It's been some time since I have made an update on MJW Grain Inc and what we have been up to this spring! During our blog hiatus, Dad was hard at work getting our spring rye planted, making more connections with breweries across the state, and delivering grain!
I'll first talk a little about rye and why we have decided to grow it as well as our winter triticale. Rye is a traditional grain that has been grown for hundreds of years. Used for baking, brewing, and distilling, it is extremely versatile and full of flavor. Dark, hearty breads, whiskeys and bourbons can all contain rye. Our family plans to be a source of this traditional grain to locals who are looking to revive it.
Rye that was malted at Palouse Pint in Spokane, WA.
Customers expressed an interest so we decided to deliver. Now, we have approximately 400 acres of spring rye planted around our farm house. It looks beautiful! In our area, rye is known to be a weed, a nuisance, and good way to get some exercise. Many a summer has been spent picking rye out of wheat fields by hand. We are excited to see how well our rye does this year and to reestablish it as a valuable crop and not a plant that needs to be removed from our fields.
Rye stand; photo taken 6/9/17
In the last several months, Dad has been busy hauling malt and raw grain all over the state to new customers. We are excited to announce that the following companies are official customers of MJW Grain Inc!
Elysian Brewing - Seattle, Washington
Selkirk Abbey Brewing Company - Post Falls, Idaho
Mick Duff's Brewing Company - Sandpoint, Idaho
Big Time Brewery - Seattle, Washington
Terminal Gravity Brewing - Enterprise, Oregon
Ten Pin Brewing - Moses Lake, Washington
Little Spokane Brewing Company - Spokane, Washington
Ice Harbor Brewing Company - Tri-Cities, Washington
Bellwether Brewing Company - Spokane, Washington
This idea, the idea that we could make a market for ourselves and build a business around family ideals and our livelihood, is becoming a reality. We have big dreams for MJW Grain Inc and we couldn't be more grateful for the progress we have made so far. We now offer raw triticale grain, triticale malt, raw rye grain and rye malt. We hope to continue expanding our influence and to accommodate our customers as best we can as we move forward into harvest 2017!
To keep up with MJW Grain Inc this summer, tune into our Facebook and Instagram for updates and things we think you should now about grain production in the Pacific Northwest! Summer is a beautiful season and it's an exciting one for farmers like us.
As always - cheers,
Maya Jane, President & CEO