grant program allows our farmers to stay up to date with consumer tastes and changing regulations. The volume of requests proves the need for a program like this and we are looking forward to another successful year in 2022,” says Maureen O’Shea Fitzgerald, the Agriculture Coordinator for Cecil County Office of Economic Development.

The USRC’s Micro Ag Grant aims to improve the regional food system by creating cohesive relationships between the economic development offices and farmers within the Upper Shore region. The micro-grant program enhances access to fresh food in the region’s rural communities while opening doors to resource-sharing and partnerships throughout the Upper Shore, ultimately helping to create a vibrant and economically sustainable rural community.

For more information about the USRC’s Micro Ag Grant, visit www.usrcmd.org/agmicrogrant. To learn more about the Cecil County Office of Economic Development, visit www.ccgov.org/government/economic-development, the Kent County, Economic & Tourism Development, visit www.kentcounty.com/business, or the Queen Anne’s County Department of Economic Development, visit www.choosequeenannes.com.

About the Upper Shore Regional Council

Since 2003, the Upper Shore Regional Council (USRC) has fostered planning and development in Cecil, Kent, and Queen Anne’s counties. USRC affords federal, state, county, and local governments a regional forum to identify issues and opportunities. USRC plans and implements programs to improve the quality of life in the Upper Shore Region of Maryland.